Dressage-News

June 21, 2024

By KENNETH J. BRADDICK

Marcus Orlob and the 10-year-old Jane won the CDI4* Grand Prix on a personal best score with Adrienne Lyle on Helix second at Kronberg, Germany in one of two final competitions before the selection of the United States team for the Paris Olympics in five weeks.

Marcus and the KWPN mare were awarded 73.913% to cap continually improving results since taking over competing Jane from owner Alice Tarjan in Wellington, Florida three months ago that was also the horse’s Big Tour debut.

Adrienne on Helix, 12-year-old KWPN gelding owned by Heidi Humphries’ Zen Elite Equestrian Center scored 72.739% for runner-up. The pair’s CDI debut was at the same event in Wellington as Marcus and Jane.

Finland’s Henri Ruoste on Tiffanys Diamond was third on 72.674%.

Endel Ots on Zen Elite’s Bohemian, 14-year-old Westfalen gelding also owned by Heidi Humphries, tied for fourth on 72.587%.

Other U.S. short listed riders at Kronberg included Anna Marek on her Pan American Games team gold medal mount Fire Fly scoring 70.826% for eighth place. Anna Buffini on Fiontini placed last of 26 combinations scoring 56.326%.

The Kronberg event is the same time as the Rotterdam CDIO5* Nations Cup where Ashley Holzer on Hansel and Katherine Bateson Chandler on Haute Couture, also on the U.S. short list, were on the American team that placed last of eight countries Thursday.

Grand Prix Specials at both Kronberg and Rotterdam are scheduled for Saturday while the four-member squad of three for the team and a reserve will be announced early next week.

Steffen Peters on Suppenkasper was excused from both final selection events as the five-time Olympian has led the rankings and will compete in two weeks at Aachen, Germany.

The Schafhof event is the second European competition for the partnership of the German-born Marcus and Jane and just the sixth CDI for the duo.

He began riding under the Stars ‘n’ Stripes in 2015. Before Jane, his only previous Big Tour experience was a handful of CDIs in 2019 on a horse named  Royal Touch that is now 19 years old.

First CDI Grand Prix for Marcus and Jane was end of March after owner Alice Tarjan turned the ride over to her long-time trainer because, she said, the horse was too strong for her.

However, she had ridden the horse to 11 straight victories at Intermediate II and A and B competitions over the course of a year.

The 42-year-old Marcus won the Lövsta Future Challenge Intermediate II division at Wellington’s Global Dressage Festival and the Grand Prix Special at the last U.S. qualifying competition at TerraNova in April. On his selection for the U.S. Olympic short list he moved to Germany and got his feet wet by competing in a national Grand Prix to place second to Isabell Werth on Special Blend.

As with the other American short-listed riders, Adrienne Lyle on Helix, 12-year-old KWPN gelding, this was the partnership’s second European competition, the first a head-to-head contest at Hagen, Germany earlier this month.

“I am incredibly happy with Helix’s grand prix today,” said Adrienne, a two-time Olympian including on the silver medal team with Steffen and Suppenkasper and Sabine Schut-Kery on Sanceo at the Tokyo Games.

“He is such an amazing horse with a huge heart and really tries so hard for his rider. Today I was super happy with the feel he gave me in the ring–he felt very trusting and focused and went off the lightest of aids.

“There is still so much more in the tank with him, we are only just scratching the surface of what he is capable of, but the plan is to stay methodical and build him up slowly, physically and mentally. For only being together for barely five months I have to say I am pretty blown away by his character and what a teammate he has become to me in that short time.”

Debbie McDonald, her long-time mentor and coach, has stayed in Europe to work with Adrienne and Helix as well as Lars van de Hoenderheide, as well as Kasey Perry-Glass on Heartbeat W.P., scoring 69.609% in Friday’s Grand Prix.

“Our time in Europe has been really beneficial so far,” said Adrienne. “I am really happy with how both horses are training and handling everything involved with all the travel, new venues, etc. Being here at Schafhof, it is really great to see such a strong representation from USA riders, and to see the horses start to blossom. I think it’s very exciting for our country.

“A huge huge thank you to lady who has made this all possible, Heidi Humphries and her Zen Elite Equestrian Center.”

Results:

CDI4* Grand Prix

Rank	Competitor	Score	E	H	C	M	B
1.	Marcus Orlob (USA) Jane	73.913%	74.891	74.022	73.261	74.130	73.261
2.	Adrienne Lyle (USA) Helix	72.739%	73.696	73.043	72.500	70.435	74.022
3.	Henri Ruoste (FIN) Tiffanys Diamond	72.674%	72.717	72.826	73.261	70.543	74.022
4.	Sandra Nuxoll (GER) Bonheur de La Vie	72.587%	71.630	73.043	72.717	72.283	73.261
4.	Endel Ots (USA) Zen Elite’s Bohemian	72.587%	72.717	71.087	74.457	72.174	72.500
6.	Emma Kanerva (FIN) Greek Air	72.174%	72.283	71.957	72.174	72.717	71.739
7.	Juan Antonio Jimenez-Cobo (ESP) Euclides Mor	71.174%	71.522	72.174	70.978	70.109	71.087
8.	Anna Marek (USA) Fire Fly	70.826%	70.761	71.739	71.630	68.696	71.304
9.	Jan Ebeling (USA) Jubi’s Tenacity	70.652%	70.652	70.978	71.630	69.130	70.870
10.	William Matthew (AUS) Mysterious Star	69.630%	71.413	69.891	70.978	66.848	69.022
11.	Kasey Perry-Glass (USA) Heartbeat W.P.	69.609%	68.913	68.804	71.739	66.957	71.630
12.	Borja Carrascosa (ESP) Frizzantino FRH	69.587%	68.152	69.348	71.957	68.696	69.783
13.	Yara Reichert (GER) Springbank II VH	69.370%	69.239	69.457	69.348	69.565	69.239
14.	António Vale (POR) Fine Fellow – H	68.348%	68.696	68.913	68.696	67.174	68.261
15.	Beatriz Ferrer-Salat (ESP) Elegance	68.152%	68.804	67.609	66.522	68.587	69.239
16.	Mary Hanna (AUS) Ivanhoe	67.935%	68.587	70.326	66.522	68.043	66.196
17.	Jessica Dertell (AUS) Cennin	67.848%	67.500	66.739	68.696	68.478	67.826
18.	Nuno Palma Santos (POR) Fortunity S FRH	67.370%	68.370	66.522	67.935	64.565	69.457
19.	Maria Pais Do Amaral (POR) Hot Hit OLD Campline	67.043%	66.304	66.957	68.152	64.891	68.913
20.	Anush Agarwalla (IND) Sir Caramello OLD	67.022%	67.174	64.674	68.478	67.283	67.500
21.	Judith Ribbels (NED) Fun Fun EB	65.761%	64.457	65.000	65.652	67.935	65.761
22.	Dr. Annabel Frenzen (GER) SilberStern FRH	65.630%	65.978	65.652	65.978	64.022	66.522
23.	Susan Dutta (USA) Figeac DC	65.283%	66.196	62.935	65.217	65.978	66.087
24.	Günter Seidel (USA) Jack	65.174%	66.630	64.130	65.000	63.696	66.413
25.	Joanna Robinson (FIN) Glamouraline	63.978%	63.370	62.935	65.000	65.326	63.261
26.	Anna Buffini (USA) Fiontini	56.326%	53.587	58.370	52.826	55.217	61.630
Find details on Equestrian Hub