2012 Olympic Partnership of Ashley Holzer & Breaking Dawn Win CDI3* Grand Prix Freestyle in Last Global Event of 2016
9 years ago StraightArrow Comments Off on 2012 Olympic Partnership of Ashley Holzer & Breaking Dawn Win CDI3* Grand Prix Freestyle in Last Global Event of 2016
WELLINGTON, Florida, April 2, 2016–The 2012 Canadian Olympic team partnership of Ashley Holzer and Breaking Dawn won the CDI3* Grand Prix Freestyle Saturday as the finale of the 2016 Adequan Global Dressage Festival of seven international events over the winter.
Ashley, who became an American citizen this year, rode the 15-year-old KWPN gelding to a score of 75.600 per cent in the first CDI for the pair in more than 2 1/2 years. The duo also won the Grand Prix.
The horse is owned and has been competed by P.J. Rizvi, an American and lifelong friend of Ashley.
Shelly Francis, among the top eight with two horses on the American Olympic rankings that could go to Europe to compete for a spot on the U.S. team for Rio de Janeiro, was second on Danilo on 74.825 per cent.
Katherine Bateson-Chandler on Alcazar, another American combination that has become more consistent this winter, placed third on 72.050 per cent.
Ashley Holzer, who lives in New York and Wellington, and is both highly respected and universally popular, competed Breaking Down previously in September, 2013, a year after the London Games.
“It’s a priviIlege to ride such a great horse,” she said. “He’s really fun. I’m very lucky.”
Ashley rode the horse while P.J. was on a ski vacation with her family and to get a refresher on how the performs in the competition arena.
The music, “American Pie,” was created for P.J. but had tongues wagging about Ashley’s plans as many in the dressage community would like her to ride for the United States.
She told dressage-news.com early in the season that she had nominated her Dressed in Black that has been out for a year in foal and Arthur that she competed this week for the Canadian team for Rio. She has not yet competed Dressed in Black, an 11-year-old Westfalen stallion, in the past year.
Katherine Bateson-Chandler said that for her the Global circuit this year was the best yet because of the camaraderie that she described as “the biggest thing.”
“It’s pretty special, having these amazing relationships,” she said.
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