Winona Hartvikson of Langley, BC kicked off the 2018 season with top placings at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) CPEDI 3*, held Jan. 4-7, 2018 in Wellington, FL.

Riding her 11-year-old Andalusian gelding, Ultimo (Invasor III x Teodoro), Hartvikson claimed third place with a score of 69.286% in the Grade I Team Test on Jan. 5. The next day, she nabbed second place in the Individual with a score of 71.131%, before wrapping up the weekend with her best score yet on Jan. 7, earning 73.622% in the Freestyle.

“Our newest rider, Winona Hartvikson posted very good scores, including the highest mark of the day from the German judge,” said Clive Milkins, Equestrian Canada Para-Dressage High Performance Technical Leader. “Ultimo’s harmony, correctness and softness were remarked upon by all four judges.”

The steady improvement of Hartvikson’s scores throughout the competition was particularly impressive when considering that her grey mount’s show career had only begun approximately six months before. Hartvikson and Ultimo made their FEI debut at the CPEDI 3* in Tryon, NC on Sept. 15-17, 2017, where they earned similar results of second place in the Team and third in the Freestyle and Individual tests.

“Ultimo loves to show,” explained Hartvikson. “Each day (of the AGDF) he gave me more. He did his best test in the Freestyle, which was brilliantly designed by Karen Robinson of Applause Dressage. It has lovely music that really suits Ultimo, with a bit of an emotional beginning that had more than a few people tearing up.”

Fellow Canadians, Robyn Andrews of St. Johns, NL and Jody Schloss of Toronto, ON competed alongside Hartvikson in the Grade I division.

Andrews rode her 2016 Rio Paralympic Games partner, the 17-year-old Friesian/Andalusian mare, Fancianna, to a fourth-place finish in the Team with a score of 69.107%. The duo captured fifth place in the Individual with 66.786%, and again in the Freestyle with 69.444%.

London 2012 Paralympian, Schloss, and her 14-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding, Lieutenant Lobin (Lobster x Fanal Prydsholm), earned their highest marks of the week in the Team, with a score of 68.810% for fifth place. Schloss placed sixth the following two days, scoring 64.167% in the Individual and 68.356% in the Freestyle.
“All riders received very encouraging and positive comments from the international experienced judges, and the future is very positive,” said Milkins. “Many thanks must go to all the support staff both at the competition and from Equestrian Canada who make all this possible.”

For full results from the AGDF CPEDI 3*, click here. A second CPEDI 3* will be held Jan. 18-21, 2018 during AGDF II. More information on the series can be found at http://gdf.coth.com.

Top Canadian Results – CPEDI 3* Wellington

FEI Para Team Test – Grade I
Placing / Rider / Horse / Owner / Score
3rd / Winona Hartvikson / Ultimo / Winona Hartvikson / 69.286%
4th / Robyn Andrews / Fancianna / Robyn Andrews / 69.107%
5th / Jody Schloss / Lieutenant Lobin / Jody Schloss / 68.810%

FEI Para Individual Test – Grade I
Placing / Rider / Horse / Owner / Score
2nd / Winona Hartvikson / Ultimo / Winona Hartvikson / 71.131%
5th / Robyn Andrews / Fancianna / Robyn Andrews / 66.786%
6th / Jody Schloss / Lieutenant Lobin / Jody Schloss / 64.167%

FEI Para Freestyle – Grade I
Placing / Rider / Horse / Owner / Score
2nd / Winona Hartvikson / Ultimo / Winona Hartvikson / 73.622%
5th / Robyn Andrews / Fancianna / Robyn Andrews / 69.444%
6th / Jody Schloss / Lieutenant Lobin / Jody Schloss / 68.356%