Dressage-News

By KENNETH J. BRADDICK

OCALA, Florida, April 14, 2023–Anna Marek celebrated her 34th birthday Friday with a victory on Fire Fly on a personal best score at the World Equestrian Center CDI3* Grand Prix Friday.

Anna, who lives in the Ocala community of Dunnellon, and the 13-year-old KWPN gelding that she has been riding less than two years were awarded 72.217% for the

“I was saying all day that I hoped Fire Fly would give me the best present today,” she said.

And Fire Fly did it in his first competition since a successful winter circuit in Wellington where Anna  had gone to compete against Europeans and other Americans i n the World Cup qualifiers at the Global Dressage Festival.

“Every single time we get a little bit better, a little bit better,” she said of Wellington results where she placed as high as second.

She admits that Fire Fly doesn’t have the biggest gaits but can do everything very well, he doesn’t really have a weakness.

“There are things that aren’t so good right now but you see moments where they could be really good,” Anna said. “What I felt today was that all those little things that I’ve been working on just came together and it worked. It was definitely by far the best test we’ve done together.”

Ashley Holzer of Wellington debuted Hansel, a 10-year-old KWPN gelding, for runner-up on 71.544%.

Ashley competed the national competitions at the Global shows this winter.

Katie Duerrhammer also of Wellington and Paxton, 12-year-old Westfalen gelding, were third on 70.522%.

Results:

CDI3* Grand Prix