Tag Archives: Adrienne Lyle

Adrienne Lyle and Salvino Kick Off Their Tokyo Olympic Bid with Resounding Victory at AGDF

Adrienne Lyle (USA) and Salvino. ©️Susan Stickle.

Wellington, FL – February 20, 2020 – It was a full day of grand prix level action on the second day of week eight of the 2020 Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, Florida. There were four classes at the level, two three-star classes, and two four-star.

All eyes were on the USA’s Adrienne Lyle in the FEI Grand Prix CDI4*, presented by Mission Control, who brought out her top horse, Salvino, for the first time this season, marking the start of their bid for a Tokyo Olympics place. They did not disappoint and led the class with a commanding 76.87%, their equal second highest-ever score in this test. Another Olympic hopeful, Olivia LaGoy-Weltz (USA) finished second with 72.935% on Lonoir and Lindsay Kellock (CAN) slotted into third on Sebastien with 69.826%.

Lyle’s test on Betsy Juliano’s 13-year-old stallion by Sandro Hit was a masterclass in harmony, and it was rewarded with clutches of nines, particularly for the light-footed passage and piaffe. The pair — who has not competed since Aachen in July 2019 — garnered a high score of 79.239% from the judge at C, Germany’s Henning Lehrmann.

“I’m thrilled with him; that’s one of the best feelings I’ve had in there,” said Lyle, who is ranked 20th in the world with Salvino. “He feels so happy and super excited to be here. Ever since he came on the grounds he’s been puffed up and ready to go and I was really happy with how focused he was despite all of his energy; it’s a great combination to be able to ride. It’s the balance that we’re always trying to find: to have that hotness and that fire and still have him be really rideable, with no mistakes, a clean test and focused was just wonderful.”

Of her decision not to compete in the previous week’s five-star CDI, she said: “In a year like this, you have to come out strong, especially when we did have a bit of a break. I really wanted to make sure everyone knows that he’s been fit and great and he really does feel good. We’re just trying to think of the big picture and always make the best decisions for him, so for fitness reasons we decided that the best plan would be to give him one more week of building up his fitness.”

After Aachen, Salvino travelled to Kylee Lourie’s farm in Denver, Colorado for some down time. The pair arrived in Wellington on November 1 and have been training with Debbie McDonald, preparing for this 2020 season debut. Salvino’s schedule consists of lessons two or three times a week, as well as sessions on the Aquatread and conditioning work in the jumping field at Kylee Lourie’s TyL Farm, just down the road from AGDF.

“It’s all about keeping his body and his mind happy,” added Lyle. “Our big goal is to qualify to go with the US riders to Europe in the hopes of trying to qualify for Tokyo. There’s a lot of stars that have to align for that, but mapping out our big goal, that’s what we’d love to shoot for.”

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

Adrienne Lyle and Harmony’s Duval Do It Again to Win FEI Grand Prix Special CDI 3*

Adrienne Lyle and Harmony’s Duval. ©Susan J. Stickle Photography.

Tryon, NC – April 21, 2019 – Adrienne Lyle (USA) and Harmony’s Duval danced to another win to close out Tryon Spring Dressage 1 CDI 3* presented by Adequan®, taking top honors in the FEI Grand Prix Special CDI 3* on a score of 73.851%. Naima Moreira Laliberte (CAN) and KML S.A.R.L.’s Statesman took reserve after earning a total score of 72.404%, dancing in tandem with the 2007 Hanoverian gelding by Sandro Hit. Once again gaining the podium, Jill Irving (CAN) and Degas 12, her own 2002 Hanoverian gelding (De Niro x Regazonni), received a composite score of 69.596% to take third place.

Lyle and the 2008 Dutch Warmblood gelding (Rosseau x Riverman) owned by Duval Partners LLC also collected a win earlier in the week, besting the FEI Grand Prix CDI 3* competition on Friday, and predicted that Sunday would offer an opportunity to showcase the grey gelding’s strongest movements: piaffe and passage.

