Anna Marek Celebrates 34th Birthday With Victory on Fire Fly in Ocala CDI3* Grand Prix on Personal Best Score

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Anna Marek on Fire Fly heading to victory in the World Equestrian Center’s CDI3* Grand Prix on the rider’s 34th birthday. © 2023 Ken Braddick/DRESSAGE-News.com

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.”

Anna Marek and Fire Fly in the World Equestrian Center CDI3* Grand Prix. © 2023 Ken Braddick/DRESSAGE-NEWS.com

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

Judges: Kerrie Swan-Bates Cesar Torrente Michael Osinski Cara Whitham Marian E. Cunningham
Place Score Nation Athlete Horse E H C M B
1. 72.217 USA Anna Marek Fire Fly 72.065 72.391 72.935 72.065 71.630
2. 71.544 USA Ashley Holzer Hansel 71.739 72.174 71.087 70.109 72.609
3. 70.522 USA Katie Duerrhammer Paxton 68.370 71.957 71.630 68.587 72.065
4. 70.044 USA Lehua Custer F.J. Ramzes 67.609 71.522 69.565 71.196 70.326
5. 69.870 USA Sarah Tubman First Apple 68.587 68.913 69.457 70.217 72.174
6. 69.609 USA Jennifer Williams Joppe K 69.674 69.022 69.783 68.370 71.196
7. 69.174 USA Jan Ebeling Jubi’s Tenacity 67.174 70.217 69.457 70.761 68.261
8. 68.478 CAN Jill Irving Genesis 70.543 69.348 67.283 65.652 69.565
9. 68.391 CAN Mathilde Blais Tétreault Fedor 68.804 69.130 69.348 67.174 67.500
10. 68.326 USA Sarah Tubman Balia 68.043 67.609 69.022 65.761 71.196
11. 68.087 USA Kevin Kohmann Dünensee 68.043 70.652 67.717 68.152 65.870
12. 67.957 USA Katherine Bateson Chandler Alcazar 67.609 68.587 67.174 68.152 68.261
13. 67.761 POR Tiago Ernesto Hobbit Interagro 69.022 66.413 67.174 67.935 68.261
14. 67.370 CAN Camille Carier Bergeron Sound of Silence 4 66.413 66.522 67.935 67.500 68.478
15. 66.565 USA Mikala Münter Skyfall 67.500 68.913 65.761 62.283 68.370
16. 66.283 USA Allison Carmichael Figaro 67.174 68.043 68.152 63.370 64.674
17. 66.109 USA Benjamin Ebeling Status Royal OLD 67.609 65.000 66.957 62.391 68.587
18. 65.913 USA Melissa Taylor Dixie WRF 65.435 65.326 65.978 67.935 64.891
19. 64.565 USA Nora Batchelder Faro SQF 65.109 64.348 65.326 62.609 65.435
20. 63.217 GUA Alexandra Dominguez Thomas Etanga 63.152 63.043 64.891 59.891 65.109
21. 58.196 SUI Barbara Bertschinger Sir Schiwago 59.891 59.239 58.478 57.174 56.196