Submitted by Suzanne Hanley-Hawkings
Dressage competitions at the Double W Riding Academy in Bluffton wrapped up recently with the final show of the season.
Riders from all over central and northern Alberta competed in three judged shows in March, July and September. Winners who competed in two or more of the shows, vied for the Series Championship trophies presented at the conclusion of the September event.
Walk-Trot category: Winners were Kaelin Lamber (Jr) of Red Deer, Taylor Vick of Eckville, Chelsea Morton of Spruce Grove and Bernadette Carter of Sylvan Lake with Bernadette Carter taking the Walk-Trot Championship.
Training level - junior: Winners were Lauren Franklin of Rimbey, Tanya Hecht of Ponoka and Jaimie Vanderzee of Red Deer. Franklin was victorious and took home the championship trophy for 2011.
Training level - senior division: Melodie Schwieger of Bluffton, Stephanie Stafford of Tees and Patti Pugh of Ponoka were all show winners but Annie Muilwijk of Lacombe won the average to take the championship for her division.
The first level winners were Ashley Radtke of Red Deer and Jenneke Hoogendoorn of Stony Plain with Ashley Radtke winning the average and the championship.
The second level riders saw a close race between Jean Duckering of Red Deer (average 63.6) and Christina Seidel of Bluffton (average 63.2), with Duckering winning the Championship by 0.4 per cent.
Colleen Dickson won the third level championship on Red as the only rider with qualifying scores.
The Double W Riding Academy near Bluffton is home to the Blindman Valley Pony Club and in 2011, hosted seven dressage and hunter/jumper schooling shows.
On Oct. 22 and 23 the final hunter/jumper show of the season will be held and champions of the 2011 series will be honoured at this event.