Dressage-News

By KENNETH J. BRADDICK

WELLINGTON, Florida, Mar. 28, 2015–Laura Graves and Verdades won the Adequate Global Dressage Festival Nations Cup Grand Prix Freestyle Saturday with the pair’s first score above 80 per cent in the United States and their best result since becoming international stars at the World Games last year.

In only their third Freestyle this year and the last competition before heading to the World Cup Final in Las Vegas, Laura and the 13-year-old KWPN gelding scored 80.175 per cent and earned the pair a second gold medal having won the team competition as a member of USA 1.

The only Nations Cup outside Europe was staged for the fourth straight year at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center and has been sponsored from the inaugural event by Stillpoint Farm of Wellington.

Canada took the silver and bronze medals, Chris Von Martels on Zilverstar with a score of 75.600 in the Intermediate 1 placing second and Belinda Trussell on Anton at Grand Prix in third on 75.475 per cent. No “bonus” points were awarded at Grand Prix level in the individual competition as occurred in the team event.

The score for the partnership from Geneva, Florida was second in the U.S. only to Steffen Peters and Legolas iwho posted 80.925 per cent in California last week to also win a start in Las Vegas. Laura and Verdades, who began their Grand Prix career only 13 months ago, scored 82.036 per cent at the Normandy Games last August.

Laura has owned Verdades since her parents bought the horse as a foal based on a video from Holland. She operates a small training and boarding facility in central Florida.

A sponsor to provide financial support for Laura’s campaign for the United States for the Pan American Games and the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 will be announced within the next few days.

Along with prize money of more than $15,000 that she has earned, the support will enable her to train virtually full-time with Debbie McDonald, who has been her coach for the past year.

Laura said she has no regrets about not competing Verdades before the final two World Cup qualifiers and the Nations Cup in Wellington this month, the first shows for the pair since Normandy last August.

The schedule she set out means that the horse she calls “Diddy” is “fresh” and ready for Las Vegas where she is aiming for a strong performance in the world championship event.

Chris Von Martels said that Zilverstar “has been so consistent” with improving results and victories in all three Freestyles the pair have competed in this season.

He will return to Canada for international competitions ahead of the Pan Ams that are being held in a Toronto suburb in July.

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