Dressage, the first of three phases in the eventing competition, was held on Thursday, September 30 and Friday, October 1.  At the conclusion, Rhodes-Bosch was the highest placed Canadian, sitting in 17th position with a score of 44.2 penalty points riding Port Authority, a 12-year-old Canadian-bred Selle Français/Thoroughbred gelding that she co-owns with her mother, Patricia Bosch.

“He was perfect today. We struggled all week with our dressage training, but he went right to work and was great in our final warm-up,” said Rhodes-Bosch. “He let me ride him throughout the whole test, and did not react to any of the distractions around the ring. I am really please with how today went.”

“I am planning to take all the direct routes on cross country tomorrow. The time will be very tight, but I am really looking forward to riding the cross-country course,” she added.

Olympian Selena O’Hanlon of Elgin, ON, rode Elaine and Michael Davies 15-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding, Colombo, to a score of 50.8, good for 41st place. O’Hanlon competed on Thursday, as did Hawley Benntt-Awad of Langley, BC, who currently ranked 48th with a score of 52.5, is riding Gin & Juice, 10-year-old bay mare owned by Bennett-Awad and Linda Paine.

Rebecca Howard of Salmon Arm, BC, and Caroline Bazley’s Canadian-bred nine-year-old Canadian Sport Horse gelding, Riddle Master, earned a score of 56 for 57th place. Jessica Phoenix of Uxbridge, ON is currently ranked 67th with a score of 60.2 riding Exponential, 12-year-old bay Canadian Thoroughbred gelding, and Kyle Carter of Calgary, AB, is currently in 73rd place with a score of 63.5 riding Madison Park, a 12-year-old Thoroughbred gelding owned by Carter and Jennifer Carter.

Saturday’s cross-country phase will begin at 10:04 a.m. and consists of 28 numbered obstacles and 48 jumping efforts jumping efforts designed by Michael Etherington-Smith of Great Britain. With time allowed of 11 minutes and 14 seconds, it is anticipated that competitors will have difficulty crossing the finish line within the optimum time.

Eventing is comprised of three phases of competition held consecutively — dressage, cross-country and show jumping.  At the 2010 World Equestrian Games, 80 horses representing 18 nations are competing. Following cross country, the final phase, show jumping, will be held on Sunday back at the main stadium.  Team and Individual Medals will be awarded following the conclusion of Monday’s competition.

After dressage, the Canadian team, comprised of Rhodes-Bosch, O’Hanlon, Benntt-Awad and Carter, has a combined score of 147.50, which places it ninth overall among the 14 nations fielding teams.  Teams are comprised of four horse-rider combinations and the best three scores are counted toward the team result.  Germany currently leads the way with a score of 114.30 penalty points followed by Great Britain in second with 128.50.  Sweden sits third with 131.20.

In the Individual standings, Michael Jung of Germany is at the top of the leader board with 33 penalty points following his dressage test with La Biosthetique-Sam FBW. Italy’s Stefano Brecciaroli is second with 35.5 riding Apollo van de Wendi Kurt Hoeve while Germany’s Simone Deitermann is third with 36 penalty points riding Free Easy NRW.

For more information, including live results, please visit www.alltechfeigames.com.

2010 World Equestrian Games — Provisional Individual Eventing Standings Following Dressage Day 2

About Canadian Eventing

Canadian Eventing is a committee of Equine Canada responsible for the sport of eventing in Canada from the grassroots to the international level. The Canadian Eventing Committee is comprised of 12 members, including two rider representatives elected by the Elite Riders Association. Directed by the strategic plan for eventing, all eventing activities are administered by this committee via six sub-committees with the support of eventing manager based at the Equine Canada office in Ottawa. The national team athletes and program, led by International Technical Advisor David O’Connor, are monitored by the High Performance Committee. For more information about Canadian Eventing, visit equinecanada.ca—Sport—Eventing.

About Equine Canada

Equine Canada is Canada’s national governing body for equestrianism.  A member-driven, charitable institution, it is the executive branch of the Canadian Equestrian Team, and the national authority for equestrian competition; the national voice for recreational riders; and the national association for equine welfare, breeding, and industry.  Equine Canada is recognised by the Government of Canada, the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), and the Canadian Olympic Committee as the national organisation representing equestrian sport and equine interests. For more information about Equine Canada, please visit equinecanada.ca.

Novartis Animal Health Canada Inc. is the official supplier of joint therapy to the 2010 Canadian Equestrian Team at the World Equestrian Games.

About Novartis Animal Health Canada Inc.

With offices in Mississauga, Ontario and manufacturing, research and development sites in Prince Edward Island, Novartis Animal Health Canada Inc. researches, develops and commercializes leading animal treatments that meet the needs of pet owners, farmers, veterinarians and the aqua culture industry. Part of the Basel, Switzerland-based Novartis Animal Health global organization, the Canadian business offers the full range of the animal health products and is a major contributor to the global Aqua Health operations of Novartis Animal Health.  For more information about Novartis Animal Health Canada Inc., please consult http://www.ah.novartis.ca.