Kiichi Harada & Egistar Post First CDI Grand Prix Victory Outside Japan for First Japanese National Anthem at Florida’s Global Dressage Festival
5 years ago StraightArrow Comments Off on Kiichi Harada & Egistar Post First CDI Grand Prix Victory Outside Japan for First Japanese National Anthem at Florida’s Global Dressage Festival
WELLINGTON, Florida, Feb 20, 2020–Kiichi Harada and his 2016 Olympic horse Egistar won their first international Grand Prix outside Japan Thursday that led to the playing of the Japanese national anthem for the first time at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival.
Kiichi and the 17-year-old KWPN gelding which are in Wellington along with other Japanese combinations seeking a place on the country’s team for their home Olympics scored 68.239% for the win. The United States’ Ashley Holzer on Radondo placed second on 68.239% in the Grand Prix to qualify for the Freestyle.
The only previous Big Tour victories for Kiichi and Egistar were in the Grand Prix and the Grand Prix Special at Miki in Japan in 2015.
The pair competed in Europe in 2016 and rode on Japan’s team at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Since then, the duo have remained in Europe but came to Wellington for the first time in 2018 and was on Japan’s team at the World Equestrian Games in Tryon.
The competitions at Global this year are the first for the pair since the 2018 championships.