Intermediate 1 Freestyle CDI 3* competition presented by Helgstrand Dressage saw Pablo Gomez Molina (ESP) and Furst Foriano Ymas, a 2007 Westphalian gelding (Furst Piccolo x Donnerbube I) owned by Yeguda de Ymas S.L., take top honors with a score of 76.125%, while reserve was awarded to Jennifer Baumert (USA) aboard Handsome, a 2005 Hanoverian gelding (Hochadelx Weltmeyer) owned by Betsy Juliano, LLC, for their efforts amounting to a score of 75.667%. Third place was named to Endel Ots (USA) and Lucky Strike, a 2010 Hanoverian gelding (Lord Laurie x His Highness) owned by Max Ots, for their score of 75.333%.

In the FEI Young Rider Freestyle CDIY NAYC/USEF Qualifier, Vanessa Creech-Terauds and Fleur de Lis L, a 2009 Hanoverian mare (First Dance x De Niro) owned by Louise Leatherdale, posted a score of 73.825% to take the lead over Anna Weniger (USA), who partnered with Andrew Weniger’s Claudius, a 2010 Hanoverian gelding (Carland x Wilander), to score 64.700% for second.

The FEI Grand Prix Freestyle 16-25 CDIU25 USEF Qualifier and FEI Junior Rider Freestyle CDIJ NAYC/USEF Qualifier hosted one exhibitor each, with Naima Naima Moreira Laliberte (CAN) and I Do Kiss, a 2006 Swedish Warmblood stallion (French Kiss x Donnerfly) owned by KML S.A.R.L., earning a 72.810% and Sophia Holloway (USA) guiding Neptune NF, her own 2009 Andalusian gelding, to a score of 65.300%.

For more information and results, please visit www.Tryon.com.

Adrienne Lyle and Harmony’s Duval Make a Big Splash at Tryon Spring Dressage 1 CDI 3*

Adrienne Lyle and Harmony’s Duval. ©Susan J. Stickle Photography.

Tryon, NC – April 19, 2019 – Adrienne Lyle (USA) and Harmony’s Duval danced to victory in FEI Grand Prix competition to kick off Tryon Spring Dressage 1 CDI 3* presented by Adequan®, earning a personal best score of 75.130% to top a field of 14. Ashley Holzer (USA) and Havanna 145, a 2007 Hanoverian mare (Hochadel x Rodgau) owned by Diane Fellows, garnered a score of 72.478% to be awarded second place, while Jill Irving (CAN) and her own Degas 12, a 2002 Hanoverian gelding (De Niro x Regazonni), rounded out the podium on a total score of 70.978%.

For Lyle and the 2008 Dutch Warmblood gelding (Rosseau x Riverman) owned by Duval Partners LLC, their clean test was “a big deal” and full circle from their first National Grand Prix competition at TIEC exactly a year ago, she explained.

“At this show a year ago we did our first National Grand Prix, so he’s only been in Grand Prix competition for a year. It’s always been about getting him [to] focus,” she elaborated, “and not get flustered and get through a test without mistakes, so this is a really big accomplishment.

“He hasn’t shown that many places in his life, and we’ve only been at [Adequan® Global Dressage Festival] all season, so this is new for him. I love this showgrounds – it’s maybe my favorite showgrounds in the world to show – but it’s great for the horses to get to come to a new place and ride in a new stadium with atmosphere like this. It’s really fun.”

Her young mount showed great composure despite several rain delays through the day, and “is always ready to go,” she revealed. “He’s a horse that I get out several times before his test, tack-walking and hand-walking a lot, so he’s in and out a lot through the day. [Today] we had to wait a bit, but that’s just part of the game. The good thing about him is he’s always ready to go – he has endless energy. So when we throw the tack on, he’s ready for it, no matter when that is.”

Lyle called Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) at Tryon Resort the ideal stepping stone for her next challenge with Harmony’s Duval: taking on Europe. “I wanted to come to this CDI to get one more show in before we go to Europe this summer. I think this is a really good stepping stone to get him some exposure and solidify him a little bit more. He got a grant to go to Europe this summer from the USDF that will help fund him there,” Lyle continued. “He was US bred and born, so he’s never been out of the country. He’s a really wonderful horse – we’ve had him since before he was saddle-broke, so it’s a fun culmination of many years of work with him.”

Before Europe, Harmony’s Duval will take on the FEI Grand Prix Special CDI 3*, which Lyle predicted will feature his strongest work: “We’re on to the Special on Sunday, which is always a really strong test for him. His piaffe and passage work is always a highlight for him, so I’m really, really excited about him,” she concluded.

