THE CANADIAN PRESS
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Canadian David Marcus scored two more victories on Sunday to put himself firmly in contention for the Canadian dressage team headed to the 2012 London Olympic Games.
The 31-year-old native of Campbellville, Ont., won both the Grand Prix and the Grand Prix Special at Lexington, an international dressage competition held at the Kentucky Horse Park from May 24th to 27th.
"I am actually a bit without words," said the American-born Marcus, who was granted Canadian citizenship on December 28, 2011, just before the December 31 Olympic deadline. "To have just become a citizen and done my first Grand Prix in January to being on a horse that is performing at this level not just once, but consistently, makes me feel confident and a little surprised.
"It was a long shot, for sure, but I couldn’t be happier with the way the season has gone. I am ecstatic."
Marcus enjoyed a personal best on Friday, earning a score of 69.02 per cent while riding Chrevi’s Capital in the Grand Prix. Fellow Canadian Diane Creech earned 68.19 per cent with her Olympic hopeful, Devon L.
In the Grand Prix Special held Sunday, Marcus won with a score of 70.578 per cent over 2008 Canadian Olympian Jacqueline Brooks who earned 69.067 per cent riding D-Niro and Creech, who scored 68.556 per cent with Devon L.
Based on his results over the past two weeks, Marcus is now unofficially ranked in the top three on the Olympic qualifying leader board.
Only one competition remains in North America for athletes hoping to earn a place on the Canadian Olympic dressage team, an event in Blainville, Que., June 14-16.
Three horse-rider combinations plus two alternates will be named for the 2012 Olympic Games immediately following the competition, and all five will travel to Europe in preparation for Olympic competition in August.