Dressage-News

WELLINGTON, Florida, Jan. 12, 2020–Spain’s Pablo Molina Gomez rode Ulises de Ymas to victory Sunday in the inaugural Lövsta Future Challenge for developing Grand Prix horses, a winter-long series launched at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival.

Pablo and the 10-year-old P.R.E. stallion scored 68.383% in the Intermediate II before two judges in the national level competition to earn a start in the $25,000 season-ending finale. in Global’s centerpiece International Arena.

Pablo, 25 years old, has competed Ulises (Seni Indio x Superior II) bred and owned by Yeguada de Ymas since the age of four then at international competitions as a seven-year-old in Florida and at Small Tour on both sides of the Atlantic in 2018.

“It was only our second inter II,” Pablo said. “We tried our first one on Thursday to see if we could do the qualifier today and Ulises was really good. It was a good plan to go early in the season to secure the place in the final.

“Ulises really tries all the time and stays with you. It’s great to have the opportunity to do the Future Cup to develop a young horse like him. He’s probably not quite ready for grand prix, but a class like this helps get you to the grand prix little by little.

“He’s a really sweet horse; you can put anyone on him. But when you ask him to work, he’s right there with you and always tries to do everything. Even if he doesn’t understand, he tries to make you happy. It’s so great to have a horse like that to compete.”

Lövsta Stuteri owned by Antonia Ax:son Johnson has been a major supporter and operator of youth dressage and jumping circuits in Sweden aimed at developing equestrian sports. Antonio, who also has extensive business interests in the United States, where she was born, has been a significant sponsor at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center as well as at the Central Park Horse Show.

In the Future Challenge Prix St. Georges, sponsored by Summit Farm in the second year of the series, Croatia’s Karen Pavicic and Danish rider Rikke Poulsen tied for first place, both scoring 69.927%. Both thus qualify for the final to be held along with the developing Grand Prix finale at the season end in March.

Karen, who previously competed for Canada, rode her eight-year-old Totilas x Donnerhall gelding Totem, while Rikke was on her nine-year-old Furstentanz, by Fürstenball.

“I was really pleased that I showed him Thursday and Friday in the national Prix St. Georges because he can hold his breath in a test,” Rikke said. “I finally felt him more with me and relaxed so I could enjoy riding the test. Furstentanz has been a really late bloomer, but finally I feel it all coming together.

“Now that he’s pre-qualified in the big ring, if he can mentally can take it, then maybe I’ll do a small tour CDI. He is a fresh horse and can be naughty, which is why I want to make sure I don’t push him too hard too fast.”

Results:

Lövsta Future Challenge Int. II

Summit Farm Future Challenge Prix St. Georges