For more information and results, please visit www.Tryon.com.

Adrienne Lyle and Harmony’s Duval Win FEI Grand Prix Special CDI3* at AGDF

Adrienne Lyle and Harmony’s Duval in their winning test. ©SusanStickle.com.

Wellington, FL – March 16, 2019 – Competition at Week 10 of the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) continued on Saturday, March 16, with a day full of top dressage competition. The afternoon featured the FEI Grand Prix Special CDI3* presented by Horseware Ireland.

Adrienne Lyle (USA) and Harmony’s Duval rode to a new personal best score of 75.851% in the Grand Prix Special and secured their win. Harmony’s Duval made his big tour debut just five weeks ago at AGDF. “The highlight for me was being able to get him much more consistently on the hind leg and get the balance much more consistently uphill,” said Lyle of her ride on the 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding by Rosseau owned by Duval Partners LLC.

Harmony’s Duval is still a green Grand Prix horse, but he’s learning quickly. “We got the changes, yay! Finally. Those have been a little bit of a struggle for us in the ring,” Lyle noted. “We worked between Wednesday and today a lot on perfecting the balance getting into the changes, and I was able to keep him at a place where he felt controlled and mentally slow enough to know what was going on.

“When I can get everything in balance it’s an incredible feeling because he has power that’s unlike any horse that I’ve ever ridden,” she continued. “When that power gets away from you it’s a little bit like a runaway train, but when I can get it all, he really feels incredible and the honesty is really incredible in him.”

In the FEI Intermediate I CDI1* Katie Johnson and Paxton, an eight-year-old Westphalian gelding by Dante Weltino owned by Kylee Lourie, led the lap of honor as winners. The pair rode to a score of 73.647%.

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

Adrienne Lyle and Harmony’s Duval Break Tie in FEI Grand Prix Special CDI3*

Adrienne Lyle and Harmony’s Duval ©SusanStickle.com.

Wellington, FL – February 23, 2019 – In unique circumstances, two riders tied in the FEI Grand Prix Special CDI3* presented by Fair Sky Farm on Saturday, February 23, at Week 7 of the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF).

Adrienne Lyle (USA) and Harmony’s Duval and Charlotte Jorst (USA) and Kastel’s Nintendo both rode to a score of 72.255%, but Lyle and Harmony’s Duval broke the tie and secured their win with Lyle’s higher “rider collective marks” from the judges.

It was a close call with Lyle receiving four rider collective mark scores of 8.0 and one 7.5, and Jorst receiving three 8.0 marks, and two 7.5 marks to take second place behind Lyle.

“I thought the piaffe/passage tour was much stronger than in the Grand Prix. That’s really a highlight of this horse, and I was glad we were able to tap into more of his potential in there today,” said Lyle of Harmony’s Duval, a 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding by Rosseau owned by Duval Partners LLC.

“He’s very green. This is his first year at grand prix,” continued Lyle. “It’s such a process with him, just the whole what works best in the warm-up, what works best in preparation. It’s all those things when you’ve been showing the same grand prix horse for years that you know, and when there’s a new one it’s all just part of figuring out all those little things.”

Harmony’s Duval has a strong work ethic, says Lyle. “The great thing about him is that he’ll go forever; there’s not a stop in him. I think his best quality is his ambition. Sometimes it’s a little overzealous, but there’s never a lack of trying with that horse. He’d jump off a cliff if you asked him to,” concluded Lyle.

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

Fraser-Beaulieu and All In Go Out with a Bang with Win in “Friday Night Stars” Freestyle

Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu and All In. ©SusanStickle.com.

Wellington, FL – February 8, 2019 – The crowd at the “Friday Night Stars” at the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) enjoyed performances by top riders in the FEI Grand Prix Special and FEI Grand Prix Freestyle CDI5* on Friday, February 8, at Equestrian Village at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL. Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu (CAN) and All In, her 14-year-old KWPN gelding by Tango, won the FEI Grand Prix Freestyle CDI5*, presented by CaptiveOne Advisors, with a score of 76.520%.

