CAYMAN DRESSAGE TEAM UP FOR THE CHALLENGE

By CIEF staff

The Cayman Islands Equestrian Federation (CIEF) has selected its Cayman Teams for the Caribbean Equestrian Association’s Caribbean Dressage Challenge. Representing the Adult team are Amara Thompson, Jessica McTaggart-Giuzio and Jenn Cowdroy, while Chloe Fowler, Anja van Genderen and Ashley van den Bol round out the Children’s team. The teams were chosen based upon the results of the Cayman leg of the CEA Dressage Challenge held this past weekend at both the Equestrian Center and Cayman Riding School. The selection of McTaggart-Giuzio for the Cayman Team was especially gratifying, as it was the first time her 21 year old former Pan Am Games mount, Ray of Light, has been able to compete since sustaining an injury almost two years ago, and he performed spectacularly in the hardest test of the day.

The CEA Dressage Challenge enables riders from the CEA countries to compete against one another without having to travel. Instead, the CEA hires a single judge to travel to each island so the scoring is consistent. The CIEF was pleased to welcome back Jeanne McDonald, a USEF S-level judge from Philadelphia, PA, who has judged the CEA Dressage Challenge for the past two years.

Riders competing in the CEA Dressage Challenge are ranked both individually and by country team. The country team consists of the top top three adult and top three junior riders based upon the scores they receive and the difficulty of the test they ride. Currently, only the Cayman Islands and Jamaica have held their CEA Dressage competitions. Bermuda holds their event this weekend, with Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago scheduled for the end of June. Once all of the five countries in the CEA have completed their competitions, the final standing for Cayman’s riders and the Cayman national team will be known.

High Point Champion for the Adults and Juniors, respectively were Amara Thompson riding Second Kiss and Chloe Fowler riding Will to Win, both of whom won at Training Level Test 3. In addition to holding the CEA Dressage Challenge, the CIEF held other classes for interested riders. Winners of all the classes held this past weekend are listed below in order of most difficult to least difficult test ridden. Dressage Challenge classes are noted with the words CEA.

Prix St. Georges (CEA): Jessica McTaggart-Guizio riding Ray of Light
Third Level Test 1 (CEA): Kate Flett riding Loris 7
Second Level Test 3 (CEA): Jessica Achtstatter riding Partenon
First Level Test 3 – Adult (CEA): Kate Flett riding Blue Ridge Dream On
First Level Test 3 – Junior (CEA): Ashley van den Bol riding Whindlass
First Level Test 2 – Adult: Jenn Cowdroy riding Kartouche
First Level Test 1 – Adult: Anja van Genderen riding Joey
Training Level Test 3 (CEA) – Adult: Amara Thompson riding Second Kiss
Training Level Test 3 (CEA) – Junior: Chloe Fowler riding Will to Win
Training Level Test 2 – Adult: Caroline Key riding Iggy Pop
Training Level Test 1 – Junior: Leah Alberga riding Pony Up
USDF C Test – Junior: Eva Hepburn riding Watch Me Go
USDF B Test – Junior: Charlize Milgate riding Nala

Complete results are available on the CIEF website at www.ciefcay.com/events/show-results/. The next and last CIEF event for the 2015/16 horse show season is the 4th and final leg of the National Jumping Series, which will be held on May 29th at the Equestrian Center on Linford Pearson Highway at 8:00am. As always, spectators are welcome and admission is free.

Photo credits due to Eve van den Bol (of Jessica, Anja, Jenn and Ashley) and Pam Fowler (of Chloe and Amara) with thanks.