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Dressage

Laura Graves and Verdades Open 2019 Adequan Global Dressage Festival with Victory

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Laura Graves and Verdades. Photo © SusanStickle.com.

Wellington, FL – January 10, 2019 – The Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) started with its first day of competition at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC), in Wellington, FL, on Thursday with a win for Laura Graves (USA) and Verdades in the FEI Grand Prix CDIW, presented by Wellington Agricultural Services. The first week at AGDF, the Lloyd Landkamer Memorial, features CDI-W competition from January 10-12.

Laura Graves (USA) won the FEI Grand Prix CDI-W with a score of 80.065%. Graves rode her own mount, Verdades, a 17-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding by Florett AS.

Graves said that her ride was “a good way to put the first show into perspective after we haven’t been out since the [World Equestrian Games] was called off before the freestyle, so it’s been quite a bit since we’ve been in the arena. It always feels like, ‘Okay, we still know what we’re doing.’” She remarked, “He obviously still has a ton of gas in the tank. I’m really, really excited with how today went.”

Her favorite part of her ride was that Verdades “saved [her] today in the zig zag.” She continued, “I poked him on five and he said, ‘Mom, you gotta wait for 6.’ And so I was just really lucky that he saved me there and it’s nice to know that you can count on a horse like that.

“He gets even more electric here than he does at any other huge venue in the world,” said the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games Tryon (WEG) silver medalist. “We want to see more relaxation in his free walk because we lose some points there when he has such a good walk in the school. And again, just tidying things up so my transitions are on time so I can really feel safe to push.”

Graves and Verdades will be debuting their new freestyle created for WEG on Friday evening.

Michael Klimke (GER) started off the season by winning the FEI Prix St. Georges CDI3*, presented by Triple Crown Nutrition with a score of 70.265%. Klimke rode Harmony’s Diabolo, a nine-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Desparadis owned by Harmony Sporthorses.

Klimke also won the FEI Grand Prix CDI3*, presented by MTICA Farm with a score of 68.435%. Klimke rode his own mount, Royal Dancer 33, a 13-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Royal Blend.

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

Breeds, Dressage, Equinium Sports Mktg.

Interagro Celebrates Dressage Success at 2018 Adequan Global Dressage Festival

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Zepelim Interagro and Pia Aragao. Photo courtesy of Interagro Lusitanos.

Wellington, FL (May 19, 2018) – Dressage and the Interagro Lusitano sporthorse are naturally synergistic; the intelligent, elegant, and athletic equines pair seamlessly with this sport of power and precision. For over four decades, Interagro has been breeding exceptional dressage horses and in the first few months of 2018, their most recent group of competitive Lusitanos stepped into the dressage arenas of the Adequan Global Dressage Festival to continue that legacy.

Journeying to Wellington, Florida from Interagro’s stud and training center in Itapira, Sao Paulo, Brazil, two stallions owned and currently standing at Interagro blazed a trail of dressage excellence. Zepelim Interagro (Quinarius Interagro x Ordenada Interagro) kicked off his 2018 show season with a 68.315% and a win in the AGDF 7 FEI Grand Prix. Ridden and trained by Pia Aragao, this impressive 16.3h gray stallion exuded a presence of power and poise in his exceptional collected work and elastic extensions. Winning his first US Grand Prix was a fantastic start, and Zepelim kept up the momentum through March in the Grand Prix and made his debut CDI performances in the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Freestyle during week 10.

As the yin to Zepelim’s yang, the 8-year-old Fellini Interagro (Nirvana Interagro x Batina Interagro) stepped out in his first US competition with increasingly spectacular efforts in the Prix St. Georges and Intermediaire I. Capped by a high score of 69.559% in the FEI Prix St. Georges during week 10, the impressive black stallion’s successful US show debut builds upon a decorated Brazilian career in the Young Horse divisions. Also ridden and trained by Pia Aragao, Fellini epitomizes the athleticism, beauty, and movement that have become the hallmarks of the Interagro sporthorse.

“Both Fellini and Zepelim went above and beyond during our Florida winter show season,” said Aragao. “Zepelim made amazing strides in the Grand Prix and continues to improve, while Fellini proved himself to be a consummate competitor and to possess all of the ability and presence of his sire, Nirvana.” Both horses returned to Brazil in early April.

Another Interagro stallion, Belisario Interagro, was also taking home two blue ribbons and other top finishes in the Grand Prix at the 2018 Global Dressage Festival. Owned, trained, and ridden by Kate Poulin of Fair Weather Farm in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, Belisario made his Grand Prix debut in the fall of 2017. Belisario (Quixote Interagro x Urzelina Interagro) was sold to Poulin as a 5-year-old during the 2010 Lusitano Collection International Horse Auction, hosted by Interagro in the US. Under the tutelage of her mother, USEF “S” Judge Sharon Poulin, and US Olympian Debbie MacDonald, Kate Poulin and Belisario posted personal best scores in the national Grand Prix during the 2018 Florida dressage season. “Belisario loves his work and is always so focused,” said Poulin. “This combined with his intelligence and natural talent for piaffe and passage has made him a fantastic Grand Prix horse. He is a true partner, and riding him as given me deeper insight into what dressage is really all about.”