“It’s very exciting, especially since this is probably going to be my last show until maybe September,” said Fraser-Beaulieu, who is expecting her first child in June. “I couldn’t ask for a better night, honestly. He was with me the whole time, and it’s probably one of the best feelings I’ve had on him out there. To end on a note like that, I’m pretty happy.”

Adrienne Lyle and Salvino Capture Special Win

In the FEI Grand Prix Special CDI5*, presented by Palm Beach Equine Clinic, Adrienne Lyle (USA) and Salvino, a 12-year-old Hanoverian stallion by Sandro Hit owned by Betsy Juliano LLC, won with a score of 73.574%.

“This is my first time I’ve ever done a special under the lights, so that was fun and different,” said Lyle of her ride. “It’s always a thrill riding under the lights here on Friday night at Global. I was so happy with Salvino. I’m so happy with his attitude. He’s just going out there, and he seems like he’s enjoying every minute of it.

“I just need to keep working on, as a rider, how to balance him and prepare him for every movement,” she continued. “He’s a very athletic horse with a ton of scope, which is wonderful, but I need to learn how to keep it all even and exactly where I want it throughout the whole test. It’s been a really fun journey so far.”

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

Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu and All In Sparkle with Win in the FEI Grand Prix CDI5*

Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu and All In. ©SusanStickle.com.

Wellington, FL – February 7, 2019 – Week 5 of the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) started on Thursday, February 7, with CDI5* dressage competition at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, Florida.

Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu (CAN) and All In won the FEI Grand Prix CDI5, presented by CaptiveOne Advisors, to qualify for the five-star freestyle on Friday night. The pair earned a score of 71.304%.

Adrienne Lyle and Salvino Continue the Start of Their 2019 Season with Win in the 5* Special Qualifier

In the FEI Grand Prix CDI5*, the qualifier for the 5* Special presented by the Palm Beach Equine Clinic, Adrienne Lyle (USA) and Salvino won with a score 74.565%.

“I’m really pleased with Salvino, for going in for the second time he doesn’t seem to have lost any of his spark so far this season,” Lyle said of her WEG team silver medal-winning partner, a 12-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Sandro Hit owned by Betsy Juliano LLC. “I’m really proud of the way he’s training and schooling. There’s still a lot of little things in the ring that I as a rider need to figure out how to polish to get the scores up to where I know he’s capable of, but this is just the start of our season.”

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

Royal Horse Show Doubles Down on Derby Fun

Jacqueline Brooks and D Niro. Photo by Ben Radvanyi Photography.

Adrienne Lyle headlines new Dressage Derby; Hunters Showcased in Knightwood Hunter Derby

Toronto, Ontario – U.S. Olympian Adrienne Lyle will headline the new Dressage Derby on Tuesday evening, November 6, at the Royal Horse Show, held as part of the 96th Annual Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. This year’s Royal Agricultural Winter Fair runs from November 2 through 11 at Exhibition Place in downtown Toronto, ON.

Doubling down on Derby fun, Tuesday evening’s Royal Horse Show performance opens with the impressive Knightwood Hunter Derby followed by the Dressage Derby, a new concept that will see four riders go head-to-head riding borrowed horses in a ‘knock-out’ format. Riders will have only minutes to get to know their mounts before entering the Coca-Cola Coliseum to perform their test. The winner of each ‘knock-out round’ will move forward to a second round in the hopes of being crowned the Royal Dressage Derby Champion.

Lyle, a member of the U.S. silver medal team at the recent FEI World Equestrian Games, will be making her first trip to Toronto in addition to her Royal Horse Show debut.

“I’ve always wanted to go to the Royal and I thought it was a fun chance to get to compete there,” said Lyle, who is based in Wellington, FL. “I have competed in some derbies in Florida before and I think they are really fun. The crowd loves them and they are a great test of rider skill.”

Joining Lyle in the Dressage Derby are Canadians Tom Dvorak and Jaimey Irwin along with Esther Mortimer of Guatemala.

“It’s the ultimate test of rider skill to have to ride a horse you don’t know and have never had a chance to watch or ride before,” said Lyle, who is looking forward to the challenge of riding an unfamiliar mount. “It’s an easy format for the crowd to understand because it makes sense and it is usually obvious which rider gets along best with their horse. Sometimes there’s also a lot of comedy involved! I grew up in pony club riding many different horses and I really enjoy the challenge of getting on and sorting it out in a few minutes. A lot of it is being able to read the horse and come up with a strategy.”

