By KENNETH J. BRADDICK
WELLINGTON, Florida, Feb. 18. 2026–Isabell Werth, ranked world No. 2 rider, competes in Global Dressage Festival’s World Cup qualifier Thursday that will have an impact on invitations in both the USA and Europe to the championship Final in Fort Worth, Texas in April.
Isabell competing on Special Blend, borrowed from a rider in her German barn whose family recently bought the 11-year-old Oldenburg gelding, will be the second of 11 combinations in the Grand Prix. Isabell, the most successful equestrian in Olympic history and ranked sixth of all athletes in overall medals standings, is scheduled to start at 1:19 pm US Eastern Time/19:19 Central European Time.
Isabell is currently ranked 12th in the Western European League but a high placing in the Freestyle under lights Friday night that will be the first international musical performance for Special Blend, could move her into contention to add a 26th World Cup start and five titles for the rider.
Susan Pape of Great Britain and based in Germany also has a shot at earning an invitation to the Final on Harmony’s Giulilanta, the 15-year-old Dutch-bred mare she has developed to top sport for owner Harmony’s Sporthorses of Kiowa, Colorado. The pair will be last to go in the Grand Prix at 2:55 pm/20:55 CET.
However, Susan, a competitor for Harmony on Wellington’s winter circuit since 2016, told DRESSAGE-NEWS that because of commitments at home she will not start in Fort Worth even if qualified.
Competition for the remaining two of three places for North America will likely be intense with two U.S. riders and a Canadian vying for invites. Christian Simonson, coached by triple Olympian Adrienne Lyle in Wellington, has already captured a place in Fort Worth. He earned the maximum of 60 points for three victories on Indian Rock, the 13-year-old stallion owned by Zen Elite Equestrian Center that is sponsoring Friday night’s Freestyle as well as dressage at Fort Worth.
Kevin Kohman of Wellington on his two-time World Cup Final mount Dünensee, 17-year-old gelding owned by Diamante Farms, stands second in North America with 52 points from three starts. Their start time is 2:46 pm.
Benjamin Ebeling also of Wellington who competed in the 2024 Final, is riding the 16-year-old mare Bellena that he rode to the 2025 US Open championship stands on 49 points also from three competitions. The mare is owned by Vantage Equestrian Group II, LLC.
Both US riders can replace one of their existing scores if they earn more in this event.
Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu, who rode All In on Canada’s teams at the Tokyo Olympics and the 2018 World Equestrian Games, has accumulated 37 points from two starts on Jaccardo, 12-year-old KWPN gelding owned by Jill Irving.
She is tied with Geñay Vaughn of Elk Grove, California who returned to the West Coast with Gino to compete in the World Cup at Del Mar. The 15-year-old gelding that she competed at the 2025 Final is owned by her mother.
Julio Mendoza Loor who rode his and his wife’s Jewel’s Goldstrike for his native Ecuador at the 2024 Olympics has the record on the 15-year-old gelding to be a factor and possibly earn an invitation to Fort Worth as a non-league competitor.
Order of go:
| Time US Eastern | Competitor | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1:10 | Laura De Cesari (USA) Rossi | ||||||
| 1:19 | Isabell Werth (GER) Special Blend 3 | ||||||
| 1:28 | Eline Eckroth (USA) Daphne | ||||||
| 1:37 | Julio Mendoza Loor (ECU) Jewel’s Goldstrike | ||||||
| 1:46 | Devon Kane (USA) Vamos | ||||||
| 1:55 | Laine Ashker (USA) Zeppelin | ||||||
| 2:29 | Benjamin Ebeling (USA) Bellena | ||||||
| 2:28 | Caroline Darcourt (SWE) Lord Django | ||||||
| 2:37 | Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu (CAN) Jaccardo | ||||||
| 2:46 | Kevin Kohmann (USA) Dünensee | ||||||
| 2:55 | Susan Pape (GBR) Harmony’s Giulilanta | ||||||
