Chris von Martels and Naima Moreira Laliberté Named Dressage Canada’s Red Scarf Equestrian Athletes of the Month for July
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| An extraordinary performance by Chris von Martels at the Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games and Naima Moreira Laliberté’s incredible showing at the 2015 Adequan/FEI North American Junior and Young Rider Championships (NAJYRC) earlier this month, have resulted in both athletes being named as Dressage Canada’s Red Scarf Equestrian Athletes of the Month for July.
Chris von Martels, of Ridgetown, ON and Zilverstar, his 11-year-old bay Dutch Warmblood gelding sired by Rousseau, captured a team silver medal and an individual bronze medal at the Pan Am Games held July 10-26 in Toronto, ON. The dressage competition took place July 11, 12, and 14 at the OLG Caledon Pan Am Equestrian Park in Caledon, ON and in the team final on July 12, von Martels and his Canadian teammates, Brittany Fraser of New Glasgow, NS, Megan Lane of Collingwood, ON and Belinda Trussel of Stouffville, ON rode to a silver medal. Two days later, riding in the individual final in front of a hometown crowd von Martels and Zilverstar earned personal best scores in an energetic display to the music of U2 to be rewarded with a score of 79.50% and capture the bronze medal. The double-medal Pan Am performance effectively earned von Martels’ selection as July’s Dressage Canada’s Red Scarf Equestrian Athlete of the Month. Naima Moreira Laliberté of Outremont, QC was selected as the second of July’s Dressage Canada Red Scarf Equestrian Athletes of the Month as a result of her recent performances at the NAJYRC held July 14-19 in Lexington, KY. On July 17, Moreira Laliberté and Fiducie Naga Trust’s Belafonte (Belissimo x Wendekreis), an 11-year-old Hanoverian stallion, delivered a fantastic performance to earn a score of 68.447% and secure a bronze medal in the Young Riders Individual test. This medal would be the first of two for Moreira Lalibertéat the NAJYRC as she and Belafonte would add to the tally of medals for Canada’s young dressage stars just two days later in the Young Riders Freestyle test. With a score of 71.825%, Moreira Laliberte won the class handily to take home her second medal of the competition, this time a gold, in the freestyle test. Moreira Laliberte is surely a youthful Canadian talent to watch as she continues to progress through the young rider ranks. The Dressage Canada Red Scarf Equestrian Athlete of the Month is a recognition program that celebrates the achievements of Canadian dressage riders who represent Canada in national and international competition in the FEI Pony, Children, Junior, Young Rider, Advanced, Grand Prix and Young Horse classes. Red Scarf Equestrian is the generous sponsor of Dressage Canada Athlete of the Month. Red Scarf Equestrian will be providing von Martels and Moreira Lalibertéwith a generous gift certificate that can be used towards the purchase of elegant equestrian luggage, travel bags and accessories that are all made in Canada. For more information about Red Scarf Equestrian, please visit www.RedScarfEquestrian.ca. About Red Scarf Equestrian
Chris von Martels of Ridgetown, ON, won an individual bronze medal in dressage competition at the TORONTO 2015 Pan American Games. |