Prior to the Dressage Derby, Canadian Dressage Team veteran, Jacqueline Brooks, will retire her long-time partner, D Niro, in a fitting celebration at the Royal Horse Show. Brooks and the 19-year-old grey Swedish Warmblood gelding affectionately known as ‘Goose’ have represented Canada in international competition around the globe, including at the 2012 London Olympic Games and the 2013 World Cup Final in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Following the Dressage Derby, Brittany Fraser will perform a musical freestyle riding All In to close out the evening. The highest-placed member of Canada’s dressage team at the recent 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games in September, Fraser will demonstrate both the artistry and difficulty in choreographing required movements to the music of her choice.

Opening Tuesday evening’s Royal Horse Show performance, the elegance of high performance hunters will be on display in the $25,000 Knightwood Hunter Derby. Competitors from across the country have been earning points all year in the hopes of vying for the Lorna Jean Guthrie Challenge Trophy, presented to the overall Canadian Hunter Derby Series Champion.

From the $125,000 Canadian Show Jumping Championship on Friday and Saturday evenings, November 2 and 3, through to the $205,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Toronto, presented by GroupBy, on Saturday night, November 10, the Royal Horse Show offers something each day for all fans of horse sport.

In featured entertainment, Australia’s Guy McLean will demonstrate his unique form of natural horsemanship throughout the ten-day Royal Horse Show while Pogo Puissance by Xpogo will take jumping to new heights as young athletes attempt to set records by jumping obstacles on pogo sticks.

More than 1,000 horses from around the globe will compete for $980,000 in prize money during the 10-day CSI4*-W Royal Horse Show. VIP Platinum and Gold seating, as well as group and individual tickets, are on sale now and moving quickly. All Royal Horse Show tickets include general admission to the Fair.

For more information on the Royal Horse Show, the marquee event of The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, please visit www.royalfair.org/horseshow.

US Equestrian Names Dressage Team for World Equestrian Games Tryon 2018

Lexington, Ky. – US Equestrian has named four athlete-and-horse combinations to The Dutta Corp. U.S. Dressage Team for the FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) Tryon 2018, which will take place September 11-23, in Mill Spring, N.C.

After competing in designated Observation Events throughout the summer, the following athlete-and-horse combinations have been selected to represent U.S. dressage at the WEG under the leadership of Chef d’Equipe Robert Dover (in alphabetical order):

Laura Graves (Geneva, Fla.) and Verdades, a 16-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding she owns with Curt Maes

Adrienne Lyle (Ketchum, Idaho) and Salvino, Betsy Juliano LLC’s 11-year-old Hanoverian stallion

Kasey Perry-Glass (Wellington, Fla.) and Goerklintgaards Dublet, Diane Perry’s 15-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding

Steffen Peters (San Diego, Calif.) and Rosamunde, Four Winds Farm’s 11-year-old Rheinlander mare

The Dutta Corp. U.S. Dressage Team will compete beginning September 12 and 13, with the Grand Prix Team competition and Individual Qualifier. On September 14, teams will contest the Grand Prix Special, and the Grand Prix Freestyle on September 16.

From the US Equestrian Communications Department

Records Tumble as Lyle and Salvino Blaze to Freestyle Gold in Final Week of AGDF

Adrienne Lyle and Salvino. Photo © SusanJStickle.com.

Wellington, FL — March 30, 2018 — Every single one of the top four combinations in the FEI Nations Cup™ Grand Prix Freestyle CDIO3*, presented by Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center, posted a personal best. But it was the last rider down the center line during “Friday Night Stars” under the floodlights that took the gold medal: home rider Adrienne Lyle produced a breathtaking test on Elizabeth ‘Betsy’ Juliano’s 11-year-old stallion, Salvino, in the 12th and final week of the 2018 Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, Florida.

They scored 81.75% to take the gold — the first time Lyle has ever surpassed the 80% mark. She led an all-female, all-American podium, flanked by Sabine Schut-Kery (silver with 78.145% on Sanceo) and Olivia LaGoy-Weltz (bronze on Lonoir with 77.385%).

