FEI World Dressage Challenge took place at Hidden Valley Stables, Santa Cruz, on February 16th, 2011 The World Dressage Challenge is meant for developing nations to have an opportunity to compete in an international event on their home grounds.

  13 adults rode in the following classes: Advanced, Medium, Elementary and Preliminary.     2 children rode in the Preliminary Childrens’ Class.  Our horses are imported Warmbloods, two locally bred Warmbloods, ponies from Barbados and retired thoroughbreds from the Trinidad and Tobago racing industry.

FEI International Dressage Judges Mrs. Janine Rohr-Circurel from Argentina (President of the Ground Jury) and Mr. Ricardo Rojas from Costa Rica were very pleased with our standard of riding and our horses.  They were also very happy to see the quality of our young riders.  Mr. Rojas was here last year and has acknowledged an improvement in our riding of the tests.

The whole FEI World Dressage competition in our Zone takes almost 4 weeks to complete.

We are competing against Barbados, Jamaica, Bermuda, Cayman Islands; (Haiti has had to pull out at the last minute), and the results of the competition on 16th February here in Trinidad, go towards the final Result.

Our Team members Selected prior to this FEI World Dressage Challenge on 16th February 2011:

Cammila Garcia riding Miramis

Chelsea Thomas riding Zimbu Das Umbaranus

Patrice Stollmeyer riding Claudio

ALix Bovell riding Waiting at the Gate

Team scores so far are:

Barbados 63.573 %

Jamaica   63.335 %

Trinidad & Tobago  64.714 %    Trinidad & Tobago is in The Lead!

Kyna Thompson riding Monte Carlo produced the Highest score of the day at Hidden Valley Stables!  Her score was 65.518 %.  She Won the Champion High Point trophy sponsored by San Antonio Farms.  Owners of San Antonio Farms, Chancy and Peter Moll have sponsored this Trophy in the memory of Geoffrey McCartney who worked so hard on the side lines at all the Competitions throughout the years.

Cammila Garcia riding Miramis received the Reserve Champion High Point Trophy, sponsored by La Vega Estate. Her score - 65.000% . 

The day following the show the judges worked with the competitors and their horses in a Clinic which was very good.  They left us all with a lot of pointers.

Press Release - 10th February, 2011

Trinidad and Tobago is being counted among 58 countries who will participate in the 2011 Fédération Equestre Internationale World Dressage Challenge (FEI WDC). This will be the 31st  edition of the FEI WDC competition that will take place in Trinidad on February 15th-17th  2011.   Internationally experienced FEI Judges travel to the individual geographical regions of the world to judge this competition and give the riders a clinic to continue their development in the art of dressage.   Trinidad and Tobago will be one of the 6 countries in the Caribbean region to participate in the competition. Also in the competition are Barbados, Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Bermuda and Haiti. The primary mission of the  FEI is to advance the orderly growth of equestrian sport worldwide by promoting, regulating and administering humane and sportsmanlike international competitions in the traditional equestrian disciplines”  The  FEI  seeks to promote and expand the horse riding skills in developing countries throughout the world.

The major objectives of this worldwide Dressage competition are:

• To give the less experience Dressage riders who under normal circumstances, cannot take part in International Dressage competitions, in the more remote countries of the world, the opportunity to compete internationally without having to leave their country

• To promote the new generations of riders

Riders and horses who will be participating in this international event are from the following stables:

Goodwin Heights Stables,  Hidden Valley Stables,  Jericho Stables and Valmont Stables.

A total of 17 junior and senior riders will participate in this competition.  

The Main Competition takes place on Wednesday February 16th 2011

The 1st Event starts at 10:00 am

at the Hidden Valley Stables, in Santa Cruz

  Classes, Riders and Horses for FEI WDC 2011.
Advanced Adult
Sara McCartney - Senor Rojo

Medium Adult
Muffie Auerbach - Take Over

Elementary Adult
Nevine Boccara - Saxon Dan
Cammila Garcia - Miramis
Chelsea Thomas - Zimbu

Preliminary Adult
Cammila Garcia - Miramis (first test)
Chelsea Thomas - Zimbu (first test)
Alexandra Bovell - Waiting at the Front
Cashell Watsun - Morocco
Steven Degheldere- Dance On
Olivia Xavier-Harford - Rockstar
Patrice Stollmeyer- Claudio
Kyna Thompson - Monte Carlo
Sandhya Moll - Magnificent Seven
Andrew Halfhide - Singing Idol
Kerri Clarke- Saxon Dan

Preliminary Child
Ambriel Weatherly - Starlight
Adelle Stollmeyer- Steffi
Mariel Lancer- Rhapsody

 

Trinidad is sending a group of riders to Martinique to compete from Friday 25th to Sunday 27th Febuary, at the Centre Equestre Hippocampe, Carrere, Le Lamentin. The riders were chosen from their results in the 2010 Super League Show Jumping Competition. Steven Degheldere from Hidden Valley Stables is going as Coach & will also be competing.

Our Riders will be competing against Surianme, Guadaloupe, French Guyana, St. Maarten and Brasil.

There is a team competition made up of the 4 riders from the two higher heights:

Our Team members:

1.10m to 1.20m height:

Steven Degheldere from Hidden Valley Stables

.95m to 1.05 m heights:

Sandhya Moll & Cammila Garcia of Valmont Stables and Mariel Lanser of Hidden Valley Stables

.85m to .95 m heights:

Chelsea Thomas and Alex Bovell  of Goodwin Heights Stables