While the Kars students kept up their practice riding over the last three months, Joan and Wessel went to Wellington to compete at the Grand Prix level.  Jaimey and Tina Irwin had room in their barn and Joan was able to train with Jaimey daily and enter Wessel in four national shows.

The story of the experience of being in Florida can be found on the Kars Riding School facebook page but here is a summary of their results:

At the first Wellington Equestrian Festival, they placed first in all four classes but didn't quite crack the 60% level which was one of the goals of the trip.  The second show at The Jim Brandon Centre proved that with more training come higher scores and they earned two scores over 60%.  The third competition held at White Fences was not as good.  Wessel was very tired after a week long clinic with Holger Muenstermann and as they say, he left his test in the warm up ring.  The final competition was back at the Wellington Equestrian Festival and they entered three GP's.  By the third day, Wessel was almost undone by the jumpers warming up within arm's reach and Jaimey as well as strangers were lining the ring agape at the antics and athleticism of this little horse though not all of it looking anything like any GP move that might be called on in a test!  Nonetheless, on that last day which was also their last test of the season, they scored a third mark over 60% and now are within one score of earning the Dressage Canada Gold Medal at Grand Prix.

When they accomplish the final score required for the DC medal, Joan and Wessel will be the first horse/rider combination to earn every DC medal at every level. 

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