Dressage-News

OCALA, Florida, April 15, 2022–Anna Marek riding Duvel in their second CDI Small Tour competition won the World Equestrian Center 3* Friday while Laura Graves made her international debut on Sensation HW for runner-up.

Anna of the nearby community of Dunnellon and the 14-year-old KWPN gelding were awarded 73.088% for the win. It was only their second international competition, the first a year ago.

Laura of Geneva, Florida and the nine-year-old Westfalen gelding scored 72.353% for second place. Laura took over the ride on Sensation two years ago after the horse was competed by Michael Bragdell to capture the U.S. championship at both five and six years of age.

Duvel was returning to competition after a year’s break because Anna was pregnant.

She described Duvel as “a very sensitive horse, and he was scared of some of the movements.”

But at this show, she said, “What was really fun is that he was very relaxed but just got a little bit pumped up by the atmosphere. It totally worked for him. Everything was really solid, and he was with me the whole time. He got through a clean test. I know that when he does, he can score very well.”

Laura said she was impressed by Sensation’s first CDI and the horse was “very impressed with the arena,” large and in front of the imposing Equestrian Hotel with flags flapping in the breeze and a giant video display.

“We didn’t get a chance to show in Wellington, but got a chance to school,” she said. “This is certainly a lot more atmosphere than the stadium in Wellington we’re used to.”

The duo need one more score to qualify for the U.S. Intermediate 1 Championship later this summer and then plans to move up to Intermediate II.

Lillie Keenan, at the age of 25 a veteran of the American jumping Nations Cup team including two finals of the global circuit including a medal-winning performance in 2016, competed in her first international dressage competition Friday.

Lillie rode as an amateur on Ferrari, a 19-year-old Oldenburg gelding, and placed third on a score of 62.794%.

Christina Devine of Sweden on Slæbækgård’s Santino won the class on 65.588% with America’s Olga Hartsock on Jinta runer-up on 65.441%.

Results:

CDI3* Prix St. Georges