Leviste tops European dressage competition

MANILA, Philippines, July 31 ------ Toni Leviste is back in the saddle and she continues to make history. The Filipina equestrian trailblazer carved out another historic feat, this time in the world of dressage, becoming the first Filipino rider to win an international dressage competition in Europe with a first-place finish in the FEI Prix St. Georges class at the Flemalle CDN in Belgium.

Aboard Lacoste 126, a Hanoverian gelding, Leviste posted a winning score of 68.603 percent, surpassing the 67 percent SEA Games qualifying mark set by the Equestrian Association of the Philippines. The landmark win not only secured her qualification to the 2025 Southeast Asian Games in Thailand but also added another milestone to her storied career.

Leviste’s performance impressed four-star FEI judges F. Mleyman and Michel Bouvy, who ranked her ahead of a competitive field of European riders. It’s the first time a Filipino equestrian has topped an FEI-level dressage event in Europe – an achievement cementing Leviste’s legacy as a pioneer in Philippine equestrian sports.

On her transition to dressage, Leviste said: “I want to extend my riding career and represent my country in more equestrian disciplines around the world. I am a Filipino athlete in my heart and soul.”

Known for breaking barriers, Leviste was the first Filipino equestrian to compete in the Olympics, representing the country in the 2000 Sydney Games. She also earned a silver medal at the 2002 Asian Games, competed in two World Championships, the FEI World Finals, and has collected numerous SEA Games medal in show jumping.

Source: philstar.com