Thermal World Cup Down to Single Competitor With Full Points Available
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Jan. 2, 2023
The World Cup qualifier at Thermal, California is down to a single entrant who will earn full points if meeting the minimum scores required.
Benjamin Ebeling, a Californian who has relocated to Wellington, Florida, will earn scores to virtually assure him of one of three rider and horse combinations from North America able to start at the Final in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and his first senior championship.
Ben is in California with Indeed, the 16-year-old Danish Warmblood mare that he rode to win World Cup qualifiers in Devon, Pennsylvania and Myakka, Florida and 10th place at Ocala, Florida for a total of 49 points. However, if the pair completes the Thermal event even with minimum scores required, the 20 points earned would give him the maximum of three scores to count–20 for each of the three victories for a total of 60 points. The nine points earned at Ocala would be discarded.
He is atop the North American standings followed by Kevin Kohmann, also of Wellington, in second place on 37 points and Canada’s Tanya Strasser-Shostak third on 24 points.
One more World Cup event is scheduled in California for this year’s Final, at Del Mar Mar. 21-24.
Three are on the calendar for Wellington’s Global Dressage Festival throughout the winter.
This week’s qualifier is the smallest since Thermal International began dressage World Cups in 2020.
The average number of entries for the Grand Prix has been between three and four–a total of 35 for 10 shows.
NAL rules until recently accounted for fewer entries at shows by providing lower points. That rule was changed to provide the same number of points no matter the number of entries.
