Young Cayman riders top equestrian contest

(CNS): Three young Cayman Islands Equestrian Federation (CIEF) riders recently represented the country at the 2013 Children of the Americas Dressage invitational (CADI) in Concord Massachusetts. Thea Millward 14, Anja Van Genderen 13 and Phoebe Serpell 13 participated in the weeklong event and all made the podium. In an impressive result for the riders Phoebe Serpell was the 1st placed overall Champion with a combined score of 149.054 and  Anja Van Genderen was the 2nd place overall Reserve Champion with a combined score of 145.88.

The competition is held at The Bear Spot Farm and Foundation in Massachusetts and is the brain child of Jane Karol who is the Director of CADI. The riders competed with young contestants from Canada, Ecuador, Jamaica, Bermuda, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago and the USA.  All three riders had to obtain qualifying scores at the World FEI Dressage Challenge that was held in February 2013 in Cayman.

Thea, Phoebe and Anja received the top three qualifying scores and were therefore selected by the CIEF to represent that Cayman Islands at this competition. 

CADI provides young riders with an amazing opportunity to ride very talented and experienced horses that owners lend and train with some of the best trainers in the world. Pam Maloof, Sue Williams and Gerrit-Claes Bierenbroodspot were Thea, Anja and Phoebe's trainers respectively.

The horse draw took place on the first day of the event, this involves all rider and horse names being placed in a hat and being pulled out to establish who would ride which horse. 

Thea drew Bentley and a nice chestnut gelding trained to Prix St George level, Anja drew Walina a beautiful black mare trained to Grand Prix level and Phoebe drew Ben a massive 18 hand holsteiner also trained to Prix St George.

The local equestrian society explained that over the next two days the riders were given full responsibility of the horse they had been loaned, arriving early at the barn each day to muck out, groom and feed the horses. Each day riders had an intensive hour's lesson with their trainer which allowed them to start to understand and work well with the horse.

The last two days of the event were when the competition took place. On Friday 2nd August all riders rode the CADI FEI Preliminary Dressage test and it was an amazing day for Cayman with all three riders placing in the top three.

Thea Millard's top score of day of 73.261% put her in first place, closely behind was Phoebe Serpell with a 2nd place score of 72.935% and in third place was Anja Van Genderen with another great score of 72.174%.

The second day of the event was the Freestyle, which allows the young riders chance  to choreograph their own dressage routine and select a pieces of music that suit the different paces and gaits of the horse. The scoring of this event is slightly different and allows marks to be given for musical interpretation and creativity, technical style, difficulty and risk as well as the use of the arena.   

CIES said the results were excellent and hard to beat when Phoebe Serpell secured second place with a score of 76.119% and Anja Van Genderen 3rd place with 73.706%.  Thea Millward also managed 69.777% for 5th place. 

The 1st placed rider was Vanessa Altamirano from Ecuador with a score of 77.411%.

The scores for the two events combined to establish the overall winners and the Cayman Riders were back on the podium; Phoebe Serpell was the 1st placed overall Champion with a combined score of 149.054, Anja Van Genderen was the 2nd place overall Reserve Champion with a combined score of 145.88 and Thea Millward placed fourth with an overall score of 143.038.