While Interagro’s upper level stallions were taking center stage at the Global Dressage Festival, a number of geldings from the farm’s H Generation were also having success in the dressage arenas of North America. Tyra Vernon of BREC Dressage in Ocala, Florida rode Hadrian Interagro, Hawk Interagro, and Horacio Interagro to many blue ribbons and high point awards. Hawk’s first time out at 3rd Level he was High Point Champion at the Sweetheart Cup in Orlando; Hadrian competed at 3rd and 4th Level scoring 68.3% in his first show at 4th Level. This athletic grey gelding also won a 3rd Level class at the Global Dressage Festival in March. Hawk and Hadrian are now qualified for Regional Championships this fall in Atlanta, and their third Interagro brother, Horacio, recently made his First Level debut with BREC trainer Kerryann Schade, winning the class with 70.8% and putting in one score towards qualifying for Championships. Vernon purchased all three Interagro horses from Brazil with the guidance of US Sales Representative Peter van Borst, and has utilized the Interagro support system not only for pre-purchase exams, shipping, and logistics, but also for training advice and information once the horses arrive in the US. Vernon and her three 7-year-old geldings also attend numerous clinics with world class judges and 5* international judges like Janet Foy, Gary Rockwell, and Henk van Bergen on a regular basis: “All of our clinicians have had so many positive things to say about our Lusitanos and feel they all show great talent and promise as FEI competitors,” said Vernon. “We have started playing with piaffe and passage with Hadrian and Hawk and we are so excited with the quality they show for the Grand Prix. Henk said the only problem with Hadrian is that he wasn’t his! I’m very thankful to Peter and all of Interagro’s team for the opportunity to have such amazing horses. I continue to look forward to working closely with Interagro to supply myself, my trainers at BREC Dressage, and our clients with these top quality Lusitanos!”

Hobbit Interagro (Bungo Interagro x Radiosa MAC), a 7-year-old gray stallion owned by Haras dos Cavaleiros, competed at AGDF with rider and trainer Tiago Ernesto. This athletic stallion was noted for a spectacular canter, as well as his overall beauty and character, and has begun his career as a breeding stallion with Haras dos Cavaleiros. With every score over 70% and a high score of 73% in all of the Second Level Tests at Global, Ernesto stated that he was very happy with the horse’s performance overall and is looking forward to both Hobbit’s future and the future of the stallion’s offspring: “With Hobbit, his character is the most exceptional thing,” said Tiago. “But in addition, he has fantastic gaits, movement, and athletic ability, which makes him a superb competitor as well as sire. We take it day by day with him, but his desire to learn and please the rider combined with his elasticity and talent for collection make him a great Grand Prix prospect.”

For more information on Interagro Lusitanos, Interagro’s horses for sale, or the Lusitano bloodlines, visit Interagro’s website at www.lusitano-interagro.com.

Media contact:
Equinium Sports Marketing, LLC
Holly Johnson
holly@equinium.com
www.equinium.com
+1 954 205 7992

*Featured/Spotlights, Dressage

Yvonne Losos de Muñiz Rounds Out AGDF with ‘Spectacular’ Personal Best

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Yvonne Losos de Muñiz and Aquamarijn.

Wellington, FL — March 31, 2018 — The Dominican Republic’s Yvonne Losos de Muñiz left her best performance with her own Aquamarijn to their last test, pulling off a 71.596% victory in the Grand Prix Special CDI3*, presented by Grand Prix Services. It was the final class on the last day of the 12-week 2018 Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) held at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, Florida.

Their score was a personal best for the pair in any CDI grand prix — including freestyle — and was also the 13-year-old Dutch mare’s first ever international win.

“It’s a lovely, sweet ending to the season that the last anthem is the Dominican one; I thought that was kind of cool,” beamed the 50-year-old. “My other grand prix horse Foco Loco is doing amazingly and he’s the powerhouse — he’s everything I always thought he was — but Aquamarijn is turning out to be 10 times what I thought she was ever going to be.”

Losos de Muñiz found the mare, who is by United out of a Gribaldi mare, through Kathy Priest in Denmark two years ago while on a shopping trip for a client.

“I thought she’d just be a really nice, compact grand prix horse, though I did feel that there was a little extra in there,” she said. “But she’s turning out to be absolutely spectacular. I’m only riding her at 50% or 60% in the ring; I can get more at home, yet I’m not doing it in there yet because she’s such a big character that she has to really trust me and stay with me — and today she did.”

This was the fifth win of a whirlwind 2018 AGDF season for the Dominican rider, who gave up dressage completely after a controversial decision by the FEI in 2012 which meant she could not participate in the London Olympics. This year she is back on the championship path, and flies to Europe next week with both of her grand prix horses. Foco Loco W is headed for the FEI World Cup Final in Paris in April, while she has been invited to compete at Aachen CHIO in Germany with Aquamarijn.

Losos de Muñiz attributes her upward trajectory with the mare to going back to basics.

“During the Wellington season we’re showing so much that there’s really no training time to go home and do the basics,” she explained. “I started trick-riding in there and that caught up with me. When we do a big prize-giving, it takes me three days to calm Aquamarijn down — she doesn’t want to walk after that. So I wasn’t getting the ‘throughness’ — I was having to be a bit rougher, a bit quicker, and that’s not the smooth, nice image that we want.

“Since the last show, I went home and, with Ton de Ridder, went back to basics, teaching Aquamarijn to wait and listen,” she continued. “Today we didn’t aim for spectacular. We just went for correctness, but once she gives me that correctness, I’m able to ask for spectacular, which I could do at times today.”

Both her top horses are qualified for the FEI World Equestrian Games in Tryon, North Carolina in September. After Aachen they will head to Asturias, northern Spain, where both horses’ training and preparation will include trips to the beach.

It was American rider Katherine Bateson Chandler — another who divides her time between Florida and Europe — who came closest to Losos de Muñiz. Bateson Chandler’s score was trending higher, but a costly mistake at the end of the two-time changes meant the final score was a smidge lower, at 71.234%. Aside from in the freestyle, this was Jane Forbes Clark’s Contango gelding’s first plus-70% score at the 2018 AGDF, and he looked full of energy. The winner of the grand prix, Canada’s Megan Lane, filled the third podium spot, with 68.021% on Deer Ridge Equestrian’s Zodiac MW, by Rousseau.

