Kate Shoemaker Caps Bittersweet Week with Plus-80% Freestyle Victory at AGDF

Kate Shoemaker & Vianne. Photo ©susanjstickle.com

Week three of the 2025 Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) in Wellington, Florida was a time of extreme highs and lows for para-athlete Kate Shoemaker. She put in three outstanding performances inside the white boards on her nine-year-old Vitalis mare, Vianne — culminating in a plus-80% freestyle victory in the CPEDI3* FEI Para Grand Prix Freestyle Grade IV on Sunday, January 26, to stand show champion. But, on the home front, Shoemaker lost her other horse, the 11-year-old Quiana, after a freak accident in which the mare shattered her hip.

“I had the goal of hitting 80% with this freestyle and we did it,” said an emotional Shoemaker, who rode to music originally made for Quiana. “I think they were the best canter extensions I’ve ever ridden on Vianne because they were Quiana’s highlight in that test, and I rode it the same way. It was special out there today, both for the partnership I have with Vianne and the honor I paid to Quiana at the same time. With Vianne I’m having a great week, but it’s also been a very rough week and emotionally tough to process.”

The 37-year-old Shoemaker suffers from motor control dysfunction, muscle weakness, and spasms on the right side of her body, but she and Vianne have been stepping on the training gas and Shoemaker hopes to make her able-bodied grand prix debut later this year. 

“We’re going to try to secure the grand prix movements this year and give that a go,” she said. “I’ve had that as a goal for more than 10 years and this year we’re going to make it a priority. It’s green, but all the grand prix pieces are there. The whole point of dressage is the harmony and grace, and with good training the horse will do anything for you.”

Last month Shoemaker secured ownership of Vianne, even though the arrangement with NorCordia USA had initially been intended to be temporary.

“I’m incredibly honored to have the opportunity with Vianne and I love her to pieces,” concluded Shoemaker. “She was always good to me, but this fall it felt like we became one, which is an incredible feeling. The fact that she gets to stay with me for the rest of her life makes me feel so good.”

by Alice Collins

Wellington International
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