Foster leads as Barbados team produces solid scores in regional challenge

Roberta Foster headed up the local contingent as Barbados impresses international judges in the 2018 Southern Palms Hotel Caribbean Equestrian Association’s (CEA) Regional Dressage Challenge. With the challenge brought to a conclusion at Congo Road Equestrian Centre this past Sunday, some of the island’s best riders were under the watchful eyes of Judges Brenda Minor of Canada and Cesar Torrente of Colombia.

The two-day show also served as a qualifier for the 2018 Caribbean and Central American Games, which is to be held in Colombia this summer, and Foster, the sole dressage rider in this first CDN qualifier, did Barbados proud by producing her first qualifying score for the Games on her mare, Chichic. The second qualifier for the CAC Games will be part of the upcoming FEI World Dressage Challenge on March 24 and 25.

Foster was impeccable, putting up a solid score of 67.353% in the Intermediate I Test on Day One and a 64.853% in the Prix St. George Test on Day Two. Foster’s 1 Intermediate score was also used as her team score for the CEA Challenge and with the additional points for the degree of difficulty of her high-level Test, she finished with the highest team score of 71.353%.

Adriana Watson and Soca Kid performed a beautiful First Level Test to end with a team spot on the second-highest score of the day with 70.5%, while Eventer Laura Smith and Royal Diadem, despite a lead change error, still managed to clinch the third highest score and the final team spot with 66.5%. The total Adult Team score going up against the rest of the Caribbean is very impressive 69.461%.

In the Children’s Division, 15-year-old Bree-Anne Hurdle, riding in her last show as a junior, led the charge, as is customary of this eloquent equestrian, with an excellent performance at Second Level with 70.88%. Hurdle also scored 65.9% at Third Level on the Michelle Elliott-owned Vivaldi and is definitely one to watch in the future of Barbados dressage.

Eleven-year-old Scarlett Farmer and Rasmus scored the second-highest score of the juniors with 64.1% in Training Level to win the second Juniors Team spot. Farmer has definitely shown her potential in the sport by also competing at the First Level for only the second time this year and producing a very good score of 65.2%.

Savannah Stuart on Rumba showed her bright future in dressage by taking the final junior team spot at only eight years of age with 61.82% at the Training Level. The combined Children’s Team score that will compete regionally will be a competitive 65.596%.

The other CEA Challenge riders on the day to put in respectable scores included Paige Tryhane on her mare Daisy, who won at Second Level with 62.1% and Jenni Wilson on JW Merlot who took second spot with 58.2%.

Dutch Dressage Rider, Gerdine de Vries on Tammy Pinto’s Valentino finished in third spot at the First Level with 65.05% and Tryhane took fourth and fifth spot at the First Level with her show jumpers, Fiep and Corlato.

Sandra Sampson and Professor won the Training Level Adults with 59.3% and Kareem Smith and Spidey took the second spot with 55.6%. Dominic Drakes also competed in the Children’s Training Level on Mystique and finished in third spot with 51.8%.

Several up-and-coming youngsters also showed their potential by riding the non-CEA Challenge Tests in fine fashion. Many of these riders will hopefully be able to compete in the CEA Challenge in 2019. The Introductory Test C was won by Lena Tempro and Little Man, Introductory Test B was won by Rebecca Kent and Eclipse, Introductory Test A was won by Rylee Pinheiro and Clover Lucky Chance and the Leadline Test was won by Zachary Drakes and Mystique.