Melissa Taylor capped an impressive final flourish to her and Ansgar’s busy AGDF 2018 season by proving unbeatable at small tour. They won the Intermediate I Freestyle CDI3*, presented by Yellow Bird Farm, to land their third win of this CDI.

“I’m so excited; I don’t even know what words I can say. I’m thrilled with the horse; he was extremely tired today, but he really tried for me,” said Taylor of Nicole Polaski’s gelding by Special D, who scored 71.833%. “I was not expecting to win; I had mistakes in there and was a little late in some of the changes, so I didn’t think I’d make it three in a row. When I did win I was really excited, and my owner is elated.”

What has been the key to the pair’s ever-improving performances in 2018?

“Ansgar became more relaxed in that show ring,” explained Taylor, who found the concentration of CDI shows at the AGDF hugely helpful for the horse’s training. “It’s a very intense ring, but he’s finally starting to trust me. I also read the judges’ comments from the earlier tests — and I take those very seriously — so I knew I had to work on getting a more relaxed look, which for him is hard because he is so hot. It also helped that some good competitors didn’t show up this weekend — in fact I even called Jennifer [Baumert] and thanked her for not showing with Handsome!”

Taylor, who is married to Olympian Lars Petersen, is based in Florida year-round and plans to work on the grand prix movements with the 13-year-old over the summer.

“I’m sad the shows at Global are over, but Ansgar showed me some nice passage this past week, so I’d love to see if I can get the piaffe in him,” she said. “He’s already got the one-tempis so that’s not an issue, but getting him to wait for 15 piaffe steps; I’m not sure yet that I can keep that consistent. Hopefully we’ll qualify for the national championships in Lamplight in August of this year, while focusing on grand prix at home and, if I feel I have the grand prix stuff, then we’ll campaign him at that level next year.”

This concludes action in week 12 of the AGDF — the final week of the 2018 circuit. The circuit returns in January 2019. For more information and results, visit www.globaldressagefestival.com.

*Featured/Spotlights, Dressage

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

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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.

*Featured/Spotlights, Dressage, FEI

All-Female American Team Seals Victory in Historic Nations Cup Contest at AGDF

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Adrienne Lyle and Salvino. Photo © SusanJStickle.com.

Wellington, FL — March 29, 2018 — The all-female American team dominated the Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center FEI Nations Cup™ CDIO3* team competition in the 12th and final week of the 2018 Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, Florida.

In the first leg of the 2018 FEI Nations Cup series, the USA romped home with gold, while last year’s winners, Canada, clinched silver and Australia took a historic bronze — the first time the nation has ever won a dressage Nations Cup medal of any color. Spain finished fourth.

Unlike some other stages of this worldwide seven-leg Nations Cup series, teams at AGDF can be made up of big tour, small tour, or a mixture of big and small tour combinations. In order to level the playing field, 1.5% is added to each grand prix score, with the small tour results remaining unaltered. Teams consist of three or four riders, with the best three scores from day one and the best three from day two determining the final results.

Adrienne Lyle and Salvino posted personal best scores in both the grand prix and the special tests, culminating in 76.894% (78.394% after adjustment) in the special, a huge new best for the pair. A team from the USA has won six of the seven Nations Cup contests held at AGDF.

“This is an incredible event to be part of,” said Lyle, who was riding Elizabeth ‘Betsy’ Juliano’s superb 11-year-old Sandro Hit stallion, Salvino. “I’m so proud of my boy, putting two really solid, clean, powerful tests in for our team. He was a little tired today, but came out fighting — and that’s what you want.”

Her performances were supported by Olivia LaGoy-Weltz (Lonoir), impressive newcomer Sabine Schut-Kery (Sanceo), and Ashley Holzer (Havanna 145).

Schut-Kery logged two plus-72% performances on Alice Womble’s 12-year-old San Remo stallion Sanceo, despite only performing their first CDI grand prix test in January of this year.

“I could not be happier with my horse in our first season of grand prix,” said the German-born rider who is now based in California. “It was really good practice to ride in another climate and see what your horse gives you. I’m super happy and look forward to the future.”

LaGoy-Weltz added more power to both her performances with Lonoir, and as a result ended up with a couple of small mistakes.

“Nothing ventured, nothing gained,” she said. “There were still some bobbles, but when you go for more powerful, it can cause other things to happen. Then again, taking risks is how you make progress.”

Despite two solid performances on Diane Fellows’ inexperienced mare Havanna 145, Ashley Holzer was the drop score. An error of course meant a costly 2% deducted from her grand prix special score, and prompted a teasing text from Fellows to Holzer that read: “Which test did you prefer — yours of the FEI’s? Don’t worry; it’s about the big picture.”

Holzer added: “Nobody will beat me up about that mistake more than myself. My mare was a little green this week, but luckily my team-mates said, ‘Don’t worry, we’re all human’. They’re amazing girls and I’m very honored that everyone in the States has been so welcoming [since switching nationalities from Canadian].”

American Nations Cup team chef d’equipe, Robert Dover, added: “Since the inception of the AGDF, this show has been a dream come true. I’ve watched the state of both American dressage — and all the countries that are here — rise up because of this amazing venue and the shows put on here. It’s fantastic what it’s done for the sport.”

Of his team, he added: “I’m so proud of these amazing women who are not only rising to the occasion, but they are changing the game for American dressage as we go towards the [World Equestrian] Games. Of course, that wouldn’t be happening if it weren’t for incredible people like [trainer] Debbie McDonald and [owner] Betsy Juliano, to whom we owe so much — and so many more people.”

