The event was won by Australian Dressage Champions Brett Parbery and Victory Salute, who have now earned the right to represent Australia at the World Cup Final in The Netherlands in March.

Sanna, riding Bev Edwards Jaybee Alabaster, said she was happy with the result as she had been eager to show judges what the pair could do after missing the Australian National Championships in October.

At 10 years of age, Alabaster is still young for the Grand Prix level and is constantly improving with each competition.

“I was very pleased with him. There were a few mistakes, but that did not take away from how happy I am with the horse. It was a really good result,” Sanna said.

The 2008 Olympic reserve Rozzie Ryan was impressive on her up-and-coming star Jive Magic to claim third place with a score of 68.700 per cent.

Husband Heath Ryan, who won this event last year and represented Australia at the World Cup Final in Las Vegas in April 2009, finished in fourth place on Regardez Moi.

For the winner Parbery, he was happy the performance meant that the pair had bettered their position for team selection for the World Equestrian Games to be held in Kentucky in September this year. They received excellent scores in the freestyle test from the five international judges, scoring an average of 75.300 per cent with 78.250 per cent from German Uwe Spenlen and 77.250 per cent from Australia’s Susie Hoevenaars.

“There is still more there – I am still holding him back a little in the arena to keep everything very regular, try and get a 7 or an 8 for every movement. That has been my plan all year, consolidate everything for a 7 and then try to find where I can get some 8s as well. You just can’t afford to get 8s and 4s,” Parbery said.

Parbery is still deciding if he will go to the World Cup Final and says there is a lot to consider.

“If we go, we would need to leave the horse overseas in Germany, Holland or the US until the World Games in September. I am not sure which place would benefit our campaign the most. Then there are the financial issues and our own business to consider.”