Dressage-News

By KENNETH J. BRADDICK

WELLINGTON, Florida, Mar. 20, 2021–Sabine Schut-Kery and Sanceo won the Global Dressage Festival CDI3* Grand Prix Special Saturday for the fourth straight victory and a score that moves the partnership to second place on the U.S. Olympic rankings.

The score of 75.660% for Sabine of Thousand Oaks, California and the 15-year-old Hanoverian stallion gave the pair an average of 76.564 of two Grand Prix Special results, according to an unofficial calculation by dressage-news.com. The Special results are required to make a short-listed squad that is planning a European tour to decide the Tokyo Olympic team of three riders and horses plus a reserve. Steffen Peters on Suppenkasper leads the rankings just 0.181 ahead on 76.745.

Nick Wagman of San Diego, California on Don John placed second on 73.340% and stands third on the rankings with an average of 75.329.

Anna Buffini, also of San Diego, and FRH Davinia la Douce placed third in the Grand Prix Special with 69.936%.

However, Adrienne Lyle of Wellington on Salvino, the highest ranked American combination on the world standings, has not competed so far this year but is expected to do so in the next few weeks.

Olivia LaGoy-Weltz of Haymarket, Virginia and Lonoir also have no Grand Prix Special results as they successfully focused on qualifying for the World Cup Final centered on the Freestyle. Olivia was invited to the championship as the top placing combination but the Final was canceled because of the Equine Herpes virus.

There are four CDIs remaining at this stage of qualifying–at the circuit-ending Global in Wellington; an inaugural CDI3* at the newly opened World Equestrian Center in Ocala; a CDI3* at the Tryon International Equestrian Center and a CDI3* at Sacramento, California.

U.S. selection centers on the Grand Prix Special as the Grand Prix in Tokyo will decide the eight nations to move to the Special to decide team medals. The U.S. won bronze at the 2016 Olympics and silver at the 2018 World Equestrian Games in Tryon.

Sabine was happy with Sanceo’s performance that she described as “amazing.”

“Of course, it’s amazing, I don’t even know what to say,” she said after the competition. “My heart always goes to Sanceo for pulling it off. I felt that there were some things that I could’ve done better today as I was riding, but then I also tried to just stay focused and make sure that I didn’t start making other mistakes.

It really felt so amazing, he’s always with me, and always pulls it off. Obviously he can have a strong day with a high score, and a lower day, and so can I.”

She plans to take Sanceo home to California “for a little break” before preparing for the next stage, not yet decided with much of Europe closed down until April 11 because of the Equine Herpes Virus outbreak on top of the coronavirus pandemic.

“It’s been amazing to be able to be here and compete,” Sabine said, “especially with so many places still shut down. I’m so grateful to be able to keep going, especially for me having a horse that is peaking in his age and in his training to be able to come out here and compete, that’s wonderful. To be here surrounded by our coaches with so much access to the wonderful vets, farriers, the entire high performance environment.”

Results:

CDI3* Grand Prix Special