They scored 81.75% to take the gold — the first time Lyle has ever surpassed the 80% mark. She led an all-female, all-American podium, flanked by Sabine Schut-Kery (silver with 78.145% on Sanceo) and Olivia LaGoy-Weltz (bronze on Lonoir with 77.385%).

“Everyone dreams of that 80% and I’m so proud of the feeling he gave me in there,” said Lyle, from Idaho, who was riding to a freestyle put together for her former top horse, Wizard, while she creates a new one with Terry Gallo. “I’m so blessed to have him. He’s getting a lot stronger and I can keep the power and the uphill balance — and I have the most amazing coach in the world in Debbie McDonald. This was just a wonderful night.

“The new freestyle will have a higher degree of difficulty; we’ve been using this new FEI system, and it will have a significantly higher degree of difficulty. We’re also using powerful and empowering music to showcase his power and gracefulness.”

The silver medalist Sabine Schut-Kery has exploded onto the grand prix scene with the stunning Sanceo — another stallion, this one a 12-year-old by San Remo belonging to Alice Womble. This was the duo’s second freestyle at the level and they smashed their previous score by more than 4%.

“We’re just starting out this year and I couldn’t be any more pleased or happier,” said the German-born rider. “I’m so happy coming here and riding tonight under the lights and pulling off that score. He’s really talented in the piaffe and passage.”

Of her score, she added: “You do your best, but you never know what the judges are thinking and the score is always a surprise! I’m just hoping now to be in the top eight to go to Europe and get him stronger and more experienced.”

Olivia LaGoy-Weltz, the bronze medal winner, rode her horse Lonoir in this same Nations Cup freestyle competition at AGDF last year but had a tough round and scored 68.8%. This year they had no such issues, upping their score by around 9%.

“He was very wild last year,” said LaGoy-Weltz of her own 14-year-old son of De Noir. “We were epically airborne for most of the test and I wanted to curl up in a paper bag and have a glass of wine afterwards. Tonight I was really happy with Lono. This week I’ve pushed for a bit more and yesterday it didn’t quite go to plan, but tonight it did. He’s a hot strong tamale and there’s so much in there; it’s just a question of me getting the recipe right — every single time.”

Judge at C, Gary Rockwell, was impressed with the quality he saw: “This is exciting,” he said. “I’ve not seen Sanceo since the Pan Ams, and I’ve never seen him do a grand prix — he’s amazing and definitely going in the right direction. I’ve never seen Olivia’s horse so engaged and then Adrienne just knocked me out — it’s all positive for this year.”

On behalf of sponsor Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center, Arlene ‘Tuny’ Page of Stillpoint Farm said: “This is a huge collaboration with the management and it really does take a village to make it all happen; we have incredible support in the community. And what’s great is that the kids at Vinceremos feel the same way about their riding as we do.”

The three chestnut horses who carried their riders to the podium in the Intermediate I Freestyle CDIO3*, presented by Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center, looked remarkably similar; in particular the top two, who were both sired by Furst Piccolo. Emerging with the gold medal — and undefeated in all three of his tests this week — was the 24-year-old Spaniard Pablo Gomez Molina on the Yeguada de Ymas’s Furst Fiorano Ymas.

“We’ve had this horse just over a year and his first CDI was the Nations Cup here in 2017,” said Gomez Molina, who was riding the flashy 11-year-old for his employers and scored 72.325%. “We know each other pretty well now and with each show we’re improving more and more. He’s a really big horse and we have some trouble keeping him high in the frame, but I’ve been working with my trainer Juan Matute and in the past three months that’s been going really well.”

The plan for the whole Yeguada de Ymas team is to decamp to Europe at the end of April.

“I have two horses I hope to do under-25s with this season, but that’s a big step up from small tour and we want to make sure we are ready,” added Gomez Molina. “If we are, then that’s what we’ll do. Fiorano is really flashy in the extended trot and nice in the tempis, too, but we had a little mistake today. The whole team has been working a lot and competing a lot in this festival — for the past four years. It’s amazing to win gold.”

Kelly Layne picked up the silver medal on her own Furst Piccolo son, the 12-year-old Furst Amante, with 70.275%. Her Australian compatriot Nicholas Fyffe scooped bronze to add to team bronze earlier in the week — the nation’s first ever dressage Nations Cup medals.