Spearheading the Canadian charge with a new best in the grand prix special test of 71.304% (72.649% after adjustment) was Brittany Fraser and her 13-year-old powerhouse by Tango, All In, who has blossomed during AGDF 2018.

“I had a personal best today,” she said. “We still had a mistake in the ones — but I’ll fix that tomorrow in the freestyle! I was proud of All In today; he was tired, but he tried.”

Fraser’s team-mate Megan Lane had double cause for celebration. Not only did she help Canada to team silver riding Caravella, but she also won the Grand Prix CDI3*, presented by Grand Prix Services (for special) on Zodiac MW. The Canadian team was rounded out by Jill Irving (Degas 12) and Diane Creech (Chrevis Christo).

The bronze-medal winners, Australia, were delighted with their historic result. Small tour rider Kelly Layne (Furst Amante) said: “Australia is a very, very long way from here and to put a team together is not so easy. This AGDF competition series is something we could never even imagine; it’s brought us here and, over the years, helped improve our performances. I’m so happy we could do it this year — and put ourselves in a bronze medal position. My horse is really green, but really fancy. He was with me the whole ride and the little mistakes were completely mine.”

Individual medals were awarded in the under-25 Grand Prix CDIO, presented by Diamante Farms, with Spain’s prodigious talent, Juan Manuel Guimon, taking the gold. He rode his father Juan F Matute’s 15-year-old Don Diego Ymas to 71.669%.

“His performance today was quite good, apart from a mistake in the twos,” said the self-confessed perfectionist. “Once again, his overall attitude was quite competitive and fresh. We were indoors today, which I think helped. He’s a dark horse so he doesn’t have so much stamina; I think being indoors really benefited him.”

The 20-year-old flies to Europe at the end of April for the Segovia CDI before heading to the Spanish national championships in a bid for a place on his nation’s team for the FEI World Equestrian Games in Tryon, North Carolina, in September. Failing that, his goal will be the under-25 FEI European Championships.

Molly Paris improved on her score from the inter II to scoop silver for the USA. She rode her own 16-year-old mare Countess to 68.508%, edging out Spain’s Rodrigo Encinas Fuentes on Van The Man (67.778%).

“I enjoyed that test more than in I-2,” said Paris. “Countess has strong passage and piaffe and I really like to showcase it. She’s not the easiest, but once you get her going, she’s brilliant.”

Encinas Fuentes said: “Van The Man has been the horse that’s taught me how to ride a grand prix and compete at a high level. He’s a very competitive horse; every time he goes in the ring he proves it and wants to give everything.”

The USA’s Sarah Daehnert rode just one CDI test this week, but she capitalized on it, winning the Prix St Georges CDI1* on her own and Robert Price’s nine-year-old Vivaldi x Jazz gelding, Evander 3. Their 70.784% marked a giant improvement from their one and only other showing, a month ago, where they scored 65.8%.

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

*Featured/Spotlights, Dressage

Spain Victorious in U25 CDIO at AGDF

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Juan Matute Guimon on Don Diego Ymas. Photo © SusanJStickle.com.

Team USA in Control at Halfway Mark of Nations Cup Contest

Wellington, FL — March 28, 2018 — Young riders came to the fore as the tussle for the under-25 Nations Cup team title unfolded in the Intermediate II CDIOU25, presented by Diamante Farms. The team result is decided solely on the results from the under-25 inter II class, and it was Spain’s young talent that shone brightest, with Juan Matute Guimon and Rodrigo Encinas Fuentes filling the top two spots individually to clinch the team gold. The USA’s team picked up silver, while Canada finished in bronze position.

The under-25 Nations Cup class was a highlight in a packed second day of the 12th and final week of the 2018 Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, Florida.

Matute Guimon finished at the top of the class with 72.294% aboard his father Juan F Matute’s Don Frederico gelding, Don Diego Ymas, who was stepping back from grand prix level, where he has mostly been competing this summer. Matute Guimon and the 15-year-old black gelding are seven on the FEI youth world dressage rankings.

“It’s always exciting to be part of a team,” said the 20-year-old, who was suffering from a touch of jet lag after having returned from a weekend at the FEI sports forum in Lausanne, Switzerland, just the previous day. “It was a great opportunity to try to improve on last year’s results in the Nations Cup as unfortunately we didn’t have a great week here last year, so I wanted to change that. Today our test was quite good; there were some things that can be improved, but overall it was pretty clean and with a good, competitive attitude, which I think was the highlight.”

His team mate Encinas Fuentes, who finished second individually with 68.294% on Cesar Parra’s 16-year-old former grand prix horse Van The Man, added: “I’ve just tried to keep up the progress we made two weeks ago [at the Florida International Youth Dressage Championships, where the pair topped the under-25 division] and get better and better. We aren’t making mistakes so often now and we’re more consolidated. It means a lot to me to be on this team, to be with my friend Juan — two young guys from Madrid making a team on the other side of the world. It’s one of the biggest things of my career and makes me feel proud of all the work that I do.”

The USA team’s Molly Paris logged the highest score for her nation, 66.706%, riding her own 16-year-old Danish warmblood, Countess.

“These girls are like family,” said Paris of her silver medal-winning team-mates Kerrigan Gluch and Natalie Pai. “We’ve known each other since juniors and we’ve been through everything together. My mare tries so very hard for me; she’s super talented and I really can’t ask for more. We just ran out of a little bit of steam at the end today; hopefully we can find a little more tomorrow [in the under-25 grand prix, which is an individual contest] and get a better score.”

