Category Archives: Adequan Global Dressage Festival

Barbançon Claims Grand Prix Special Victory with New Personal Best Score in AGDF Week 3

Morgan Barbançon & Habana Libre A. Photo © SusanJStickle.com.

Week 3 of the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) continued this weekend, with a victory for France’s Morgan Barbançon and her own Habana Libre A in the FEI Grand Prix Special CDI4*, presented by Palm Beach Equine Clinic.

Barbançon’s 74.404% performance aboard the Dutch Warmblood gelding by Zizi Top marked the pair’s highest Grand Prix Special score to date. At 11 years old, Habana Libre A was the youngest horse in the class. The pair finished more than three percentage points clear of second-placed Anna-Christina Abbelen (GER), who rode her own and Silke Abbelen-Mooren’s Sam Donnerhall to 71.234%. Spain’s Pablo Gómez Molina claimed third on the 13-year-old PRE gelding Ulises De Ymas with 69.915%.

“I’m super happy,” said the 30-year-old Barbançon, who is competing at AGDF for the first time. “I’m on cloud nine. Honestly, I thought we would get a 72% or maybe 73%, and I would have been super happy with that. Today, I had such a floaty, fluid ride, and I didn’t push.”

Tarjan Claims Ticket to Lövsta Future Challenge Final

The second qualifiers in the Lövsta Future Challenge Young Horse Grand Prix Series and the Future Challenge Young Horse Prix St. Georges Series sent two more combinations through to the Grand Final (which takes place in AGDF 11) from each class. These classes aim to identify and nurture talented, up-and-coming young FEI horses.

In the Lövsta Future Challenge FEI Intermediate II Qualifier, Alice Tarjan rode her own Summersby II (by Sezuan x Sandro Hit) to 70.833%. Ali Potasky rode Inxs into second place with 69.558%, claiming the second qualifying slot.

“It’s a great division,” enthused Tarjan, who rides as an amateur. “I’ve been here the last three years and it’s a super way to get the greener horses into the CDI stadium and in front of the CDI judges without the pressure of a CDI.

“Summersby is a really great horse, and only eight years old. I’m just happy that she stayed with me through the whole test. The horse has to get stronger in the work, but she’s really honest and the atmosphere didn’t seem to affect her at all.”

Pape Posts Second Win of the Week

In the CDI3* FEI Grand Prix Special, presented by ProElite®, Great Britain’s Susan Pape and Harmony’s Eclectisch notched up another victory, adding a 70.021% win to their blue ribbon in the qualifying Grand Prix class.

“Our ride felt nice and powerful today,” said Pape. “Unfortunately, I had a mistake in the twos and the ones on the centerline. But other than that, it was very good. The passage on the left lead was very good for him and expressive. In the canter work, the ones were beautiful, and so was the extended canter.”

Pape and the 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood stallion by Zenon, owned by Pape and Harmony Amateur Sports Foundation, have been partnered for a few years, and she reflected on what taking the ride over on the well-trained horse has been like.

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

Wandres and Bluetooth Dance to Personal Best in Friday Night Stars at AGDF

Frederic Wandres & Bluetooth OLD. Photo © SusanJStickle.com.

Frederic Wandres (GER) returned to the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) in Wellington, Florida and to his customary winning ways with the elegant and powerful Bluetooth OLD. In week three’s highlight class, the CDI4* FEI Grand Prix Freestyle, presented by USPRE Association, the pair posted a new career high score of 81.805%.

Wandres and Bluetooth repeated their podium topping performance from the previous day’s qualifying FEI Grand Prix class. In a truly international podium, second-placed Morgan Barbançon (FRA) also produced a career-high freestyle score during “Friday Night Stars” on her own 17-year-old KWPN gelding Bolero (Glock’s Johnson TN x Vincent), notching up 77.895%. Sweden’s Caroline Darcourt was just 0.065 percentage points behind, logging 77.83% on Lord Django in the horse’s second ever Grand Prix Freestyle.

