Trussell and Woodard Claim Last Two Spots in Developing PSG Series; Finalists Announced
Belinda Trussell & Quincy. Photo ©susanjstickle.com
Twelve promising small tour horses went down centerline in the Buffalo Wild Wings Future Challenge FEI Prix St. Georges on Sunday, March 16, hunting one of the two remaining slots in week 12’s prestigious grand final.
The class is open to developing small tour horses aged seven to nine. As with all the developing horse series at AGDF — of which there are three — they are designed to offer horses with international quality the opportunity to perform a test in front of a panel of international judges in the atmospheric main stadium at Wellington International’s dressage venue without some of the additional pressures of an international, such as a trot-up, or having to stable overnight at the venue for several days.
In the Prix St. Georges Future Challenge in AGDF 10, Canadians occupied two of the three top spots. Belinda Trussell and the eight-year-old mare Quincy — who qualified in AGDF 5 — topped the class on 71.206%. Andrea Woodard slotted in between the two Canadians with a 69.471% performance for second on Enter at A LLC’s eight-year-old Roxette. The Revolution x Quite Easy mare earned a ticket to the final in two weeks’ time. Camille Carier Bergeron finished third on her own MSJ Fürst Zonik (by Fürstenball x Zonik), another eight-year-old, and picked up the second ticket, as qualification passed down to non-qualified combinations.
Trussell is still building a relationship with Susan Zucker’s diminutive mare Quincy (by Quantensprung x De Niro), as she was imported from Europe in the summer of 2024.
“I’m super happy that I get to do the final,” said Trussell, who is a two-time Olympian. “Quincy is a new horse for me. She came over from Europe and she was green with some of the upper level stuff. We’ve been getting to know each other, solidifying the relationship, and getting her used to the climate.
“We call her Mouse. At first it was because she was tiny, and now she’s Mighty Mouse. I love this horse so much. She has kindness in her eye; she’s delicate, but then she has fire at the same time. Here is this tiny mouse coming, but when she clicks on, watch out!
“It’s so important to find these horses that physically have the ability and that mentally are okay with the stimuli so we can get to the point where we have beautiful dressage that looks soft and effortless.”
by Alice Collins
Wellington International
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