In a stunning performance, Shannon Dueck of Langley, BC, won the Swarovski Canadian League Dressage World Cup Final at the Royal Horse Show.

In front of a sold-out crowd, Dueck performed her musical freestyle to classical music, earning the evening’s highest score, 69.87%. The win earned Dueck a trip to the 2003 World Cup Final in Goteborg, Sweden, next March.

“He gave me everything he could give and he didn’t make a mistake, not one,” said Dueck, 40, of her 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding. “He loves his music! I’m ecstatic!”

Dueck, who is based in Whitman, MA, was Canada’s highest placed competitor at the 2002 World Equestrian Games in Spain.

Placing second was her World Equestrian Games teammate Belinda Trussell of Stouffville, ON. Riding Royan II, a 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding, 31-year-old Trussell performed to original music composed by David Young to receive a score of 67.18%.

Olympian Evi Strasser, who represented Canada in the 1995 and 1997 World Cup Finals, settled for third position in the Swarovski Canadian League World Cup Final after earning a score of 65.95% for her performance aboard Pryme Tyme, an 11-year-old Oldenburg gelding owned by Good Tyme Stables.

Rounding out the field was Jacqueline Brooks who trains at York Equestrian Centre in Cedar Valley, ON. Delivering a crowd-pleasing performance, Brooks scored 61.48% with the 13-year-old Oldenburg gelding, Finnegan.

Swarovski Canadian League World Cup Final – Grand Prix Freestyle

Rider/ Hometown/ Horse/ Score 1. Shannon Dueck Langley, BC Korona 69.87% 2. Belinda Trussell Stouffville, ON Royan II 67.18% 3. Evi Strasser St-Adele, QC Pryme Tyme 65.95% 4. Jacqueline Brooks Cedar Valley, ON Finnegan 61.48%