Layne said: “We call Furst Amante ‘The Bouncing Ball’ as he’s got springs in his feet, which is really an incredible feeling. He has amazing suspension and cadence, which is really fun for me to ride. I’ve been riding him for two years, and it’s not always been easy, so I was very happy he was with me in the test. I had two little blonde moments — I think I was a little heat affected — and I wondered where my music was going. But I think Amante quite enjoyed it.”

Fyffe, who rode Hitchcock into bronze, is giving the 14-year-old His Highness gelding competitive miles before his owner Louise Cote takes over.

“I actually didn’t realize I was in a medal position today and that the small tour classes were awarded them too, so to come out with a second medal, I am really thrilled,” said Fyffe, who scored 68.425%. “Hitchcock isn’t young, but he’s inexperienced. He used to feel like the lion from Wizard of Oz — no courage — but he’s developing it, and it’s been a really fun process with him.”

Individual medals were awarded in the under-25 Grand Prix Freestyle CDIO, presented by Diamante Farms, with gold — for the third time this week — being hung around the neck of Spain’s 20-year-old charm bomb Juan Matute Guimon. He was unassailable on his father Juan F Matute’s 15-year-old Don Diego Ymas, riding a very bold test to a score of 75.458%. It was the 20-year-old rider’s final CDI test of the 25 he has ridden at this year’s AGDF. His freestyle ended with two-time changes into one-times and a final halt, close to the judge at C, Portugal’s Carlos Lopes (who awarded a meaty 78.75%, and the pair’s highest score).

“The highlight of any freestyle is that the rider gets to choose lines that best fit the horse and show off your creativity,” said Matute Guimon, who will fly to Europe next month for a tilt at a place on the Spanish FEI World Equestrian Games team. “I’m really happy with the way the season wrapped up. And I know I shouldn’t talk in a test, but I said to Don Diego, ‘Come on buddy, here we go’. And I was thinking that it was my last center line in Wellington until I come back next year.

“With any championship format when you’re competing three days in a row, horses get tired,” he added. “But Don Diego and I know each other very well and that experience really helps as he knew exactly what I was asking for. He has taught me everything since I was a junior rider back in 2012.”

Last to go in the class, Kerrigan Gluch (USA), pulled off her best performance to date with new partner Bolero CXLVIII, a former ride of Spanish Olympian Jose Daniel Martin Dockx. She scored 70.833% — the pair’s first plus-70% — to clinch the silver medal on Hampton Green Farm’s 14-year-old PRE stallion.

“The horse is very new to me still,” said Gluch, 21, who was riding to an old freestyle originally made by Marlene Whitaker for ‘Danny’ Dockx and his Rio Olympics horse, Grandioso. “I’ve only been competing Bolero for two months and this was our second freestyle. He’s so honest; he never says no, which makes riding any test that much more enjoyable — and his heart is really good and you don’t always find that.”

The bronze went to Spain’s Rodrigo Encinas Fuentes, who piloted his trainer Cesar Parra’s 16-year-old Obelisk gelding Van The Man. This was only the rider’s third ever freestyle. He was riding to a soundtrack put together for the horse by Parra, which — appropriately — has paso doble in it.

“It was made for the horse, which helps a lot,” said Encinas Fuentes, 22, who is hoping to compete in Europe this summer. “Sometimes it’s difficult as it was made for Cesar rather than me, but I love riding to it; it makes me feel great.”

Rio Olympic team bronze medalist Kasey Perry-Glass continued her stellar comeback with Goerklintgaards Dublet, after giving Diane Perry’s 15-year-old Diamond Hit gelding an eight-month break. They made it two wins from two starts this week by taking the Grand Prix Freestyle CDI3*, presented by Harmony Sporthorses, with an emphatic 76.125% — the unanimous winner from all five judges in a field of 15 riders.

Adrienne Lyle (USA) filled second on the inexperienced Horizon (74.2%), while the Dominican Republic’s Yvonne Losos De Muñiz finished third on Foco Loco with 73.8%. However, she turned the yellow sash into a blue one when she rode Kathy Priest’s Fredensdals Zig Zag to the top spot in the Intermediate I CDI1*, scoring 70.441%. Only Losos De Muñiz and second-placed Nora Batchelder (USA) broke the 70% barrier in this class of 13.

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