Anna Buffini & Davinia la Douce Win Wellington World Cup Freestyle for Start at Omaha Final

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Anna Buffini riding FRH Davinia la Douce to victory in the Wellington World Cup Freestyle to win a ticket to the championship Final in Omaha. 2023 Ken Braddick/DRESSAGE-NEWS.com

By KENNETH J. BRADDICK

WELLINGTON, Florida, Mar. 3 2023–Anna Buffini and FRH Davinia la Douce claimed a start at the World Cup Final in Omaha for the second straight championship appearance when the pair won the Grand Prix Freestyle under lights Friday night.

Anna and 16-year-old Hanoverian mare were awarded 78.280% after a last-minute flight from San Diego, California to Florida in a bid to earn the third place assigned to North America in the total of 18 horse and rider combinations in Omaha.The duo competed at the 2022 Final in Leipzig, Germany, the first senior championship for the 28-year-old rider.

Anna and Davinia came into this last qualifying competition needing a win to match the standing of Sarah Tubman on First Apple, the 2019 Pan American Games Small Tour individual and Freestyle gold medalists. The tie was broken by Anna’s higher score of 80.180% in the three freestyles that counted toward selection.

“It could have been either of us,” Anna said. “It was a battle to the end and she deserves to go just as much as I do and I really wish she could go.”

She performed to the music of “Top Gun Maverick” that she made in hopes of going to Omaha.

“I watched Maverick with my family last year and we were sitting at the end with tears in our eyes and I thought this has to be my freestyle!” she said, admitting she went to see it seven more times. 

“It was the last thing I got to show my grandpa before he passed away of cancer last fall. He was in the military he said, ‘Go for it, Maverick,’ and I did.”

She will take Davinia home to San Diego before the Final April 4-8.

Sarah Tubman and First Apple in the World Cup Freestyle. © 2023 Ken Braddick/DRESSAGE-NEWS.com

Sarah, based in Wellington, and the 13-year-old stallion First Apple were awarded 77.450% for runner-up. The pair were eighth in the Grand Prix and an unfavorable second starting position for the musical performance.

“I could not have asked for more,” said Sarah. “He was with me 100% of the time; a zero mistake test. I could not be happier with him. And for us this is exactly where he needs to be at this time and at this stage of the game; this is with our plan and I’m extremely happy with him.”

Morgan Barbançon of France who has secured a start in Omaha rode Bolero to third place on 77.410% in what she described as “our best test so far.”

Morgan has already qualified for Omaha and plans to take Sir Donnerhall II OLD, the 17-year-old stallion that she rode at the Tokyo Olympics, last year’s world championships and the 2018, 2019 and 2022 World Cup Finals.

Canada’s Chris von Martels on Eclips, his 14-year-old Tokyo Olympic team mount, was fourth on 74.250%.

Charlotte Jorst rode the 20-year-old Kastel’s Nintendo in the stallion’s last competition for a score of 74.040%. Charlotte first competed Nintendo at Grand Prix  horse in 2014 and will be officially retired at the CDI5* in Wellington later this month.

Charlotte Jorst completing her final competition ride on Kastel’s Nintendo. © 2023 Ken Braddick/DRESSAGE-NEWS.com

Dong Seon Kim of Korea in his first international competition on Galleria’s Bohemian was third on 73.565%. He had on-the-ground help from Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour, who rode the horse on Denmark’s teams at the Tokyo Olympics and the 2012 European Championships.

Anna took over the ride on Davinia in 2020 from Germany’s Anabel Balkenhol, the daughter of Olympic gold medalist and former U.S. team coach Klaus Balkenhol.

Steffen Peters, a fellow San Diego resident, on Suppenkasper, a 15-year-old KWPN gelding, and Alice Tarjan of Oldwick, New Jersey on Serenade MF, a 10-year-old American-bred mare had already staked their claims to a start in Omaha.

Steffen is a veteran of the World Cup determined by the Freestyle with a record of five appearances including one of only two Americans to win the championship which he did on Ravel in 2009. He and Suppenkasper have been one of America’s most successful partnerships having been on silver medal teams at the 2018 World Equestrian Games and the Tokyo Olympics.

Omaha will be the first international championship for Alice, though she was reserve for the U.S. team at last summer’s world championships.

Results:

World Cup Grand Prix Freestyle

Judges:Kari McClainElisabeth Max-TheurerClive HalsallKatrina WüstEvi Eisenhardt
PlaceScoreNationAthleteHorseEHCMBSpectators
1.78.280USAAnna BuffiniFRH Davinia La Douce78.82577.97575.90077.82580.87577.830 (1)
2.77.450USASarah TubmanFirst Apple79.72576.27574.67576.55080.02575.567 (4)
3.77.410FRAMorgan BarbançonBolero80.82575.60075.40077.67577.55075.636 (3)
4.74.250CANChris von MartelsEclips73.90074.02572.82575.92574.57574.686 (5)
5.74.040USACharlotte JorstKastel’s Nintendo72.70074.65073.85075.20073.80076.064 (2)
6.73.565KORDong Seon KimGalleria’s Bohemian74.15073.27573.45075.22571.72569.505 (8)
7.70.475CANCamille Carier BergeronSound of Silence 470.55072.32571.00070.12568.37571.462 (7)
8.69.795ESPPaula Matute GuimónDelagronge72.00067.70069.05069.17571.05072.972 (6)
9.67.355THASuphakamol VuntanaditDreamboat BCN69.10063.15068.67568.50067.35069.098 (9)
10.64.710CANEvi StrasserDisney Tyme66.55061.87561.80068.10065.22564.326 (10)
RET.USANancy SmithDamon’s Design