The top scorer for the Canadian bronze medal team was Naima Moreira Laliberté — who has also risen up the ranks with her team-mate Laurence Blais Tetreault. Moreira Laliberté finished third individually on her own I Do Kiss, a 12-year-old stallion by French Kiss.

“We did teams together in juniors and young riders — and now we’re back!” said Moreira Laliberté. “We’re finally moving up to u-25 and it’s a difficult step, but we’re taking it. I was quite happy with my test today — it was a huge improvement since my first CDI. We’ve worked hard since January and I’m happy to see that all the work I’ve put in at home is showing in the test. I had a little mistake where he walked in the pirouette, which was costly, but hope I can improve that for tomorrow.”

In the big tour, Kasey Perry-Glass (USA) came back with a bang with her Rio Olympic bronze medalist ride Goerklintgaards Dublet after an eight-month absence from the competition arena. The pair looked fresh and full of energy en route to their 73.217% victory from last draw of 18 starters. This was their highest score in this test for a year.

“He’s had three years of really hard work; he did the Pan Am selection tour, straight into Rio, and last year being a really big year too,” said the 31-year-old. “I felt like it was time for him to have a break and just be turned out and have down time — we both needed the reset. He deserved it and I’m so glad I did it. It’s his third year at grand prix and he came back no problem. He works really well when you don’t drill him. I started bringing him back in December with the aqua-tread and trail riding and then very slowly brought him back to work.”

Her partnership with the Diamond Hit son (who loves bananas) has gone from strength to strength, and this was their 11th international win together, having logged top placings the world over.

“He was hot in there today and it caught me a little off guard,” added Perry-Glass, who trains with Debbie McDonald. “I haven’t had that feeling in a long time. He’s 15, but he felt like a young horse again, which made me really happy.”

The pair will now contest the freestyle class on Friday, as will fellow American Arlene ‘Tuny’ Page, who finished second on Woodstock (71.435%) and the third placed rider, the Dominican Republic’s Yvonne Losos De Muñiz, who scored 70.804% on Foco Loco W.

The senior Nations Cup team competition is at the half-way mark overnight, with the USA currently in the lead. Unlike some other legs of this worldwide seven-leg competition, the AGDF teams can be made up of big tour, small tour, or a mixture of big and small tour combinations. In order to level the playing field, 1.5% is added to each grand prix score, with the small tour results remaining unaltered. Teams consist of three or four riders, with the best three scores from day one and the best three from day two determining the final results.

Spearheading the American team’s charge with the contest’s highest score, Adrienne Lyle and Salvino topped the CDIO grand prix class with 76.478%. A fault-free performance from Elizabeth ‘Betsy’ Juliano’s beautiful Sandro Hit stallion Salvino — another coming from last draw — was met with wild cheers from the crowd. Lyle’s efforts were bolstered by her team-mates: Sabine Schut-Kery’s newcomer to the scene, Alice Womble’s Sanceo, produced a superb 73.109%, having only contested his first CDI grand prix two months ago. He is another stallion — this one by San Remo. He has scored over 72% in all five of his international starts this year. Just behind her, on 72.804%, Olivia LaGoy-Weltz produced the nation’s third counting score for the day riding Lonoir.

Team Canada — also fielding all big tour combinations — sit second overnight, with the star performance coming from Brittany Fraser and All In, who came tantalizingly close to 70%, with 69.804%. Jill Irving (Degas 12) and Megan Lane (Caravella) provided the day’s two other counting scores.

The third placed team overnight, Australia’s top scorer came in the form of Kelly Layne and her small tour partner Furst Amante. They scored 69.353% to finish second overall to Spain’s Pablo Gomez Molina — yet another rider to top a class from last to go. Riding the Yeguada de Ymas’s expressive 11-year-old chestnut gelding by Furst Piccolo, Gomez Molina scored 69.912%.

The fourth team in the mix, Spain, is fielding all small tour combinations. The Nations Cup competition concludes on Thursday after the intermediate I and grand prix special classes.

In the FEI Intermediate I CDI3*, it was Melissa Taylor (USA) and Nicole Polaski’s 13-year-old gelding Ansgar who replicated their prix st georges form from the previous day to take the blue ribbon. From last draw, they scored a personal best of 70.784%. She was joined on the podium by the same two riders as in the PSG, but reversed: Canadian Brittany Fraser was second on Soccer City, while Nora Batchelder (USA) and Fifi MLW dropped a place to third.

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

Competitions, Dressage

Little Horse ‘Hot as a Tamale’ Scorches to Victory on Opening Day of Week 12 at AGDF

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Melissa Taylor and Ansgar. Photo © SusanJStickle.com.

Wellington, FL — March 27, 2018 — It’s taken 16 attempts this season, but Melissa Taylor (USA) and Ansgar finally have a blue sash and a winner’s blanket to their name after winning the Prix St Georges CDI3*, presented by Yellow Bird Farm. It was the only class on the opening day of action during week 12 of the 2018 Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, Florida. This popular CDIO (which incorporates the Nations Cup team competition) had to be extended by a day — starting early, on Tuesday — to accommodate the huge number of accepted entries across the plethora of international classes.

Taylor, who is married to Danish Olympian Lars Petersen, piloted Nicole Polaski’s light-footed 13-year-old Dutch gelding by Special D to a 69.441% victory in a class of 19 starters. Her marks from the five judges included two plus-71% scores, from American judge Kristi Wysocki at C, and the M judge, Colombia’s Cesar Torrente.

“I’m pretty excited about this,” said Taylor, brimming with enthusiasm. “I’m thrilled with Ansgar, but most excited for the owner because she’s an adult amateur who has put a lot of money into the sport and it’s finally giving her some results. Also, she had a surgery on her hip recently, so she was here to watch on crutches. She’s elated — and she’s been through a lot.