“I am very happy today,” beamed Wandres, who is based in Germany at Hof Kasselman but is a seasoned competitor at AGDF. “This is the first time for me this season under the lights and I am always looking forward to coming back. I was a little nervous about how it would go because with this special atmosphere, you never know how the horses will handle it, but Bluetooth took it in a positive way. I had a much better feeling than in the Grand Prix; he was way fresher and forward, and it felt like one of the best tests that he has offered me.”

Susan Pape Tops ProElite CDI3* Grand Prix

AGDF regular Susan Pape (GBR) topped the ProElite CDI3* Grand Prix earlier in the day, riding Harmony’s Eclectisch to 70.826%. The 14-year-old stallion received a smattering of eights throughout the test.

“I think the extended canter was pretty good,” enthused Pape, who is based in Germany and is riding at AGDF for the eighth time. “His pirouettes were very nice, his twos were very nice, and all of his canter work is a highlight.”

Pape, along with her sponsor Harmony Sporthorses, bought the son of Zenon x Olivi when he was a rising eight-year-old.

“He was owned by a Swedish woman [Ida-Linn Lundholm] who competed him in the World Championships for young horses’ level, where he was very successful,” explained Pape, who usually produces horses up the levels herself. “At that time, we were looking for an upcoming Grand Prix horse. This time my sponsors wanted to buy me this nice horse. He’s been here [at AGDF] almost every year since then and started here in the Prix St. Georges, and we worked our way up to the Grand Prix.”

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

Frederic Wandres Seeing Double at Adequan Global Dressage Festival

Frederic Wandres & Hot Hit OLD. Photo © SusanJStickle.com.

Frederic Wandres (GER) earned a career high score on Friday in the FEI Grand Prix at the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival and returned this weekend to also score victory in the CDI3* Grand Prix Special, presented by Barnwalkers. Wandres rode Hot Hit OLD, a 12-year-old by Blue Hors Hotline x Diamond Hit to a score just shy of eclipsing his personal best yet again with a 74.34% in the Grand Prix Special. The back-to-back wins came from Wandres during Lloyd Landkamer Memorial week.

Wandres is jumping into his third season at AGDF, a place he has been developing Hot Hit in the international ranks since his first trip to Florida. “I’m very happy with how he managed the cold and windy weather conditions and the atmosphere here,” said Wandres of the striking grey gelding. Wandres plans to focus on one CDI in February with Hot Hit before using him in the CDIO3* Nations Cup for Germany during AGDF 7.

Fuqua, Degele Close Out AGDF 1

Closing out opening week of the AGDF, Kat Fuqua claimed the CDIY Young Riders Freestyle, presented by Diamante Farms, with a score of 69.800% on her own Dreamgirl, 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood (Speilberg x Goodtimes). The final salute came from Heidi Degele in the CDI1* Intermediate I Freestyle, presented by Harmony Sporthorses, aboard Ibistrona, a nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood (Don Tango B x Sunny Boy 124) with a 69.250%.

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

Adrienne Lyle Claims FEI World Cup Grand Prix Freestyle

Adrienne Lyle and Salvino. Photo © SusanJStickle.com.

The first “Friday Night Stars” evening of musical freestyle action during the 2023 Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) in Wellington, FL lived up to its stellar billing despite unseasonably chilly temperatures.

The week’s highlight class, the FEI World Cup™ Grand Prix Freestyle, presented by Lövsta Stuteri, produced top class dressage, personal bests on the podium, and a winning score of over 83%.

Adrienne Lyle (USA) and the 16-year-old stallion Salvino made it two for two in the Lloyd Landkamer Memorial week when they scooped the blue ribbon with 83.54% for a harmonious test brimming with expression and power. Lyle and Betsy Juliano’s Sandro Hit x Donnerhall son topped the previous day’s qualifying Grand Prix with 77.5%. In the freestyle, second placed Sarah Tubman (USA) kicked off her Wellington season with a personal best of 78.25% on another stallion, the 13-year-old First Apple, while third placed Caroline Darcourt (SWE) and Lord Django contested their first Grand Prix freestyle and pulled out a 78.17% performance.

