Mill Spring, N.C. – The Perrigo U.S. Para Dressage Team brought home a victory this weekend from the CPEDI3* at Tryon Fall Dressage 3 held at the Tryon International Equestrian Center. The team of Beatrice de Lavalette (Loxahatchee, Fla.) and Sixth Sense, Rebecca Hart (Loxahatchee, Fla.) and Floratina, Kate Shoemaker (Wellington, Fla.) and Colijn, and Roxanne Trunnell (Royal Palm Beach, Fla.) and Fortunato H2O all earned scores above 70% across two rounds of team competition to win over the team from Canada.
All four athletes were part of last year’s bronze-medal-winning team from the 2022 FEI World Para Dressage Championships in Herning, Denmark, with two new horses added to the mix at Tryon.
Hart and Floratina (Fidertanz x Rubina), a 2008 Hanoverian mare owned by Chloe Gasiorowski, posted the highest score in the team competition, earning a 74.778% and a win in the FEI Para Grand Prix A Test Grade III. In addition to their success in the team competition, the pair earned a personal-best score of 79.723% in the FEI Para Grand Prix Freestyle Grade III on Sunday. “Flora” is a relatively new partner for Hart, having made their debut together in June of 2023 at the CPEDI3* in Stadl-Paura, Austria.
Trunnell and Fortunato H2O (Floriscount x Raleska WF), Lehua Custer’s 2016 Oldenburg stallion, turned in consistent scores of 73.472% in the Para Grand Prix A and 73.125% in the Para Grand Prix B in the Grade I division, winning both classes. Trunnell and “Tuna” have been competing together since early 2022.
Shoemaker and Colijn (Son de Niro x Dolly), a 2007 KWPN gelding owned by Fiona Howard, won both the FEI Para Grand Prix A and B Tests for the Grade IV division with scores of 73.380% and 72.973%, respectively. Tryon is only the pair’s second competition together after they made their debut in the CPEDI at Stadl- Paura, Austria, in June.
De Lavalette and Sixth Sense (Sir Donnerhall I x Edosta), a 2010 Oldenburg gelding owned by Elizabeth and Nicolas de Lavalette, won both the FEI Para Grand Prix Tests A and B for Grade II, scoring 71.724% and 72.667%, respectively. “Sensei” was de Lavalette’s partner at the 2022 FEI World Championships and have had a successful partnership since they first started competing together in early 2022.
US Equestrian held a USEF Para Equestrian Classifier Clinic during the competition at Tryon Fall Dressage 3. The three-day clinic included classroom instruction, demonstrations, and practice testing for para athlete classifiers wishing to develop or improve their skills. Click here to learn more about requirements for para equestrian classifiers.
Competition Information
US Equestrian subscribers and members can watch the on-demand replay of the 2023 Tryon Fall Dressage 3 CPEDI3* on USEF Network powered by ClipMyHorse.TV. Not a member? Join now.
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