The other great thing is that the horse is finally trusting me in the arena, which is a big deal for him. This is my second full season with him at small tour and last year was really a learning curve,” added Taylor. “When Nicole first gave me the ride, I wanted to sell him. She can’t ride him; he’s way too hot and way too sensitive for an adult amateur to handle, but then one day she asked if I wanted to try showing him. Last year he still had his own agenda and still tried to get away with certain things in the test — he had beautiful pirouettes at home but thought that he didn’t have to do them in the ring — and he was a little bit rude in there.

“It was a question of retraining, and Lars has always said that retraining a horse is more difficult than training your own horse up. I never really understood that until I tried to compete this one. It was quite the procedure.”

Taylor has been working on showing a more cadenced trot, closer to passage, in tests, so she wasn’t 100% convinced the judges would like it and at the final half didn’t let herself feel that she’d pulled off a winning performance despite the positive reaction from the audience.

“We’re still changing little things, so I wasn’t sure how it would go over,” she explained. “And he’s a little horse — with a lot of movement — but it’s not always movement through the back. So even when I feel like I have a great ride, sometimes the judges say — correctly — that he’s too tight in the back. So I wasn’t really sure if I’d nailed the test or not. But the two plus-71s made me realize I’d done okay.”

Taylor, who has taken advantage of the concentration of CDI shows at AGDF to bring on Ansgar in the competition arena, added: “I love Global. For the U.S., this is the best showcase you could have. It’s an intense ring with the catering, tents and noise, but I love coming here.”

So what does the future hold for this duo?

“I need to talk to Nicole, but I’d love to be able to take him to the national championships and we’re trying to work the grand prix stuff, but Ansgar is hot as a tamale, so I’m not sure if I can ever get him to stand still enough for 15 steps of piaffe,” concluded Taylor. “But we’ll see in the next couple of months and then make a plan.”

Fellow American rider Nora Batchelder finished as the runner-up in this PSG riding her own nine-year-old Fifi MLW (by Fidertanz) to 68.559%, while Canadian Brittany Fraser’s ribbon-collecting season continued unabated. She logged third on Jill Irving’s Sir Donnerhall gelding Soccer City, with 68.265%.

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

Competitions, Dressage

Top Entries Compete at 2018 AGDF 11 National Show

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David Marcus and Dean Martin. Photo © SusanJStickle.com.

Wellington, FL – March 26, 2018 – The 2018 Adequan® Global Dressage Festival continued with a national horse show on March 24-25 at Equestrian Village at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, and top entries competed for impressive scores.

Horses procured through Danish Olympian Andreas Helgstrand on opposite sides of the planet converged on the AGDF show grounds to showcase their burgeoning talent.

2012 London Olympic Games rider David Marcus of Canada won Saturday’s grand prix with 69.348% on his own 10-year-old Dimaggio gelding, Dean Martin. This was the horse’s third grand prix and he is undefeated to date.

“I purchased the horse this past summer at Helgstrand’s in Denmark, so it’s a fairly new partnership,” said the Wellington-based rider. “He’d only been there a few days — he’d been trained and competed by a rider from Luxembourg — and I felt he was a really complete horse in general, with a very good work ethic and three really good gaits. He knew the grand prix work, but he wasn’t really a confirmed grand prix horse yet.”

Marcus has spent the summer gelling with the chestnut gelding and consolidating the grand prix work, with help from his husband Nicholas Fyffe and local trainer Oded Shimoni.

“Dean is very green still and needs to build strength, but I was really happy with how hard he tried this weekend,” added Marcus. “Seeing as I’ve had him for such a short time, he was the best he could be for this stage of his training. This was only his second show, and he’s handled both competitions perfectly and feels the same at competitions as he does at home.”

Another Helgstrand horse — this one bought out of Helgstrand’s new sales barn in Wellington — breezed to victory in Saturday’s 17-strong prix st georges class. Australian rider Kelly Layne piloted John McGinty’s gigantic Blue Hors Romanov gelding Brizard to a clear 73.235% win.

“We had been searching for a horse for John for a long time,” said Layne. “He’s 6’4”, so it was hard to find a horse big enough but good enough to be competitive, and Brizard is 18 hands at a minimum, but so light and sensitive to the aids. I worried that the eight-meter circles might be a problem for him, but he’s so supple everywhere that they were easy for him.”

Layne is accustomed to big horses, having competed the tall Udon P.

“Brizard is very experienced in the small tour in Europe, but I took him out for his debut here in Wellington so I can help John better by understanding what the horse is like in competition,” said Layne, whose barn is so close to AGDF that she hacked to and from the venue. “He was wonderful; [he was] on the aids and powerful but waiting for me the whole time. He absolutely did the job exactly as you’d want, and we were thrilled with him. In fact, if anything, he was more sensitive in there than in training, which means I can be very light with my riding.”

Since the sale of Udon P and her other grand prix horse, Layne is relishing the opportunity of having a quality small tour horse, though she will shortly hand over the competitive reins to McGinty.

It was an emotional win for Krystal Shingler (CAN) in Sunday’s grand prix, as this was her first show since the death of her mother less than a month earlier.

Her horse, the 10-year-old Fidelio by Fidertanz, is the first she has trained up to grand prix herself and this was their fourth ever grand prix. They won with 70.543% — the only plus-70% of the class.

