Dressage-News

By KENNETH J. BRADDICK

OCALA, Florida, Oct. 23, 2021–Ashley Holzer rode Havanna in the first Grand Prix Freestyle in more than two years to capture the World Equestrian center World Cup Saturday night and move into the lead in the North American League for a start at the global championship Final next April.

Ashley and the 14-year-old Hanoverian mare scored 76.480% for the victory a day after capturing the Grand Prix in the first competition for the American rider based in Wellington, Florida since the Olympics. In Tokyo, she was the personal coach of the entire Canadian team and followed up with the squad competing at the CDIO5* Nations Cup in Aachen, Germany last month.

Ashley said she was “a little nervous” bringing Havanna to this venue because she is hotter, but it worked out. “She was a bit nervous, a bit tense and she still came out and performed to her best.”

She explained the heart logo on her saddle pad that has created social media buzz was an idea from her stable manager to reflect her “love of all my horses.” When asked to put a “heart” on the saddle pad the embroider actually spelled out the words “H E A R T”–but the pads went back for the red heart to be displayed.

Codi Harrison, 25, of Wellington and Katholt’s Bossco placed second on 75.040% in her first Big Tour musical performance.

Bossco was her Young Rider and Under-25 horse but she was not sure the 14-year-old Danish Warmblood stallion would make it to Grand Prix.

But, she said, and it has been fun to learn the Grand Prix together and to create a new freestyle for Bossco as she had used a hand-me-down country-rock music provided by her coach, Lars Petersen, the Danish Olympian and World Cup silver medalist who lives in Wellington and is now rides for America.

When the score came up on the giant screens, she said, “I was shocked. I wasn’t expecting that. I’m thrilled.”

Pablo Gomez Molina of Spain on Uilses de Ymas, an 11-year-old P.R.E. gelding, was third on 73.605% also the first senior Grand Prix for both horse and rider.

“I cannot ask for more,” said Pablo, 27, of Ulises’ first year at Grand Prix. “He was really good.” He said he was disappointed in the Grand Prix because Ulises was a little scared of the indoor arena.

Ulises, he said, is introverted, really shy and nervous. They have been partnered for six years and are developing trust.

“We are building the trust and it’s so nice to see him develop and improve,” he said. “He can get much stronger and show what he really is. He can get better… we both, because it’s my first year at Grand Prix .

Ashley earned 20 points in the North American League to go toward qualifying for one of the two places assigned to North America for the World Cup Final. Codi gets 15 points. Pablo does not any points as a non-North American so the 13 points go to Canada’s Naima Moreira-Laliberté who placed fourth on Statesman.

This was the third of eight North American qualifiers to earn points for the Final in Leipzig, Germany. The next qualifiers are in Thermal, California Nov. 18 and at this show Dec. 9.

CDI3* Grand Prix Special

Jessica Howington of Ocala on Cavalia scored a personal best 71.574% to win the CDI3* Grand Prix Special after claiming the Grand Prix Friday.

Susan Dutta of Wellington on Don Design DC placed second on 69.085%. Kerrigan Gluch of Ocala and Mejorano HGF was third on 68.723%.

Results:

CDI-W Grand Prix Freestyle

CDI3* Grand Prix Special