Lyle is chasing down one of three starting places allocated to North America for the FEI World Cup™ Final in Omaha, NE in April. Her top score of 86% came courtesy of the Dutch five-star judge at H, Mariette Sanders- van Gansewinkel.

Of her performance, Lyle said, “I’m super thrilled to be here again at this amazing venue and I was happy to see how packed it was despite this cold weather. Salvino felt great — he was fiery and very excited to be here.

“We did most of the things on my terms, and some of the things on his terms — but like any good relationship, it’s all about compromise, and he feels great,” added Lyle of Salvino, whom she rode on the silver medal USA team at the Tokyo Olympics.

Frederic Wandres Earns Career High Score

Earlier in the day, the 35-year-old German rider Frederic Wandres rode Hot Hit OLD to a career high score in the CDI3* FEI Grand Prix, presented by Barnwalkers — the qualifier for Saturday’s Grand Prix Special. All five judges placed the pair first, awarding 75.348% overall, improving on their previous best by over 1%.

“The consistency of the test today was the winning thing,” said Wandres. “He had not been out since August, so he has had a bit of a break, but he came back very good and my feeling was strong.

Wandres has ridden Hot Hit at Hof Kasselmann, where he works, since the grey gelding by Blue Hors Hotline x Diamond Hit was six. The now 12-year-old already has an impressive resume, and this victory took his unbeaten streak to five.

For more information and a full list of results, visit www.globaldressagefestival.com.

Adrienne Lyle Tops FEI World Cup Grand Prix

Adrienne Lyle and Salvino. Photo © SusanJStickle.com.

The 2023 Adequan® Global Dressage Festival opened on Thursday, January 12, with a victory for U.S. Olympic team silver medalist Adrienne Lyle. She and Salvino, a 2007 Hanoverian stallion (Sandro HIT x Donnerhall) won the FEI World Cup™ Grand Prix, presented by Lövsta Stuteri, to start the final leg of their FEI World Cup™ Final qualifying bid in style.

All three grand prix podium finishers scored over 70%, with Lyle and Salvino topping the list with a 77.5% as the last to compete. The class was a qualifier for the FEI World Cup™ Grand Prix Freestyle, which takes place under the lights on Friday night during the first of the “Friday Night Stars” series.

“He’s just always so incredible in the ring,” said Lyle of her mount from the Tokyo Olympic games. “He went in again today with another mistake free test. He really clicked into the rhythm for the piaffe and passage work. I think we still have more in the tank for the freestyle, so I’m excited about that.

“It should be nice and cool weather tomorrow with a packed house and he loves both those things,” continued Lyle of Salvino, owned by Betsy Juliano.

Of her grand prix test, Lyle discussed the high points, saying, “The piaffe, passage, and last centerline were super. I love feeling him finishing a test with that much energy and enthusiasm.”

Fellow U.S. rider Sarah Tubman and First Apple, and 2010 Dutch Warmblood stallion (Vivaldi x T.C.N. Partout) finished in the runner-up position with a score of 70.5% for owner Summit Farm. Rounding out the podium, Sweden’s Caroline Darcourt posted a score of 70.283% riding Lord Django, a 2010 Hanoverian gelding (Stalypso x Londonderry) for owner Lövsta Stuteri.

Caroline Darcourt Leads Off for Sweden

Opening the day on Thursday, Caroline Darcourt stole the show in the CDI1* FEI Prix St. Georges, presented by Harmony Sporthorses. Five scores broke into the 70% range, but Darcourt and Bournonville, a 2013 Danish-bred gelding (Bon Bravour x Loudini) owned by Lövsta Stuteri, topped the list with a 73.029%.

“It feels very good to be back in Florida; it’s been three years since the last time I was here,” said Darcourt of her return to Wellington. “I’m very happy to be here with this horse and the win, I would say, was over my expectations. I’m really thrilled about it.”

Great Britain’s Susan Pape finished second on a score of 72.756% riding Harmony’s V-Plus for owner Harmony Sporthorses. In third, Charlotte Jorst (USA) and Federle posted a 71.882% for owner Kastel Denmark.

