Adrienne Lyle Rides Helix to 1st Score of 80% to Capture Wellington World Cup Freestyle to Take Lead North American Qualifying for Final
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By KENNETH J. BRADDICK
WELLINGTON, Florida, Feb. 7, 2025–Adrienne Lyle, the USA’s three-time Olympian, rode Helix to their first score above 80% to capture the World Cup Freestyle under lights Friday night and assure the pair a start in the championship Final in April.
Adrienne of Wellington and the 13-year-old gelding that was her mount in the 2024 Paris Games scored 80.325% in only the fourth musical performance for the partnership that competed at a CDI for the first time at the end of March last year.
The victory earned Adrienne the maximum of 60 points to top the standings for one of three spots assigned to North America at the Final in Basel, Switzerland the first week of April. The score was the first above 80% at the Global Dressage Festival since Adrienne on the now-retired Salvino and German Olympic gold medal duo of Frederic Wandres on Bluetooth OLD, both in 2023.
Anna Marek of the Ocala area community of Dunnellon on Fayvel placed second on 78.785% to stand third behind Kevin Kohmann of Wellington on Dünensee in the qualifying rankings.
The third placed P.J. Rizvi on Vanila Ice, a 14-year-old grey Lusitano stallion, displayed a performance that brought the biggest cheers of the night from spectators packing the stands on a warm night.
Genay Vaughn is given a strong chance to take the second place for the Final when she competes in the lightly attended World Cup in Thermal, California where first place would give her the maximum of 60 points.
The third place will likely come down to Wellington in two weeks when Anna Marek returns with Fire Fly and Kevin Kohmann may show Dünensee. A vicory for one of the two will settle the third spot for North America in the field of a total of 18 combinations in the Final lineup.
Adrienne who began competing Helix last March after being bought by Zen Elite Equestrian of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida said:
“I am just so thrilled with him. That is hands down the best feeling he’s ever given me. He was able to replicate kind of the work that I’ve been getting at home, with the lightness and the harmony and the self-carriage.
“And tonight he was able to take it in in a fairly electric environment and stay relaxed and stay in his own balance. And he just felt so effortless. I felt like I didn’t have to push for anything. I could just sit there and guide him through the test. And so to feel that kind of confidence come from him just is really exciting.span.
In the previous freestyle for the pair two weeks ago, Helix was tense from the atmosphere and a mistake in playing the music interrupted the performance.
Adrienne is the top ranked American rider on the world standings with Olympic and World Games silver medals.
Her goal after the World Cup is to go to Europe with a U.S. squad with the main focus the Nations Cup and CDI4* at the World Equestrian Festival in Aachen, Germany and the dressage world championships in 2026.
The $250,000 US Open series of which seven of the 24 qualifiers have been held leading to the final in November is topped by Germany’s Evelyn Eger after Friday night’s freestyle. Standings for the top 15 places are listed after the freestyle results.
Results:
| Rank | Competitor | Score | E | H | C | M | B |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Adrienne Lyle (USA) Helix | 80.325% | 79.750 | 80.275 | 79.950 | 79.600 | 82.050 |
| 2. | Anna Marek (USA) Fayvel | 78.785% | 77.775 | 79.125 | 79.150 | 78.150 | 79.725 |
| 3. | P.J. Rizvi (USA) Vanilla Ice | 76.585% | 76.200 | 77.650 | 75.625 | 76.750 | 76.700 |
| 4. | Jan Ebeling (USA) Jubi’s Tenacity | 74.655% | 75.100 | 74.950 | 71.600 | 74.775 | 76.850 |
| 5. | Evelyn Eger (GER) Tabledance 3 | 74.030% | 74.950 | 73.650 | 70.275 | 76.425 | 74.850 |
| 6. | Devon Kane (USA) Vamos | 72.765% | 73.775 | 72.875 | 69.475 | 73.700 | 74.000 |
| 7. | Paula Matute Guimón (ESP) Delagronge | 72.675% | 72.750 | 72.625 | 70.850 | 75.000 | 72.150 |
| 8. | Mathilde Blais Tétreault (CAN) Fedor | 72.165% | 71.150 | 74.675 | 73.975 | 71.400 | 69.625 |
| 9. | Karen Lipp (USA) Infinity | 71.370% | 71.950 | 70.825 | 70.000 | 71.450 | 72.625 |
| 10. | Adriane Alvord (USA) Selfmade | 68.290% | 66.925 | 69.325 | 67.775 | 68.400 | 69.025 |
 Find details on Equestrian Hub |
