Heather Blitz & Semper Fidelis Post Personal Best Score to Win Wellington CDI3* Grand Prix, First Victory for USA Pair

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Heather Blitz on Semper Fidelis celebrating victory in the Adequan Global Dressage Festival CDI3* Grand Prix. © 2019 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

WELLINGTON, Florida, Mar. 27, 2019–Heather Blitz and Semper Fidelis produced a personal best score to win the season ending Adequan Global Dressage Festival CDI3* Grand Prix Wednesday, the first victory for the American pair since making their debut this winter.

Heather and the 13-year-old Oldenburg mare scored 70.609 per cent for the win in the seventh start on this circuit that launched the Big Tour partnership of the Pan American Games team gold medal rider and Semper Fi (Sir Donnerhall x Welt Hit II). The previous high Grand Prix score for the pair was 68.043 per cent.

Ashley Holzer. of Wellington, riding Havanna in the first competition in eight months placed second on 69.413 per cent in the wrapup show of the 12-week Global lineup that on this first of five days was affected by gusting winds.

Stacy Parvey-Larsson of Ocala, Florida on Benidetto was third 67.631 per cent.

Heather Blitz of Wellington noted that many horses reacted to the windy conditions.

“I think that’s a wonderful attribute that she has that that doesn’t affect her,” she said of the horse owned by Rowan O’Riley. “She was a little bit lonely out there and whinnied once; I didn’t mind that.”

She described Semper Fi’s work ethic, scope, elasticity and freedom of gaits as “amazing.”

Results:

CDI3* Grand Prix for Freestyle
Judges: Yuri Romanov Stephen Clarke Gabriel Martin Armando Marietta Almasy Annette Fransen Iacobaeus
Pl. Score Nat. Athlete Horse E H C M B Spectators
1. 70.609 USA Heather Blitz Semper Fidelis 70.978 69.130 69.348 71.196 72.391 71.887 (1)
2. 69.413 USA Ashley Holzer Havanna 145 70.326 68.913 70.109 69.348 68.370 70.234 (2)
3. 67.631 USA Stacy Parvey-Larsson Benidetto 67.500 67.609 65.652 67.609 69.783 68.125 (3)
4. 64.696 USA Anna Marek Dee Clair 65.870 64.565 64.674 63.804 64.565 65.872 (4)
5. 62.457 USA Heather Boo Divertimento 61.957 62.174 61.413 64.130 62.609 62.887 (6)
6. 61.804 USA Jacqueline MacDonald Cuddy Malcarat 60.870 60.870 62.826 61.630 62.826 63.243 (5)
7. 61.500 USA Nicole Harrington Wizard Of Oz 61.413 61.957 59.130 64.239 60.761 62.887 (6)
8. 60.478 SUI Franziska Seidl Romano K 59.783 61.739 59.457 60.652 60.761 61.250 (8)
9. 57.674 USA Bent Jensen Chance 57.065 57.826 58.152 56.739 58.587 59.861 (9)