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May 2006

Toni Venhaus is a CDI organizer par excellence. the CDI3* Sydney was held at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre site of the Sydney Olympics. 58 horses and riders gathered to compete ay the 2006 CDI3*. Six countries were represented Bermuda, India, Japan, New Zealand, USA and Australia. The competition had an ambiance and detail equal to that of Europe. A large shopping "village" topped off the scene. The Centre has been a big success and is in use basically every weekend with a waiting list of bookings.

The traditional Invitational informal team competition was again held on borrowed horses. the quality of these horses had improved greatly since my first visit over 6 years ago. This competition consisted of riders drawing their horses and competing in the Prix St Georges. they were given only 30 minutes to get to know their horses! Canada has competed very successfully in the past with Jacquie Brookes winning one year. Unfortunately we had no riders competing this year.
The Invitational team resulted in New Zealand winning, Japan second and the Commonwealth team of India and Australia third.

Saturday night's Grand Prix Gala was truly a show place for the impressive Australian breeding program, with 9 stallions presented under saddle and one ridden by Shane Rose member of the Australian Eventing Team. Shane thrilled the crowd by jumping a huge oxer several times while surrounded by eight other stallions strutting their style from Medium to Grand Prix level. This was followed by a wonderful Pas de Trois featuring two palominos showing amazing harmony and suppleness as they flowed through intricate movements while being hassled by their third member a miniature horse also palomino and standing no taller than 10 hands! A wonderfully entertaining show. Preceding the Grand Prix Freestyle all the Invitational teams, Chefs, AEF dressage committee members and the Ground Jury were introduced and driven into the arena precariously perched in the back of beautiful antique Morgan cars.

It is very obvious that Australia has taken their goals with dressage very seriously and like so any of their other sports they have put in place a solid development program and engaged Ulla Salzgeber to coach the athletes. Two of their top athletes Kristy Oatley and Mathew Dowling are currently in Europe preparing for a chance to be on the WEG team. There was an impressive number of really quality horses presented to us with two Grand Prix horses of considerable note Amoucheur and Kelly Layne and the World class potential gelding Chatham Park Jac ridden by Rachel Sanna. These two won the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Freestyle respectively. Keep an eye out for these in the future! Brett Parbery is another name to watch for...this young man is a super rider and rides a super stallion Whisper 1V a son of Weltmeier.....Brett was a bronc rider until 4 or 5 years ago and since then has turned his talents to dressage and I am sure will be a name to watch for in the future internationally. Heath Ryan successful competitor and team member of both the dressage and Eventing teams for Australia in the past, placed second and third with his two Grand Prix horses Greenoaks Dundee and Regardez Moi in the 18 strong entry and second in the Grand Prix Freestyle with his World Cup Final horse Greenoaks Dundee.

Volker Moritz President of the Ground Jury and myself were asked to conduct a judges forum (over 100 attended) and also work with some judges going towards their upgrading as Grand Prix judges. The program has been re-vamped and is being structured along the national coaching system whereby Officials are now a part of a national officials group of all sports.

The CDI panel was indeed International: FEI "O" judges: Volker Moritz (GER), Mary Seefried (AUS), Cara Whitham (CAN), FEI "I" judges: Alison King (HKG), ), Won-Oh Park (KOR), Jan Bird (NZL), Susan Hoevenaars, Virginia Creed, Jill Cobcroft & Joy Charlton all from (AUS), FEI "C" judges: Midori Furukawa (JAP), Gisela Nilsson Harding (AUS).

Dressage Direct & EuroDressage now have the results posted with one correction needed in the Grand Prix seating of judges, Mary Seefried and my positions were changed at the last minute due to the examination of some national judges and the need for them to sit where Volker and I were sitting; Mary actually sat at E and I was at B.

Adding to the prestige of the panel is that Australia's only "O" dressage judge Mary Seefried will be heading for Europe soon to judge several CDIs, including the May CDIO Aachen, where tradition brings the WEG panel together before WEG. Mary will be a member of the Gound Jury for the 2006 WEG. Volker Moritz is the President of Appeals for WEG & the CDIO Aachen.

My sincere thanks to the superb cameramanship of Franz Venhaus for the photos! Franz is the Secretary General of the Australian Equestrian Federation and was the overall Director for the equestrian sports at the wonderful Sydney Olympic Games.

Volker Moritz and Cara Whitham

Morgan line-up

Toni Venhaus presenting the most successful rider in the Invitational to Mrityunjay (Jay) Sinh Rathore from India. Jay, besides being a good rider is also a royal prince and wore the most amazing diamond earings which every woman at the show coveted!

Janne Rumbough USA team member thanking Toni Venhaus on behalf of all the invited riders.

Brett Patbery and Whisper 1V. They had a straight flush with victories in all three Advanced classes (PSG, Int1, Int 1 Freestyle all with over 70%!

Pas de Trois

Jan Bird (NZL) & Alison King (HKG). Hong Kong will now be the site for the Equestrian sports in the Bejiing Olympic Games.

From left to right Midori Furukawa, Mary Seefried, Cara Whitham, Jan Bird, Grand Prix Freestyle sponsor Sandy Oatley and Volker Moritz.

VIP Dinner

Rachael Sanna and Chatham Park Jac and Volker Moritz