NOVEMBER 2021 THE RIDER /45


Exclusive to the Digital Edition of The Rider


NOVEMBER 2021 Vol. 3, Issue No. 1


CELEBRATING YEARS


Canada’s Jessica Phoenix Posts Top Finishes At Virginia Horse Trials


Jennifer Ward from Starting Gate Communications for Equestrian Canada


Lexington, VA., Nov. 1, 2021 – Two-time Canadian Olympian Jessica Phoenix of Cannington, ON, was the top Canadian finisher at the Vir- ginia International Horse Tri- als held from October 28 to 31, 2021, at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, VA.


Riding three horses in the CCI3*-L division,


lowing the opening phase of dressage. A clear jumping performance with two time penalties added over the cross-country track designed by Andrew Bowles of New Zealand gave Phoenix a pro- visional score of 29.9. One rail down in Sunday’s final show jumping phase resulted in a final score of 33.9 penalty points, giving the pair a top five finish. “I was thrilled with her


performance,” said Phoenix, 37, who has represented


male Pavarotti


my other horses, so I took that money and purchased her. “She reminds me of a fe- in many


ways,” continued Phoenix, referencing one of the most successful horses of her ca- reer and the winner of five medals in Pan American Games competition. “I was pleased to have her in Virginia and to be competing at the FEI level. I’m looking for- ward to producing her to the four-star level next year. I think she’ll be an exceptional


Two-time Canadian Olympian Jessica Phoenix of Cannington, ON, placed fifth riding Tugce in the CCI3*-L division at the Virginia International Horse Trials on October 31, 2021. Photo Credit – Anthony Trollope for RedBayStock.com, www.RedBayStock.com


Jessica Phoenix of Cannington, ON, guided Mighty Mouse to seventh place in the CCI3*-L division for owner Saskia Goedhart at the Virginia International Horse Trials in Lexington, VA. Photo Credit – Anthony Trollope for RedBayStock.com, www.RedBayStock.com


Phoenix placed fifth riding Tugce,


seventh aboard


Mighty Mouse, and 17th rid- ing Shaitani. A total of 21 en- tries contested the division, which saw U.S. competitor Ariel Grald lead from start to finish riding Diara and win with a final score of 26.4 penalty points. Grald also fin- ished second with her other mount, Isla de Coco, with a score of 27.9. With Tugce, her eight-


year-old Brandenburg mare (Domherr x Chico’s Boy), Phoenix was tied for third place with a score of 27.9 fol-


Canada on multiple occasions in major games competition. “From start to finish, she was world-class. She is so com- petitive in her mind; she knows every phase and does- n’t want me to get in her way. She’s amazing!” A former


hunter


prospect, Tugce had been sent to Phoenix to be sold. “When she got to my


property and I sat on her, I said, ‘I have to buy this horse!’” recounted Phoenix. “She’s definitely not a hunter but she’s definitely an event horse. I had just sold one of


horse for Canada.” Riding Mighty Mouse,


Phoenix was sitting in ninth position after dressage with a score of 32.1. A clear cross- country trip inside the time on Saturday followed by a single error for four penal- ties in show jumping moved the pair up to seventh place with a final score of 36.1. “Mighty Mouse is


owned by my client, Saskia Goedhart,” said Phoenix of the 12-year-old Australian- bred warmblood gelding (Contenda x Jubilee Bay). “She purchased him from


Shane Rose in Australia and brought him up to the prelim- inary level herself. She has an encompassing job and can’t always get the time to go to the competitions, but she does all the flat work on him. She probably does 70 percent of the riding on “Mouse,” and I do the fitness work and the jumping with him. It’s a team effort. It’s so rewarding to teach Saskia on “Mouse,” and then have him come out and compete at this calibre. It’s in- credible to have a top 10 fin- ish in his first three-star long. “He is a gifted horse,”


continued Phoenix. “He’s so competitive. He wants me to sit down, show him where to


go, and not say a lot to him. He’s so joyful to ride in all three phases. When you get back to the barn, he’s the sweetest, most lovely horse. He’s always kissing you! He’s the kindest, softest horse to be around and a pleasure to com- pete in all three phases.” Of competing at the Vir-


ginia International Horse Tri- als, Phoenix said, “It is a huge fitness test for the horses; there is a lot of terrain at this horse park. The cross-country course had a lot of technical combinations, and it was well-designed to give the horses a good fitness test without over-facing them. The footing felt perfect for cross-country, and then they just put in a new ring for show jumping. It was a great way to finish the weekend.” In addition to com-


peting herself, Phoenix was also coaching three other Canadian athletes. Melissa Boutin, 31, of Ascot Corner, QC, rid- ing Obeah Dancer GS and Hanna Bundy, 27, of Toronto, ON, riding


Lovely Assistant both enjoyed top 10 finishes in the CCI3*- S division while Claudia Ian- nuccilli, 42, of Wentworth, QC, contested the CCI2*-L riding Gregory the Great, a Canadian thoroughbred geld- ing she bought off the track. Across the Atlantic,


Canada was represented by Mike Winter, 47, at CCI5* Les 5 Etoiles de Pau held from October 28-31 in Pau, France. The Canadian Olympian, who is originally from Toronto, ON, and cur- rently based in Cirencester, England, placed 25th overall with a score of 61.3 penalty points riding El Mundo, an 11-year-old Dutch Warm- blood gelding (Numero Uno x Calvaro F.C.) that he and his wife, Emma Winter, own in partnership with Jonathan Nelson. One of the few five- star events held in the world, CCI5*-L Pau attracted 46 en- tries this year and was won by Tim Price of New Zealand riding Falco. For more information on


the Virginia International Horse Trials, visit http://va- horsetrials.com/.


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