Darcourt spoke highly of Bournonville after their test, saying, “He’s been with us since he was late seven, and he has a very sensitive side. Now I feel he’s finally secure with me and he really likes the ring and his job. He is so rideable and has all the qualities.

“I would say the trot work felt very fluid and he was with me the whole time and really listened to me,” said Darcourt of her Prix St. Georges test. “The canter work and the first pirouette I was happy with, but there is more to work on. With him, the goal now is to keep moving up.”

For more information and a full list of results, visit www.globaldressagefestival.com.

Ellesse Gundersen and Kevin Kohmann Close Out 2022 AGDF National Competition with Wins

Ellesse Gundersen and Quintessential. ©susanjstickle.com.

Wellington, FL – April 3, 2022 – While CDI competition for the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) concluded last week, March 27, AGDF celebrated its official final week with exciting national competition on Friday, April 1, to Sunday, April 3. On Friday, Ellesse Gundersen (PHI) and Quintessential strutted to the top of the FEI Prix St. Georges test, and Kevin Kohmann (USA) was victorious with Five Star in the FEI Intermediate II test.

Friday’s win marks Quintessential’s first blue ribbon. While the eight-year-old has earned some other big scores this season, his 69.264% in the FEI Prix St. Georges class was enough to come out ahead of the 13-horse field.

Kevin Kohmann has had the ride on Five Star for two years. Last year they had an extremely successful season and won numerous classes, but this year Kohmann has kept Five Star under wraps to finish training for the grand prix level.

“He is the smartest horse I have ever worked with. He’s such a gentleman that he’s able to go in the ring both for me and his owner, Olga Hartsock,” remarked Kohmann of the 12-year-old KWPN stallion by Amazing Sea x Jazz.

For Five Star’s first appearance this year, Kohmann was pleased with their score of 70.587% in the FEI Intermediate II.

In Friday’s FEI Grand Prix Class, Jennifer Williams (USA) piloted Quarterline (Quarterline x Sir Donnerhall I) to 71.032% to top the leaderboard of seven other competitors. Oded Shimoni’s 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding’s test got stronger as it went, scoring eights from both judges in the changes, as well as picking up eights in the pirouettes.

Second place went to Roxanne Christenson (USA), who rode her own San Sation, a 10-year-old Oldenburg gelding by San City x Baroncelli, to an overall percentage of 68.804%, scoring eights in the canter tour.

Sunday’s FEI Intermediate II class saw Natalie Pai (USA) victorious with Melanie Pai’s Utopie D’Ouilly (Quite Easy x Narcos II). Pai’s test with the 14-year-old Selle Français mare was also one that improved throughout, notching several eights in the second half to finish just under 70% at 69.999%.

It was the second blue ribbon in as many days for Pai, who also was the winner of Saturday’s FEI or Equivalent Test of Choice with Inspiration PF (nine-year-old KWPN gelding by Everdale x Calido I) for their USEF FEI Prix St. Georges test scoring 65.661%.

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

Jennifer Williams and Joppe K Wins Lövsta Future Challenge Young Horse Grand Prix Series

Jennifer Williams (USA) and Joppe K ©susanjstickle.com.

Wellington, FL – March 27, 2022 – International action for the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) 2022 season wrapped up on Sunday, March 27. The grand champions were crowned in both the Lövsta Future Challenge Young Horse Grand Prix Series and the Summit Farm Future Challenge Young Horse Prix St. Georges Series.

Joppe K’s considerable talents came to fruition in the grand final of the Lövsta Future Challenge Young Horse Grand Prix Series, which he won with 70.052% under the saddle of Jennifer Williams (USA). The horse has an exceptional competition trajectory, having won both the six- and seven-year-old young horse finals at Wellington in 2020 and 2021.

These classes aim to identify and nurture talented, up-and-coming young FEI horses, giving them exposure to benefit their development with the biggest of world stages in mind. Williams and the eight-year-old KWPN gelding by Harmony’s Rousseau had only qualified a week earlier for the final, earning their ticket at the last opportunity.