“I got him in Germany as a coming five-year-old and he was a bit of a wild child,” recalled Shingler, who is originally from Toronto but is now a Wellington resident. “My trainer Kevin [Kohmann, of Diamante Farms] and I brought him up to the grand prix — though there were times that we nearly got rid of him because he was very difficult and liked to bolt. We soon realized that he’s a worker bee and needs to be busy. He said, ‘No thank you’ to most of the lower level stuff but, as it’s got harder, he feels more and more like it’s where he should be.”

Shingler, who works for the equestrian boutique Show Chic and fits riding and competing around her job, added: “My whole weekend was emotional and I got in my own head a bit because it was my first show without my mum. But I could feel that she was with me on my shoulder the whole time; it felt incredible. I’m just so glad that she got to see our first grand prix in February before she passed away.”

Fidelio — just like David Marcus’s Dean Martin — will now continue his training over the summer with the aim being in the CDI ring at AGDF next winter season.

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

Championships, Competitions, Dressage

Youth Comes to the Fore and Baumert and Handsome Complete a Clean Sweep at AGDF

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Natalia Bacariza riding Dhannie Ymas. Photo Credit: ©SusanJStickle.

Wellington, FL — March 18, 2018 — The sixth annual Florida International Youth Dressage Championships (FIYDC) were the highlight of competition on the final day of week 10, Sunday, March 18, of the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, Florida.

The 2018 Florida International Youth Dressage Championships — presented by Terri Kane, Hampton Green Farm, Sarah Davis, USEF Owners’ Dressage Task Force and Dressage 4Kids — took place alongside senior competition in week 10 at the AGDF. It featured competition for riders in the Under-25, Young Rider, Junior, Children and Pony divisions, offering them a chance to compete on the big stage and showcase their talent at one of the world’s largest and most high-profile dressage competitions.

There were five youth division winners, with 16-year-old Natalia Bacariza from Spain winning the overall trophy for the highest average score. She beat six other Junior riders, winning all three classes with over 71% on the Yeguada De Ymas’s 11-year-old Don Crusador gelding, Dhannie Ymas — former ride of her trainer Juan Matute Guimon and his kür gold medal-winning 2015 Junior European Championships partner.

“I am super happy about winning; I’ve wanted this for a very long time and I’m really happy that we finally did it,” said Bacariza, who is from Madrid and is the daughter of Cristina Danguillecourt and Javier Bacariza, owners of the Yeguada de Ymas. “I’ve been riding Dhannie for three months. He was ridden by Juan before, so he already knows his job, but you still have to ride him and not make any mistakes. Our best test was the individual [71.716%] and I’m very excited about our journey together.

“Our highlights were probably the changes and the trot work. We’re finished with the Wellington season now and then we’re going to be competing in Europe — first in Spain then Germany and maybe France,” added the teenager, who has big career aspirations. “I hope to improve my riding and continue my career in dressage and hopefully become another big champion.”

It was another win for Spain in the Under-25 division, with Rodrigo Encinas Fuentes and Van The Man leading the field of 10 entrants. The horse is owned by Cesar Parra, who rode the now 16-year-old gelding by Obelisk at grand prix at AGDF in 2013, 2014 and 2015 before handing the reins over to his young pupil.

Fuentes won only one of the three young rider tests, with Natalie Pai (USA) winning the other two on Unlimited, but his average score of 68.094% edged out Pai’s 67.746%.

“I was very happy with the horse; I felt he was truly with me and gave 100%,” said the 22-year-old Madrid native, who was competing at AGDF for the first time. “There are of course still some things I could improve, as always, but I’m truly happy with his attitude and he’s getting better test after test.

“This result means a lot. Just to compete at this level is great, but to win is better! I work really hard to get the opportunities to accomplish my goals, I’m really far from home and I sacrificed a lot,” added Fuentes, who left home at 18 looking for further riding opportunities in Europe before meeting Juan Matute, who invited him to the USA. “He really helped me, and the family opened the doors of their house for me. I learned a lot and its thanks to them, and also to Dr. Cesar Parra, who has treated me like his own son. He’s taught me not just about horses, but also how to be a better man.”

It was Canada’s Beatrice Boucher who came out on top of the 17 competitors in the Young Rider division. Riding Gilles Bergeron’s 15-year-old Del Piero gelding Delfiano, she averaged 69.415% across the three tests.

“The horse belongs to Camille Bergeron’s father and I wasn’t expecting to compete him at all, but I am so happy we can now do the young rider championships,” said the 20-year-old from Quebec, who picked up the ride when Camille no longer had enough time for Delfiano as well as her other horses. “I’ve only been riding him for a year but he’s such a puppy dog and always in your pocket — he’s so nice to be around. He’s never negative, he’s always your team mate and he’s so consistent. He’s a real pleasure and he gives his best all the time.”

The youngest division winner came in the form of 13-year-old Tori Belles from Pennsylvania riding PJ Rizvi’s pony Prince Z to an average score of 67.498%.

“I’ve been riding him for a month,” she said. “He’s been to the European Championships [he was a Dutch team medal winner under Febe van Zwambagt in 2011] and it’s a privilege from PJ Rizvi to show and compete him. He gives you the best feeling ever and supports you — even if you have a little mistake he tries to support you and help you out. I’m hoping to carry on showing him and also go to Lamplight festival of champions.”

The final winner was another to hail from Canada. Lily-Rose Lemaire, 14, rode the former broodmare World Lady, 18, to the Children’s title.

“My ride was very good this weekend and I’m so happy. My horse was with me and I think it’s my best ride with her,” said Lemaire, who only took up riding three years ago and began the partnership with World Lady six months ago. “This was my first CDI in Wellington as I had only done national shows before. This is my first season in Wellington and it is a beautiful place.”

