2003 Dressage at Devon

Dressage at Devon Season Highlight for Tom Dvorak

One of the traditional star riders and trophy grabbers at Dressage at Devon is Canadian Tom Dvorak. For years he has been coming to Devon with the intention to score and win, like most riders, but he is actually capable of living up to these expectations. Though Dvorak enters Grand Prix horses in the competition, he usually shines in the small tour, presenting year after year upcoming talented FEI horses.

At the 2003 edition of Dressage at Devon, Tom Dvorak absolutely stole the show with his latest star West Side Lady. On the opening day of the competition, Dvorak and West Side Lady won the CDN Grand Prix with 64.917%, on Saturday they got the blue ribbon for a 70.581 % earning ride in Fourth Level test 2 and on Sunday they completed their winning streak with another magical 70.109% in Fourth Level test 3. "It's the first time I showed her at this level, and it's just incredible that we got so far up in the ribbons," Dvorak said.

West Side Lady is an 8-year old Hanoverian mare by Wesley out of La Traviata and is owned by Sue Platz from Elora, Canada. West Side Lady came from the Verden Auction in Germany to Canada and was sold to Platz by Augustin Walsh. The mare's strength is that she has three exceptionally balanced basic gaits with the canter as highlight. "West Side Lady is just a super mare," Dvorak explained, "she has such a willing temperament and always wants to please me. She's easy and very uncomplicated to ride."

If West Side Lady could speak to Tom, she would probably be a very proper, elegant lady saying, "Tom, what do you want me to do for you today and I'll do it."

West Side Lady was not the only horse performing under Dvorak; he brought three more. Beaumarchais is a 9-year old Hanoverian by Warkant out of Cheri and owned by Sue Holden. Dvorak competed Beaumarchais in the CDN Prix St Georges finishing third with 63.917%, in the CDI Prix St Georges placing 11th with 65.417% and in the CDI Intermediaire I ranking 9th with 66.417%. "I was super pleased with him. It was his second I-I and his third Prix St Georges. He's a very talented, but hot horse," Dvorak said.

Beaumarchais is an athletic mover with a good bounce in the trot. "He's a quick thinker and at the barn we call him 'busy', because he can't keep a blanket on."

Sympathie is Dvorak's third small tour horse. This 12-year old bay mare is owned by Kelly Marsh and has not been often in the show ring. "I am riding her for three years now and only last year we started to do fourth level, so I didn't go through all the levels, which I usually do with my other horses," Dvorak stated. The very green Sympathie, a bay mare by Saboteur out of Petite Fleur, finished 17th with 62.750% in the CDI Prix St Georges and 21st with 62.583% in the Intermediaire I.

Dvorak's Grand Prix stallion Kadans had an off-day at Devon. The pair placed sixteenth in the CDI Grand Prix for Freestyle with 52.458%. The horse completely tensed up during their ride, resulting in many errors. "He's a breeding stallion and he can give me a hard time when his hormones kick in," Dvorak confessed. "He gets pushy and strong, but at our last show we scored 71%, so sometimes he's a bit unpredictable."

Although Kadans was not in the mood for Devon, Dvorak and his three small tour horses were. "I love coming to Devon. It's the highlight of the season and I prepare my horses especially for this show," Dvorak said. "I'm very fortunate that the owners of these horses let me ride and compete them."

by Astrid Appels

Related Links
Dvorak and Flettrich Win Opening Classes at 2003 Dressage at Devon
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Scores of 2003 Dressage at Devon