Dressage-News

WELLINGTON, Florida, Mar 3, 2022–Alice Tarjan made a winning international debut on Serenade MF in the Global Dressage Festival CDI4* Grand Prix for the third Big Tour horse the rider has developed from youngsters.

Alice of Oldwick, New Jersey, and Serenade, a nine-year-old American-bred Hanoverian mare, were awarded 71.261% for the victory in the Grand Prix for the Special.

Benjamin Ebeling of Moorpark, California on Indeed placed second on 69.870%.

His father, Jan, on Bellena, won the CDI4* Grand Prix for the Freestyle on a score of  71.739%.

Spain’s Juan Matute Guimón on Quantico placed second on 69.848%.

Serenade MF that Alice has owned since she was a foal was making her CDI debut.

“I bought her–black with white socks–and I thought, ‘Oh, that’s pretty. If I don’t like her, I can sell.’ It turns out the horse moves really well and was super easy to train, so I kept it,” said Alice, who won the USEF Developing Horse Grand Prix Dressage National Championship in 2021 with the mare.

“But she’s little and downhill. She’s very pretty and super sweet and easy, just not the most impressive thing. However, when you put her together and clock around, that horse lights up.

“I’m thrilled with the win, but everything’s a work in progress. She’s a good girl, and she did her job.”

Jan Ebeling, a 2012 Olympian for the U.S., said after the ride on Ann Romney-owned Bellena: “I’m stoked She’s a super talented horse. Probably the most talented I’ve ever had in my whole career. She’s still green, so she does stuff that green horses do, but what a horse.”

Results:

CDI4* Grand Prix for Special

CDI4* Grand Prix for Freestyle