Sponsor Terri Kane of Diamante Farms, who sponsors the under-25 division throughout AGDF and supports FIYDC, said: “This is the future of dressage and if these kids aren’t out there competing, then our sport will die. It’s very important for people in the dressage community to show that we support them and that we care.”

Of the entries from six different nations, she added: “It’s exciting. Just like for our national and international athletes, it’s very important for these athletes to compete against other countries to make themselves better. We had a huge junior group this year, so hopefully they continue riding and go into the u-25 and hopefully a lot of these riders will go on to become professionals and continue to compete after they age out of the u-25.”

Jennifer Baumert made it three wins from three starts on Handsome in week 10. PBIEC is a lucky venue for the American duo, who have won a staggering eight classes this season.

Baumert posted 75.2% on Elizabeth ‘Betsy’ Juliano’s 13-year-old Hochadel gelding, with fellow American Jodie Kelly-Baxley on Caymus, by Sir Sinclair, slotting in to second (74.175%) and Canada’s Brittany Fraser filling third with Jill Irving’s Sir Donnerhall gelding, Soccer City (72.875%).

“He’s awesome,” grinned Baumert. “I was pumped in there because Debbie [McDonald] psyched me up to get him really in front of me and taking every opportunity I could between movements to push him up in front and come into every movement with a lot of power. And we did that!

“She was amping me up because I’m one of those people that wants everything to be really pretty and harmonious and nice, and she pushes me to shake it up and come out of my comfort zone. This is a great way to close, as it’s our last show at Global. We’re hoping to go to Tryon [for the test event CDI in April] and the national championships at small tour.”

Baumert, who was competing Handsome at the AGDF for the second successive year, usually returns to her Ohio base in April, but is staying on in Wellington this year.

“We’re going to stay until the team goes off to Europe to take advantage of Debbie’s help until then, so I’m looking forward to that,” she said. “That’ll probably be until June, when it’s really hot here in Florida, but Havensafe Farm has lots of trees and a covered ring and it always feels about 10 degrees cooler there, so I’m hoping that’ll work out for us.”

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

*Featured/Spotlights, Dressage

Shelly Francis Is Back on Top with Personal Best Performance in Week 10 at AGDF

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Shelly Francis and Danilo. Photo Credit: ©SusanJStickle.

Wellington, FL — March 17, 2018 — Shelly Francis (USA) and Danilo went one better than in the grand prix to clinch the Grand Prix Special CDI4*, presented by Mission Control. She and Danilo scored 73.979%, a new personal best in this test for the pair, who are ranked 42nd in the world. Week 10 of the 2018 Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, Florida, is the largest dressage show ever held outside Western Europe. AGDF continues through March 31.

“When you’re really riding and pushing a bit and trying to make everything perfect, you kind of feel it’s not your best ride because you’re sweating more than the horse,” said Francis, who is based in Loxahatchee, Florida, and was contending with a pair of stiff new riding boots. “But he did feel good; I just have to relax a little and trust him. We had a little mistake at C when he thought halt and rein-back, like in the grand prix, when I was trying to make passage. Other than that, he felt straight up.”

Francis has been riding Patricia Stempel’s 14-year-old gelding since he was eight.

“Patricia was riding him and doing a nice job, but then she suggested I show him a bit, which was her mistake, because now he’s mine!” laughed Francis. “He kept getting better and better, though I did have to take it a little slow. He has a funny little edge in there that can come alive at the snap of a finger, so I’ve been trying to figure out how I can use a bit of that edge without getting too much. It’s really starting to come together this year. He used to get nervous in the ring about being by himself, but now he’s starting to enjoy it and he feels happier.”

Francis partially attributes Danilo’s improved performances to his well-rounded regime, which includes a broad variety of work, such as hacking and playing games.

“I get them fit enough and then I don’t work them all the time, because I feel they get mentally bored,” added Francis, who does not have a regular trainer. “I train with myself mostly, which works pretty good so far. Once in a while I have to kick myself around, but I’m a visual learner and I watch all the top riders. I’m a bit of an odd biscuit that way, but I did a lot of training in past years with great people like Johann Hinnemann, and now I have my own methods of training. I’m 59 — not 20 anymore — so I train my horses from all the things I’ve learned.”

On April 1, Francis will make the journey over to Europe with her two top horses, Danilo and Doktor. She will be based in Warendorf, Germany for the summer — her sixth consecutive summer in Europe.

“I have good friends there, I love that little town and area, and I get my own nice little apartment so I can do all my own cooking and not gain weight, like when living in hotels,” she added. “This year, Danilo gets to do the World Cup Final in Paris, which I’m really excited about. I’ve never been to Paris, so I’ll get perfume, croissants, brie, pate and some really good wine.”

Winner of the grand prix, Canada’s Brittany Fraser (All In) had to settle for second in the Special, while her fellow Canadian Jill Irving filled third on Degas 12, who is by De Niro, the same sire as Danilo.

Megan Lane (CAN) finished fifth in the four-star special on San D’Or, but sat atop the leaderboard in the Grand Prix Special CDI3* riding her own 17-year-old Caravella to 71.617%.

It was the first win in a year for the KWPN Contango x Riverman mare, who was bred by Jill Irving. Caravella and Lane have progressed up the ranks together, starting out at under-25 grand prix in 2012, and encompassing the 2015 Pan American Games and the Rio Olympics in their extensive career accolades.

Belinda Trussell (CAN) was second on Tattoo 15, her own 15-year-old Westfalian gelding by Tuareg, with 70.34%. Third was home rider Anna Marek on Diane Morrison’s Dee Clair who, at 10 years old, was the equal youngest horse in the class. Their 69.34% was the Sir Sinclair mare’s best score since starting international grand prix in early 2017.

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