Dressage-News

OCALA, Florida, Oct. 22, 2021–Ashley Holzer competed Havanna at Big Tour for the first time in more than two years to win the World Equestrian Center World Cup Grand Prix Friday night.

Ashley, who has been focused for the past two years on coaching riders who made up the entire Canadian squad of three team and one reserve combination at the Tokyo Olympics, scored 71.132% for the win.

The four-time Olympian for Canada before switching five years ago to ride for the United States is based in Wellington, Florida. As with many riders, she described the facility here as “incredible” and “top-notch,” though had one gripe as she joked dressage riders usually do–the main outdoor arena in front of the five-star hotel would make for a “magical” Freestyle performance stage under lights, though she understands holding this World Cup indoors which is the format of the world championship.

Ashley on Hansel was runner-up on 68.382% in the CDI Prix St. Georges behind Spain’s Pablo Gomez Molina on Servus Ymas on 70.000%.

Codi Harrison riding Katholt’s Bossco in their first senior Grand Prix was runner-up on 70.974%.

Codi, 25, and the 14-year-old Danish Warmblood stallion won North American Young Rider Championship team bronze in 2016 and became U.S. Under-25 champion in 2018.

She is an assistant in Florida to Lars Petersen, who competed for Denmark at the Olympics and world championships but now rides for the United States.

Naima Moreira Laliberte and Statesman, reserve combination on the Canadian Olympic team, placed third on 69.289%.

CDI3* Grand Prix

Jessica Howington of Wellington, Florida and Cavalia , a 14-year-old KWPN mare, won the CDI3* Grand Prix on score of 70.609%.

Jessica and Cavalia have been together for two years so, she said, “it’s still a new partnership and we’re still working things out.

Cavalia, she said, felt tired and she had to try and get her pumped up to finish.

“It’s super late for her. I only ride her super early in the morning. She was like, ‘What is going on? It’s night check time!’

“It’s at dinner time again tomorrow, but it’s fun. It’s good to switch things up. It makes me realize, too, that maybe I shouldn’t keep her on such a schedule because these things happen.”

Susan Dutta also of Wellington and Don Design DC, 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding, placed second on 70.022%.

Kerrigan Gluch of Ocala and Mejorano HGF were third on 67.283% in the pair’s first Big Tour competition.

Mejorano is a 10-year-old P.R.E. stallion sired by Grandioso, the horse owned by the USA’s Hampton Green Farm that was ridden for Spain by Jose Daniel Martin Dockx at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics and the 2014 World Equestrian Games.

Kerrigan, 25, has twice earned places for American youth teams to compete in Europe.

Results:

CDI-W Grand Prix

CDI3* Grand Prix

Judges: E: Ulrike Nivelle H: Kristi Wysocki C: Elizabeth McMullen M: Janet Foy B: Sandra Smith