Benjamin Ebeling (USA) and Indeed ©susanjstickle.com.

Wellington, FL – February 12, 2022 – Saturday’s showcase class, the Grand Prix Special CDI4*, presented by MTICA Farm, was a close-fought battle, with Benjamin Ebeling (USA) coming out on top on February 12 at the 2022 Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF).

Ebeling rode Indeed, Vantage Equestrian Group II’s 14-year-old daughter of Hofrat, to 72.255% in the pair’s first grand prix special at their first four-star show. Belgium’s Laurence Vanommeslaghe was just 0.1 percentage points adrift, clocking 72.106% on her own 15-year-old Hotline gelding, Havalon. Sarah Tubman (USA) rounded out the podium, riding First Apple to third place with 70.255%.

Ebeling took over the reins of Indeed — one of only two mares in the 11-strong class — from his Olympian father Jan Ebeling and this is only the new pairing’s second CDI. From penultimate draw in the class order, they climbed from a third-place finish in the qualifying grand prix on Thursday. He attributed his success to a last-minute change of plan.

Teenage Rider Christian Simonson Steps Up to Senior Ranks in Style

Christian Simonson (USA) has made the difficult step from the young rider division to senior competition in style, underscored by his resounding victory in the Intermediate I CDI1*. He scored 72.117% riding Zeaball Diawind, with whom he won three gold medals at the North American Youth Championships in 2021, setting a young rider record score (of 78.935% in the freestyle) in the process. The duo was unbeaten in six consecutive tests in 2021 and have come out all guns blazing in 2022.

Luuk Mourits (NED), who is part of the Harmony Sporthorses team, piloted Harmony’s Don’t Stop The Feeling to the winner’s sash in the Intermediate A CDI1*. Competing in their third AGDF season in a row, this was the pair’s first run through the Intermediate A in a CDI and it resulted in a unanimous win and 68.647% — with one judge awarding 71.176% to the 13-year-old gelding by Don Primus.

For more information and results, visit www.globaldressagefestival.com.