Kumeu rider Wendi Williamson scored the winning trifecta – adding the Level 2 Horse of the Year Championship to her recent wins of the Bates National and the North Island Championships.

Williamson has trailblazed at Level 2 all year, but it has been far from an easy path. Her starry youngster, Cortaflex DejaVu MH has been shadowed all the way by Tauranga’s Anna McIntyre and Cavort. The pair have been within a percent of each other all season, battling it out to the bitter end. However, as on this occasion, McIntyre has had to settle for bridesmaid. The duo have dominated Level 2 exclusively, providing some of the best quality work and highest scores across the grades. Williamson racked up 77.19% in yesterday’s Musical Freestyle.

“I’m really thrilled with him, he’s worked really hard and he was a bit tired here – now he deserves a nice long break.” Despite her victory, Williamson’s Horse of the Year campaign has been something of an emotional roller coaster. The dressage world was rocked at the devastating loss of Doug Blackbourn, who died of a heart attack on Monday this week. The husband of Grand Prix rider Lisa Blackbourn, Doug was an ardent supporter of the sport and much loved by the dressage fraternity. “It’s been hugely difficult,” admits Williamson. “It’s been a really emotional time.”