Australian Olympian Kelly Layne and Fernando, who qualified via a win in AGDF 3, claimed second place with 68.815%. Layne has been riding Ellen Trouillé’s 10-year-old gelding, by Foundation x Sandro Hit, since he was five. Alice Tarjan rounded out her busy season by taking third place on her own eight-year-old mare Jane, by Desperado NOP. Jane and Joppe K were the youngest horses in the class.

A tactical decision not to contest the previous day’s warm-up class at Intermediate II level with Joppe K paid off. The horse had been competing in CDIs at small tour until just last month.

“Because the I-2 was the warm-up and the day before the class, and there’s the halt at X [instead of at G, as in the Grand Prix, on the final center line], I decided that wasn’t wise for him, because we did his first grand prix on Thursday and I learned that he wanted to halt at X,” explained Williams. “We had to talk about that, and today he was not thinking halt.”

Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfvén of class sponsor Lövsta said: “The thought with the Lövsta Future Challenge is to give the young horses this possibility to get into the international arena with the best judges and with the kind of different atmosphere than a smaller show. They are inexperienced, young horses, and it’s okay if there are mistakes here and there, because it should be educational. It’s not already five-star top grand prix; it’s young horse grand prix. And it should be that quality is the most important part.”

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

Christoph Koschel Reigns Supreme on New Ride in Final Grand Prix Special of AGDF

Christoph Koschel on Dünensee. ©susanjstickle.com.

Wellington, FL – March 26, 2022 – The culmination of top-level international action in the final week of the 2022 Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) season came in the form of Saturday’s showcase class: the Grand Prix Special CDI4*, presented by The Dutta Corp. On the penultimate day of the final CDI week, Christoph Koschel (GER) claimed the richest purse of the day, scooping the blue ribbon thanks to a 69.957% victory on Dünensee.

Susan Dutta (USA) logged 69.255% for second place on her and her husband Tim’s Don Design DC, a 12-year-old gelding by Der Designer. Naïma Moreira Laliberté (CAN) added to her already lucrative week with a 68.915% third-place finish on Statesman, KML Inc’s 15-year-old Sandro Hit gelding.

“I had a super nice feeling today, and he was really light in my hand,” said Koschel of Dünensee, Diamante Farms’ 13-year-old Dancier gelding. “There was one mistake on the centerline in the ones that was maybe a little bit my fault; I was a little too forward, and it’s always a little bit of a risk if you want to do it too nice. We’re at the end of the season and maybe you don’t have the same energy like the first CDI, but I was super happy because he was really fighting for me in there still.”

Koschel has been riding Dünensee for less than four months and he is for sale, so his competitive future remains undecided.

“He was pretty consistent today, maybe a little lighter in everything [compared to the Grand Prix],” added Koschel. “He really lets me ride now, and then we grow more and more together. It’s now our second special and maybe fifth or sixth test together.”

Valentine Delivers Sweet Results for Holzer

Ashley Holzer (USA) made it two wins from two starts this week with Valentine, topping the Grand Prix Special CDI3*, presented by Adequan®, just a day after winning the qualifying Grand Prix. These were the pair’s first international grand prix wins. Last to go of the 13 starters, Holzer produced a test worthy of plenty of eights, finishing with a final score of 72.17%. She relegated Katie Duerrhammer (USA) and Paxton, who scored 70.255%, to second place. Laurence Vanommeslaghe (BEL) finished third, riding Havalon to 70.106%.

Of her own 12-year-old mare by Sir Donnerhall I, Holzer said: “I was honestly really thrilled with her, because all of the hard stuff she did really well. The mistakes were little glitches of miscommunication, but that’s a long test and when she passages as high as she passages, it takes a lot out of her. On that last centerline she really was so honest for me. She’s green; she hasn’t done this test a lot and I’ve had issues with her being very spooky and getting nervous.”

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

Adrienne Lyle Makes History Riding Salvino To Highest-Ever AGDF Score

Adrienne Lyle (USA) and Salvino ©susanjstickle.com.

