Pan American Games Gold Medalists Sarah Lockman & First Apple Win Wellington CDI3* Grand Prix Special, First Big Tour Victory

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Sarah Lockman riding First Apple in Global Dressage Festival CDI3* Grand Prix Special for first Big Tour victory. © 2020 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

By KENNETH J. BRADDICK

WELLINGTON, Florida, Feb. 29, 2020–Sarah Lockman rode First Apple to victory in the Adequan Global Dressage Festival CDI3* Grand Prix Special Saturday, the first Big Tour win for the Pan American Games gold medal partnership.

Sarah and the 10-year-old KWPN gelding–though his birthday is not until April–were awarded 71.128% for the win in only their second international Grand Prix start. The pair placed second in the Grand Prix Thursday.

Canada’s Diane Creech and Chrevis Christo, who won the Grand Prix Thursday, were second in the Special on 70.468%.

Masanao Takahashi of Japan on Eaton Unitechno placed third on 69.298%.

“That was really amazing to ride,” said Sarah of Murietta, California, who began competing First Apple at CDI 11 months ago and went on to place first in all eight Small Tour starts in 2019 including the Pan Ams in Lima last July.

That was only the second ever Grand Prix Special in Sarah’s career and the second for the horse–the first being national classes earlier this year. She has been working with former U.S. Young Horse coach Scott Hassler for the pas several years.

“We’re still trying to figure things out but he gave me 100% and he’s a really special horse,” the 31-year-old rider said. “There’s a lot more in there and we’re just scratching the surface right now. Every week there’s another notch and there’s more.

“I think he is for sure an over 80% horse, it’s just a matter of time. He’s very young but the horse has zero weaknesses so it’s just time and training and giving him confidence. We have a lot of polish left to do. He’s a very honest horse and he always gives 100%.”

She has put in her application for the Tokyo Olympic squad that could see up to eight combinations go to Europe to compete.  

Results:

CDI3* Grand Prix Special

                  Gabriel Armando Irina Maknami Henning Lehrmann Michael Osinski Ulrike Nivelle    
Place   Score %   Nation Athlete Horse     E H C M B    
1.   71.128   USA Sarah Lockman First Apple     72.128 72.766 71.064 68.830 70.851    
2.   70.468   CAN Diane Creech Chrevis Christo     72.021 70.638 68.298 70.213 71.170    
3.   69.298   JPN Masanao Takahashi Eaton Unitechno     68.298 67.766 70.213 71.064 69.149    
4.   68.745   DEN Signe Kirk Kristiansen Her Highness O     68.511 69.043 69.681 67.447 69.043    
5.   67.468   USA Nora Batchelder W Gangster Girl     70.426 66.915 67.340 65.213 67.447    
6.   67.106   CAN Denielle Gallagher-Legriffon Wilson Pickett     66.064 67.340 67.234 66.809 68.085    
7.   66.936   CAN Tina Irwin Fancy That     63.511 68.511 67.766 69.894 65.000    
8.   64.362   USA Patricia Becker Freedom     63.936 64.468 63.298 63.936 66.170    
9.   61.234   USA Andreanna Patzwald Hudson 18     61.915 62.872 57.979 63.191 60.213    
10.   61.085   BRA André Ganc Ultimo De Massa     60.447 62.787 64.915 59.277 58.000    
EL.       CAN Melanie Thomson Donnegan