Here are the results from the Ontario's Pony Club Tournament of Champions (OPCTOC) Rising Star Dressage Challenge Competition, held August 15 at the York Equestrian Centre near Newmarket.

This competition led off the show first thing Friday morning and the entry list was shortened by problems resulting from "the big black-out." Some people thought the competition had been cancelled, others just didn't have enough gas in their tanks to make it to the show and back to their home bases. More fuel was not available and telephone communication was non-existent. Despite all the obstacles, some dedicated young dressage riders made it to the show grounds (thanks to some equally dedicated parents in most cases) for a competition that served as a qualifier for the Central Ontario Regional Dressage Finals in September.

Results are presented from least to most difficult classes.

Alyssa Stavrakos of the Durham Pony Club won the Entry 1 and Entry 2 classes on Alyssa's Lincoln. None of the other competitors in these classes made it to the show.

In the Starter Level 1 class, Benjamin Burchfiel of the Waussnodae Pony Club was first riding Sudden Inspiration, with Rebecca Olscher - also of Waussnodae - second on Miskanada. Third place went to Meagan Christou of the Oshawa Pony Club on Royal China. Gordon Lacey of Waussnodae took fourth on Lubrewagon and Gabby Wackerman, yet another Waussnodae rider, came in fifth on Panda.  Ms Olscher took first place in Starter Level 2, with Benjamin Burchfiel second, and Rebecca Olscher again third, Gordon Lacey again fourth and Gabby Wackerman again fifth.  

Brittany Morris of the Glen Highlands Pony Club in the Western Ontario Region took the honours in the Pre-Training Level 1 Class, riding Quantum Leap. Another Glen Highlands rider, Elissa Bell, took third place on Kentucky Prince, with Central Ontario rider Maya Kenedy of the Eglinton Pony Club sandwiched between them in second place, riding Napoleon Brandy. Ms Kennedy was the only entry, and the winner, in the Pre-Training Level 2 class.

Waussnodae Pony Club riders swept the Training Level classes. Megan Mattos won both these classes riding PJ, Karyn Hepburn was second in both on Freddy the Freak, and Michael Olscher placed third in the Level 2 class on Nick.

Waussnodae also fielded a drill team at the Starter Level - the only Pony Club to do so, and so they finished first. The members of the Waussnodae drill team were Benjamin Burchfiel on Nick, Gordon Lacey on Lumberwagon, Gabby Wackerman on Panda, Karyn Hepburn on Miskanada, Megan Mattos on PJ and Michael Olscher on Freddy the Freak.

No Champions or Reserves were declared for these non-core classes, as they were not part of the Central Canada Zone Championships.

For more information, get in touch with Liz or Bob Inglis, Central Ontario Region Pony Club Communications Co-Chairs, or call 416-493-1223 (office) or 416-491-4230 (home).