Wellington, FL – March 25, 2022 – In the final “Friday Night Stars” of the 2022 Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) season, Adrienne Lyle (USA) and Salvino pulled out a sensational performance under lights to post an 85.58% win in the Grand Prix Freestyle CDI4*, presented by Douglas Elliman Real Estate.

It was a new career high for the pair, who were on the silver medal-winning U.S. team at the Tokyo Olympics, and the highest score ever recorded in the history of the AGDF. The previous highest of 84.975% was set by Laura Graves (USA) and Verdades in March 2018.

The ride came just a day after Lyle and Salvino, Betsy Juliano LLC’s 15-year-old stallion by Sandro Hit, posted the highest Grand Prix score by any American combination since last year’s Olympic Games. In second place came another stallion and another personal best: Sarah Tubman (USA) rode First Apple, Summit Farm’s 12-year-old by Vivaldi to 78.205%. Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu and All In — who represented Canada in Tokyo — filled third with 77.01%.

Lyle, who scored two tens for piaffe and another for music, said: “It was hands down the best feeling I’ve ever had in the ring in my life. Salvino just feels unbelievable. This is such a fun place to show. The crowd’s amazing and enthusiastic. The competition was super tonight; it was a magical evening.”

Tubman heard the crowd clapping along on her final center line and was reduced to happy tears about her performance with First Apple.

“That’s an amazing feeling,” said the 33-year-old Tubman, who rode First Apple to individual gold and team silver medals with the U.S. Dressage team at the 2019 Pan American Games. “I haven’t shown at that many other places, but this is pretty addicting, and it’s really fun. We all work really hard, so it’s so cool to have the crowd help you, and to be [on the podium] with two Olympians.”

Fraser-Beaulieu, who is pregnant and due in August, was delighted with her own 17-year-old All In.

“He loves his job, and it seems like the older he gets, the more he loves it,” she said. “He keeps getting hotter, actually, not lazier. But every time he goes into the ring, he tries his best for me, and tonight I really enjoyed my freestyle. I thought in general his piaffe was so much better than it has been in the last few years.”

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

Benjamin Ebeling Scores New Personal Best to Clinch Stillpoint Farm Grand Prix Freestyle

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

Wellington, FL – March 20, 2022 – Week 10 of the 2022 Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) wrapped up on Sunday, March 20. The day featured the individual conclusion of the CDIO classes as well as the final qualifiers for both the Lövsta Future Challenge Young Horse Grand Prix Series and the Summit Farm Future Challenge Young Horse Prix St. Georges Series. The Ebeling family had a red-letter day, with both father Jan and son Benjamin winning classes on horses bought from Jan Brink in Sweden.

Benjamin Ebeling (USA) rounded off a busy week of competition, scoring a new personal best and topping the leaderboard with a commanding 78.41% in the Grand Prix Freestyle CDIO3*, presented by Stillpoint Farm. British Olympic judge Stephen Clarke awarded Ebeling and Indeed, Vantage Equestrian Group II LLC’s 14-year-old mare by Hofrat, over 80%. Katie Duerrhammer (USA) clinched second, riding Quartett to 75.09%, with Germany’s Michael Klimke third on Harmony’s Sanrino RHP (73.78%).

Ebeling, 23, said: “It’s been really awesome to watch Indeed develop, first, of course, under my dad, who did a fantastic job. These past couple of months have been serious development for her, and she continues to get better and impress me. I think she just loves being at the show; it’s her favorite thing, and she’s turning into a really consistent horse.”

Second-placed Katie Duerrhammer was full of praise for Quartett, Kylee Lourie’s 14-year-old gelding by Quaterback: “He’s a very consistent, reliable horse, and you can always count on him,” she said. “It’s the end of a very long, hot week, and he just went out there and tried as hard as he could and completed everything. The music was made for him by Terri Gallo, and it really fits him. I wanted something that was fun and upbeat. He’s just a really pleasant horse and makes you feel like you’re having a good time.”

Michael Klimke, who was part of the gold medal-winning German Nations Cup team, was riding Harmony’s Sanrino RHP, a 13-year-old stallion by San Remo in his first ever freestyle at the level. This was only their third big tour CDI together.

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