Dressage-News

OCALA, Florida, Dec. 11, 2021–Jessica Howington rode Cavalia to a personal best score to win the World Equestrian Center CDI3* Grand Prix Special Friday for the second straight Big Tour double victory.

The score of 74.468% for Jessica and the 14-year-old KWPN mare beat their previous best of 71.574% set two months ago at this same WEC show grounds near her home in Ocala. It is the highest Special score of the 20 posted so far by combinations seeking to be on America’s team at the world championships in Herning, Denmark next August.

The two-year-old partnership that began Big Tour exactly 12 months ago will be taking a string of four straight victories with them to Wellington next month as Jessica pursues her team goal at the Global Dressage Festival over winter.

Kerrigan Gluch on Mejorano HGF, a 10-year-old P.R.E. stallion, was runner-up on 70.106% in only their second Big Tour competition. Kerrigan, also of Ocala, made the Grand Prix debut on Mejorano two months ago at this World Equestrian Center, though the competition then was indoors but this time was in the giant Derby outdoor ring for the first time for dressage.

Guatemala’s Alexandra Dominguez-Thomas on Etanga was third on 68.787%.

“I knew the feeling during the whole ride that even if it was a low score I was just so happy that she was willing to work with me,” said Jessica, 42, who works with Andrea Woodard who is based in Wellington. “Today it felt very harmonious. We didn’t have any points where it was stop and go; it was very fluid. She gave me everything she has.

“I wasn’t expecting that score and when I saw it I started to tear up.”

Kerrigan took over the ride on Mejorano two years ago after the horse, bred by the owner Hampton Green Farm, was developed by Jose Daniel Martin Dockx who also competed the HGF-owned sire, Grandioso, for Spain at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, the 2014 World Games and two European Championships.

Kerrigan, 25, who works with the US youth coach Charlotte Bredahl, said that over the past two years she has focused on both developing a relationship with Mejorano as well as polishing Grand Prix movements.

Mejorano, she said, has a talent for piaffe/passage–“he could passage in his sleep if he wanted to”–and she wants to show off his best movements in a harmonious way.

“He’s a bit on the tense side,” Kerrigan said, “he wants to go all the time. If he’s busy doing something he’s happy. I’ve been working really hard to develop a happy, positive relationship with him–from grooming to turning out, all that stuff, that he really knows me and our Hampton Green team–to make him as calm and happy as can be.”

Results:

CDI3* Grand Prix Special

Judges: E-Sarah Geikie H-Yuri Romanov C-Cesar Torrente M-Peter Storr B-Maribel Alonso de Quinzanos
1. Jessica Howington/USA – Cavalia – 74.468%
2. Kerrigan Gluch/USA – Mejorano HGF – 70.106%
3. Alexandra Dominguez-Thomas/GUA – Etanga – 68.787%
4. Tyra Vernon/USA – Hadrian Interagro – 66.319%
5. Allison Gerlt/USA – Sir Lommel – 65.574%
6. Kevin Kohmann/USA – Dinamico – 65.532%
7. Nora Batchelder/USA – WGangster Girl – 65.255%
8. Eva Oldenbroek-Tabor/USA – Wynston – 62.128%