Benjamin Ebeling Rides Indeed to Career High Score to Win Wellington CDIO3* Grand Prix Freestyle

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Benjamin Ebeling pn Indeed in the Global Dressage Festival CDIO3* Freestyle. © 2022 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

WELLINGTON, Florida, Mar. 20, 2022–Benjamin Ebeling rode Indeed to a career high score to win the Global Dressage Festival CDIO* Grand Prix Freestyle Sunday with tentative plans to go to Germany to pursue more results to give him a chance of being selected for the U.S. world championship team.

In the fourth Big Tour competition since taking over the ride on Indeed at the beginning of the year from his father, 2012 U.S. Olympic team rider, the 22-year-old Ben of Moorpark, California and the 14-year-old Danish Warmblood mare scored 78.410% for the gold in the individual division of the Nations Cup.

Ben is ranked fourth with Illuster van der Kampert on the U.S. federation standings for consideration for a European tour in the summer ahead of the world championships in Herning, Denmark in early August. Indeed is the seventh horse he has competed in international competitions since his first CDI as a Young Rider in 2016.

Katie Duerrhammer of Greenwood Village, Colorado and Quartett, fellow Nations Cup team silver medalists, placed second on 75.090%.

Katie Duerrhammer on Quartett in the CDIO3* Grand Prix Freestyle. © 2022 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

Michael Klimke of the German gold medal team rode Harmony’s Sanrino RHP in the 13-year-old  Oldenburg gelding’s first Big Tour musical performance for third place on 73.780%.

The CDIO Small Tour Freestyle was won by Bianca Berktold of Loxahatchee, Florida on Imperial with a score of 76.430%.

Canada’s Beatrice Boucher on Summerwood’s Limei was second on 71.345% with Lars Ligus of Germany on Soccer City third on 62.750%.

“These past couple of months have been serious development for her,” Ben said of Indeed that he rode through the Freestyle for the first time in the competition, “and I feel it almost on the week at home. She continues to get better and impress me. I think she just loves being at the show. It’s like her favorite things. She wakes up a lot. She’s turning into a really consistent, steady horse, and I’m really excited for her.

U.S. Senator Mitt Romney, whose wife Ann is a partner in Indeed’s ownership group was at Global to watch Ben’s ride.

Mitt and Ann Romney watching Ben Ebeling ride Indeed at the Global Dressage Festival. © 2022 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

Results:

CDIO3* Grand Prix Freestyle

Judges: Ilja Vietor Stephen Clarke Michael Osinski Anne Prain Mariette Sanders – Van Gansewinkel
Place Score Nation Athlete Horse E H C M B
1. 78.410 USA Benjamin Ebeling Indeed 76.300 80.525 79.225 78.550 77.450
2. 75.090 USA Katie Duerrhammer Quartett 74.850 74.500 73.300 77.250 75.550
3. 73.780 GER Michael Klimke Harmony’s Sanrino RHP 76.725 74.925 73.675 73.000 70.575
4. 72.580 CAN Megan Lane Zodiac MW 71.725 72.750 73.450 74.600 70.375
5. 71.550 CAN Pia Fortmüller Frieda 72.05 71.375 70.875 75.100 68.350
6. 68.800 CAN Evi Strasser Déjà Vu Tyme 69.825 70.550 69.150 68.400 66.075
ELIM. GER Christoph Koschel Dünensee

CDIO3* Intermediate Freestyle

Judges: Stephen Clarke Anne Prain Omar Zayrik Mariette Sanders – Van Gansewinkel Ilja Vietor
Place Score Nation Athlete Horse E H C M B
1. 76.430 USA Bianca Berktold Imperial 80.050 73.550 78.175 73.750 76.625
2. 71.345 CAN Beatrice Boucher Summerwood’s Limei 71.125 73.725 70.925 70.450 70.500
3. 62.750 GER Lars Ligus Soccer City 63.500 61.325 64.300 62.750 61.875
SCR GER Frederic Wandres Dolciario