2016 DRESSAGE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: BELINDA TRUSSELL

Belinda Trussell from Stouffville, ON has been named the 2016 Dressage Athlete of the Year based on her outstanding results throughout the 2016 season, capped off by her appearance at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Partnered with Anton (Antaeus x Shirley), a 17-year-old Sachsen-Anhaltiner gelding owned by Robyn Eames and Mark Trussell, Belinda kicked off 2016 early in the year at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) series in Wellington, FL where she earned multiple wins at the CDI level, and set a new national record for the highest score achieved in the Grand Prix Special (75.529%).

Her success with Anton continued in the spring when she travelled to the Ottawa Dressage Festival in Ontario and added another National record to her name after scoring 73.780% in the CDI Grand Prix.

Due to their success throughout the year, Belinda and Anton were named to the Canadian Dressage Team for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, BRA. There, Belinda added yet even more records to her name after achieving the highest scores received by a Canadian at an Olympic Games in both the Grand Prix (72.214%) and Grand Prix Special (75.529%).