Team Edward: Holzer wins on horse named after ‘Twilight’

Canadian Ashley Holzer and Breaking Dawn–or “Edward” as he’s known around the barn–dazzled judges to win the Grand Prix Freestyle at the Gold Coast Opener CDI.In addition to the Freestyle title, the 11-year-old KWPN gelding owned by Holzer and P. J. Rizvi also won the Rock Star Award from Cunningham & Cunningham Livestock, Inc. The award is presented to horse and rider combination that excel in Musical Freestyle classes as exhibited by their music selection, choreography and overall presentation.

In a press release, Holzer said Rock Star was a little nervous in the beginning of the test and even toward the middle. “Then he took a big breath before the last piaffe-passage and suddenly it was as if he said, ‘I can do it higher and I can do it better’,” Holzer said. “It was great having him end on a high note. I’ve done this long enough to know that doesn’t always happen. Sometimes horses get very tired by the end or they’re mentally struggling at the end. But Breaking Dawn pulled it all together at the end, which made me so happy.”

Awww, just like the book. [Read more at COTH.]

Photo credit: Tutto Dressage

A video of Holzer and Breaking Dawn performing a freestyle at the Royal Winter Fair in November 2011 from Horse Junkies United: