Ashley Holzer & Havanna Win Ocala World Cup Grand Prix, Go Into Freestyle Under Lights Friday Looking to Stay Atop North American League
3 years ago StraightArrow Comments Off on Ashley Holzer & Havanna Win Ocala World Cup Grand Prix, Go Into Freestyle Under Lights Friday Looking to Stay Atop North American League
OCALA, Florida, Dec. 9, 2021–Ashley Holzer rode Havanna to victory in the World Equestrian Center World Cup Grand Prix Thursday to head to the Freestyle under lights Friday looking to stay atop the North American League.
Ashley of Wellington, Florida and the 14-year-old Hanoverian mare scored 70.342% to add a fifth straight win to the pair’s record in World Cup qualifiers stretching back to 2018. Ashley and Havanna lead the World Cup lineup for North America with two spots available in the Final at Leipzig, Germany next April with three qualifiers on the calendar for the Global Dressage Festival in Wellington over the winter. The annual championship based on the Freestyle was not held in 2020 or this year because of coronavirus.
Katie Duerrhammer, of Greenwood Village, Colorado on Quartett, 13-year-old German Sport Horse, placed second on 69.000%.
Mikala Munter of Wellington and Salsa Hit, 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding, scored 68.816% for third.
Like many riders, Ashley said she and Havanna, owned by Diane Fellows, were much more tense initially in the giant Derby outdoor arena for the first time.
“That’s great,” she said, “this is why we’ve got to get out to these horse shows where they have great venues like this so we can see what our horses will do.
“I came in like gangbusters,” said the three-time Olympian for Canada but who now rides under the Stars and Stripes, “and I realized I’m on a hot tamale; this is not going to work. I’ve got to tone it down.”
Havanna broke into canter in the first extended trot. “I was able to adjust my riding as soon as I realized we’ve got to dial this down a little bit. And she rallied around and was amazing again.”
“I’m very grateful to the Roberts for having this incredible facility and having these great shows for us to come to.”
Results:
CDI-W Short Grand Prix
Judges: E-Sarah Geike H-Yuri Romanov C-Peter Storr M-Maribel Alonso B-Cesar Torrente
1. Ashley Holzer/USA – Havanna – 70.342%
2. Katie Duerrhammer/USA – Quartett – 69.000%
3. Mikala Munter/USA – Salsa Hit – 68.816%
4. Codi Harrison/USA – Katholt’s Bossco – 68.211%
5. Kevin Kohnmann/USA – Mr Bumblebee – 65.658%
6. Nora Batchelder/USA – Faro SQF – 65.158%
7. Amina Bursese/USA – Fiti AL – 64.421%
8. Stacey Parvey Larsson/USA – Benidetto – 62.105%
