Rachael Sanna to Contest World Cup Dressage Final

Rachael and Jaybee Alabaster at the 2011 Bates Australian Dressage Championships (photo: Franz Venhaus)

Top Dressage combinations from around the world have arrived in s’Hertogenbosch (NED) to contest the 2011/2012 FEI World Cup Dressage Final.

Among the line-up is Australia’s Rachael Sanna who earned a start after taking the crown of last year’s Asia/Pacific World Cup Dressage series.

This will be the second time that Sanna has competed at the World Cup Final having previously contested the competition in 1999 at Dortmund (GER). 

Sanna will pair with the Bev Edwards owned Jaybee Alabaster and is hoping to improve upon the 12^th placing that she achieved with Charisma in 1999.

“I would love to finish in the top seven but it is a very strong field we are facing,” said Sanna.

The Australian based Dressage rider arrived in Germany in early April and will remain in Europe to contest an Olympic Games selection event in May.

“Jaybee Alabaster is very fit and going well. As I had not ridden him for about 6 weeks it took a couple of days to get back into it, but all preparations are going well to date,” she said.

Sanna is happy with her preparation thus far which she says hasn’t been dampened by the cool weather. She’s been training with another of Australia’s Olympic Games Dressage hopefuls, Lyndal Oatley.

“Lyndal’s husband Patrik has a lovely indoor arena that is permanently in use at this time of year. I have managed to go outdoors once, but the weather doesn't permit this very often,” said Sanna. “It has been great to spend time with Lyndal and Patrick for me to get back into competition mode and prepare for the upcoming big events.”

Last year’s winner of the FEI World Cup Dressage Final, Adelinde Cornelissen and Jerich Parzival of The Netherlands will be tough to beat in front of a home crowd.

18 competitors from 11 countries will take part in the World Cup Dressage Final which will take place on Saturday 21 April. The event will be staged in conjunction with the World Cup Jumping final which will see Australia’s Edwina Tops-Alexander represent Australia and look to continue her run of wins after recently taking out the first round of the Global Champions Tour in Doha, Qatar. 

Story: Michelle Cook/EA

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