Kasey Perry-Glass and Goerklintgaards Dublet. Photos: ©SusanJStickle.
Wellington, FL – March 4, 2017 – Kasey Perry-Glass (USA) and Goerklintgaards Dublet achieved a win and their second FEI World Cup Finals qualifying score during Saturday night’s FEI Grand Prix Freestyle CDI-W, presented by Everglades Dressage, at the 2017 Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) in Wellington, FL.
2016 Olympic bronze medalists Kasey Perry-Glass and Goerklintgaards Dublet, a 2003 Danish Warmblood gelding (Diamond Hit x La Costa x Olympic Ferro) owned by Diane Perry, earned a winning score of 80.805% in the FEI Grand Prix Freestyle CDI-W, presented by Everglades Dressage.
“[My trainer] Debbie [McDonald] and I have been working really hard on his performance in the ring, and it just seems to get better and better,” said Perry-Glass. “We are slowly getting there and I try not to pressure him too hard. He’s still growing. But to win tonight, it felt good. It felt like I could finally breathe.
“My choreography was created by Adrienne Lyle,” said Perry-Glass of her freestyle choices. “She did the whole thing, and I’m so blessed to have her as a friend. Tom Hunt did my music. He is also the creator of Charlotte Dujardin’s music. I’ve been working with him for four years now. He just wanted something very special for Dublet, and I think he nailed it.”
Along with the freestyle victory, their score also puts Perry-Glass and Dublet on the road to their first FEI World Cup Dressage Final in Omaha, NE at the end of the month.
“I am so excited for Omaha,” said an emotional Perry-Glass. “I get to hopefully go with two of my Olympic teammates, and this is my first FEI World Cup so I’m over the moon about it. It wouldn’t be possible without Debbie McDonald, or my mom and husband and my dad. I’m just very lucky. I have a really good horse, and they all just make it a very positive experience for me.”
Second place in the FEI Grand Prix Freestyle CDI-W was awarded to Chase Hickok (USA) and Sagacious HF, a 1999 KWPN gelding (Welt Hit II x Judith x Cocktail) owned by Hyperion Farm Inc., with a 75.620%.
This was Hickok’s first Freestyle under the lights in the open division. “We really came into tonight with no expectations,” said Hickok. “We just wanted to have a good, clean test, and I think we achieved that. To be sitting next to these two whom I look up to so much is just great.”
Hickok described her freestyle music. “My music actually came with Sagacious, and it was put together by Marlene Whitaker. It suits him and varies from upbeat in the trot to slower for the canter work. It highlights his strengths, so I’m very appreciative for whoever picked it originally.”
Shelly Francis (USA) and Doktor, a 2003 Oldenburg gelding (Diamond Hit x Gurena x Renoir I) owned by Patricia Stempel, took third place with a score of 75.565%.
Commenting on her ride, Francis said, “It was a little interesting because he was a bit edgy tonight for some reason, a little more than normal. We had some interesting parts of the test. The right pirouette on the left lead – I think we should have gotten some extra points for that! He was just a little tight here and there. He was a good boy, even though it wasn’t quite as smooth as I wanted it to be. He’s usually very fun to ride.”
Francis also rides to a freestyle created by Whitaker. “My music is from the movie ‘Big’. I helped with the choreography because my horse is kind of handy when he’s not too nervous. The music suits him as well; it’s fun.”
Judge at C, Christof Umbach (LUX), noted, “We had a very clear winner this evening. The other top four placings were very close, and all of the riders really fought for their marks. Compared to last week, all of the riders have improved. It was a super evening.”
Endel Ots, from sponsor Everglades Dressage, commented, “We really love supporting the dressage world quietly and from behind the scenes, and I think it’s so awesome to have one of our riders (Hickok) also place in the top three. We really love being here and supporting the sport.”
The Palm Beach Dressage Derby exhibition class, presented by Yeguada de Ymas, took place earlier in the day on Saturday featuring riders competing at Small Tour level with unfamiliar horses to see who could ride to the best score.
Round one was a match up against defending champion Chris Von Martels (CAN) and Christoph Koschel (GER), riding Truhana De Ymas, a 2009 PRE mare (Envidiado De Ymas x Nicaragua III) owned by Yeguada de Ymas S.L. Ultimately Koschel came on the top with a score of 69.605%, knocking the last year’s winner out of the competition. Juan Matute Guimon (ESP) and Mikala Munter Gundersen (DEN) competed in round one on Action Ace, a 2005 DWB gelding (Ijsselmeer x Promised) owned by Janice Murdoch. Munter Gundersen won the round with a 69.474%.
Koschel and Munter Gundersen advanced to the final knockout round of The Palm Beach Dressage Derby competition during the mid-way point at the FEI Grand Prix Freestyle, with both riders piloting Wrazzmatazz, a 2003 KWPN gelding (Jazz x Madame x Darwin) owned by Sara Hellner.
The final round brought excitement to the Global Arena as Koschel rode a well-executed test, clinching the win with a score of 72.588%.
“This is always special in an atmosphere like this,” said Koschel. “I don’t know if this horse was ever in an atmosphere like this so you don’t know what you get or what you can expect. I think it was a perfect horse for this final because he was very, very honest and nice to ride, and it made it easier for both of us.”
Koschel is no stranger to derby riding; he was the winner of the 49th Dressur-Derby of Hamburg, as well as the Munich Derby. Munter Gundersen also competed in the Hamburg Derby, finishing second.
Munter Gundersen added, “The horse has not been in an atmosphere like this before. I was happy that Chris went first, so if the horse was going to be spooky, [it was] with him and really nice with me! He was really great with both of us though, and I had a super clean test with only a few mistakes in my three-tempis. It takes a special horse to go in there with strange riders and be so nice.”
AGDF Director of Sport, Thomas Baur, concluded the evening by stating, “This was the first time we had the derby under the lights. It was also the first time we used the Spectator Judging app for the overall result, and it worked out quite well. We are going to continue to do that and are looking forward to the coming years.”
For more information and to see a full list of results, please visit www.globaldressagefestival.com.