Alice Tarjan Rides Candescent to Personal Best Score to Win Wellington CDI3* Grand Prix Special, First Big Tour Win for Amateur Rider

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Alice Tarjan riding Candescent to a personal best score to win the Global Dressage Festival CDI3* Grand Prix Special. © 2021 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

WELLINGTON, Florida, April 2, 2021–Alice Tarjan rode Candescent to a personal best score to win the Global Dressage Festival CDI3* Grand Prix Special Saturday, the first Big Tour victory for the adult amateur rider.

Alice of Oldwick, New Jersey and the 11-year-old Hanoverian mare scored 72.702% for the win. The pair was the United States developing Grand Prix champion in 2020 after a highly successful Medium Tour.

Jennifer Williams of Roy, Washington on Sueño Hit placed second on 71.170% with Jessica Howington of Wellington on Cavalia third on 71.149%.

Alice, who has had Candescent since the horse was four years old, described her as both a “freak of nature” and a “bit of a monster.”

“She’s super cool and a lot of fun,” she said, “but she is funny because she’s hot and cold all at once, so it’s been a bit of a challenge to get her trained to this level, and then to get it to be a bit more harmonious.

“We’ve been doing a lot of national shows this season trying to get her more experience in the ring and trying to get her to settle a bit. She’s been very electric and hot in here, and a lot of horse to deal with, but she’s very honest. It’s been a struggle to get her to relax and have her show everyone what she can do in the competition arena.

“The warmup was a disaster, I was actually considering scratching because she was a bit wild and in a mood, so I was nervous it would be a disaster. I was really happy that the test was clean, and I was not expecting this win at all, so I’m very happy with her and the result.

“Physically I think the horse is just a freak of nature, but it comes with it’s issues. In some ways she’s incredibly gifted, but in some ways it’s a lot to hold together and working for you.”

Dominican Republic’s Yvonne Losos de Muñiz and Aquamarijn posted a personal best score to win the CDI4* Grand Prix for the Freestyle. © 2021 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

In the CDI4* Grand Prix for the Freestyle, Yvonne Losos de Muñiz of the Dominican Republic and Aquamarijn won with a personal best score of 74.196%.

Australia’s Kelly Layne on Samhitas was second on 71.326% with Christoph Koschel of Germany on Eaton Unitechno third on 65.913%.

“I’m through the roof,” Yvonne declared after her ride. “I think it’s one of the first times in my riding career with her that I’ve actually gone in and have had the control, the relaxation, the activity, all of those words that we use and search for in dressage, I actually went in there and went ‘WOW, I’ve got it, now what do I do with it!?’”

Aquamarijn, Yvonne said, has gone from backup to her No. 1 horse.

“She’s very opinionated,” she said, “but I am, too. In the beginning we did clash, but I got over that quickly. It’s the coolest thing when you’ve got such a powerhouse with such an opinion, who is on your side going ‘let’s do more!’ She’s there, knowing her job and wants to do it right, and that’s a great feeling.”

Yvonne said she plans to go to Europe next month to trained leading up top the Olympics in Tokyo in July.

Charlotte Jorst of Reno, Nevada on Kastel’s Nintendo, 18-year-old KWPN stallion, won the CDI3* Grand Prix for the Freestyle with a personal best score of 73.456%

Results:

CDI4* Grand Prix for Freestyle

Judges: Michael Osinski Jane Weatherwax Stephen Clarke Cesar Torrente Magnus Ringmark
Place Score Nation Athlete Horse E H C M B
1. 74.196 DOM Yvonne Losos De Muñiz Aquamarijn 74.348 74.13 75.652 73.37 73.478
2. 71.326 AUS Kelly Layne Samhitas 71.304 73.478 70.761 69.783 71.304
3. 65.913 GER Christoph Koschel Eaton Unitechno 68.587 66.522 64.022 64.783 65.652
4. 62.717 ISR Sahar Daniel Hirosh Whitman 63.913 66.196 59.565 60.217 63.696
ELIM ESP Paula Matute Guimón Delagronge

CDI3* Grand Prix Special

Judges: Knut Danzberg Stephen Clarke Cesar Torrente Magnus Ringmark Michael Osinski
Place Score Nation Athlete Horse E H C M B
1. 72.702 USA Alice Tarjan Candescent 70.532 72.34 73.511 74.468 72.66
2. 71.170 USA Jennifer Williams Sueño Hit 68.723 71.596 72.34 71.809 71.383
3. 71.149 USA Jessica Howington Cavalia 71.596 71.489 71.064 70.745 70.851
4. 70.915 SWE Tinne Vilhelmson Silfvén Devanto 70.319 71.277 70.532 71.915 70.532
5. 70.660 USA Susan Dutta Figeac DC 68.617 70.638 69.787 72.66 71.596
6. 68.958 USA Michael Pineo Farrington 67.872 67.766 68.511 69.894 70.745
7. 68.745 USA Jan Ebeling Status Royal OLD 69.681 69.362 68.085 68.191 68.404
8. 67.383 CAN Ariana Chia Fiderflame 66.809 67.872 68.723 66.277 67.234
9. 66.894 SUI Barbara Bertschinger Sir Schiwago 67.66 68.298 66.064 66.596 65.851
10. 66.617 COL Maria Alejandra Aponte Gonzalez Duke De Niro 66.383 66.277 66.383 66.702 67.34
11. 63.617 USA Melissa Mac Laren Enrique 64.255 64.043 63.191 64.255 62.34
12. 63.277 CAN Krystalann Shingler Fidelio 63.298 60.851 62.553 64.362 65.319
13. 62.511 CAN Evi Strasser Disney Tyme 64.149 62.34 60.745 62.766 62.553

CDI3* Grand Prix for Freestyle

Judges: Stephen Clarke Cesar Torrente Magnus Ringmark Michael Osinski Jane Weatherwax
Place Score Nation Athlete Horse E H C M B
1. 73.456 USA Charlotte Jorst Kastel’s Nintendo 73.043 72.391 74.565 72.935 74.348
2. 68.065 KOR Dongseon Kim DSK Belstaff 69.783 67.935 67.5 68.913 66.196
3. 67.609 USA Mikala Münter Salsa Hit 68.152 65.652 69.674 66.196 68.37
4. 64.370 CAN Evi Strasser Déjà Vu Tyme 65.978 63.696 64.239 64.022 63.913