PARALYMPIC GAMES QUALIFIER – CPEDI3* CERVIA

18 – 20 NOVEMBER 2011

The Singapore Para-Dressage team, comprising of Laurentia Tan, Gemma Rose Foo and Maximilian Tan, headed to Cervia, Italy to participate in the CPEDI3* event in order to obtain a qualifying score for the Paralympic Games 2012 in London.

In the Grade 1A Team Test, Laurentia, riding Ruben James, finished 1st out of 7 riders with a score of 74.510%. Laurentia also finished 1st in the Grade 1A Championship Test with a score of 73.417%. In the Grade 1A Team Test, Gemma, riding Avalon, placed 3rd with a score of 66.765%, and also placed 3 in the Grade 1A Championship Test with a score of 68.000%. In the Grade 1B Team Test, Max, riding Avalon, finished 5th out of 6 riders with a score of 64.167%. Max also placed 3rd in the Grade 1B Championship Test with a score of 67.464%. In the Grade 1A Freestyle event, Laurentia finished in 1st place with a score of 74.583%, with Gemma behind her in 2 place with a score of 69.333%. In the Grade 1B Freestyle event, Max finished in 4th with a score of 66.333%.

The results from the Team and Championship tests gave Team Singapore a score of 414.323, placing them 2nd overall behind France. This also puts them in 10th place on the overall FEI Team Ranking list for qualification for the Paralympic Games 2012, which is a significant improvement from where they were in 23rd place previously. More importantly, it also places them atop the rankings in the Asia region, and therefore in a good position to qualify for the Paralympic Games in London when the qualifying period closes on 31st January 2012.

In spite of a number of falls which could have proved detrimental to the riders’ performances, the team did very well, and hearty congratulations must go out to them, their horses, their coach Volker Eubel, assistant coach Penny Pegrum, grooms Nicole Baldes and Carina Sudel, Team Manager Monique Heah, as well as their care-givers. They are well on their way on the ‘Road to London’!