By KENNETH J. BRADDICK
WELLINGTON, Florida, Feb. 19, 2026–Isabell Werth rode to victory on Special Blend that lost a shoe in the beginning of the World Cup Grand Prix Thursday that was the first competition in Wellington in 16 years for the world’s No. 2 rider.
Isabell and the 11-year-old Oldenburg gelding was awarded a personal best 73.130% with scores ranging from a high of 75.652% to a low of 70.652% with the differences even greater for some other riders.
The appearance of Isabell attracted the biggest crowd ever seen in daytime at the Global Dressage Festival on a warm sunny day typical in much of south Florida’s winter.
The win by the German rider by far the most decorated Olympic equestrian in history led an all foreign top five in the starting lineup of 11 horses and riders representing six nations.
Julio Mendoza Loor, who rides for his native Ecuador but is based in North Carolina, was runner-up on his Paris Olympic mount Jewel’s Goldstrike, 15-year-old gelding, on 71.196%.
Canada’s Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu on the 12-year-old gelding Jaccardo placed third on 70.761%.
The highest placing U.S. rider was two-time World Cup Finalist Kevin Kohmann on the 17-year-old Dünensee on a result of 69.130%.
Isabell joked after her ride that first she dropped the reins at the start of the ride then Special Blend lost the shoe in his right foot during the first trot.
“I have to say it’s so nice to get this warm welcome and so many people were really so friendly to make me feel very welcome to be here,” she said. “I didn’t expect that.”
Her last competition in Wellington was in 2010 on Satchmo against Anky van Grunsven of the Netherlands and Steffen Peters based in San Diego, California.
Jordan LaPlaca of Ledyard, Connecticut on the 11-year-old gelding Gold Play won the CDI3* Grand Prix on 68.913% to qualify for the Special.
On the horse that he has developed from a youngster to Big Tour he described this second CDI Grand Prix as “icing on the cake.”
He believes “the sky’s the limit” for Gold Play that is so high powered he needs to be “decaffeinated” to be harmonious and calm.
Results:
| Rank | Competitor | Score | E | H | C | M | B |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Isabell Werth (GER) Special Blend 3 | 73.130% | 70.652 | 75.217 | 75.652 | 71.957 | 72.174 |
| 2. | Julio Mendoza Loor (ECU) Jewel’s Goldstrike | 71.196% | 68.370 | 72.717 | 71.522 | 72.826 | 70.543 |
| 3. | Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu (CAN) Jaccardo | 70.761% | 67.609 | 70.000 | 74.457 | 69.674 | 72.065 |
| 4. | Susan Pape (GBR) Harmony’s Giulilanta | 70.696% | 69.239 | 69.674 | 72.717 | 70.326 | 71.522 |
| 5. | Caroline Darcourt (SWE) Lord Django | 70.130% | 68.478 | 70.000 | 72.174 | 69.130 | 70.870 |
| 6. | Kevin Kohmann (USA) Dünensee | 69.130% | 68.478 | 67.826 | 70.543 | 67.935 | 70.870 |
| 7. | Benjamin Ebeling (USA) Bellena | 67.587% | 65.870 | 67.500 | 67.500 | 66.957 | 70.109 |
| 8. | Laine Ashker (USA) Zeppelin | 66.413% | 65.761 | 65.761 | 66.739 | 66.522 | 67.283 |
| 9. | Devon Kane (USA) Vamos | 65.196% | 63.478 | 64.457 | 68.043 | 65.870 | 64.130 |
| 10. | Laura De Cesari (USA) Rossi | 63.696% | 62.174 | 64.457 | 63.261 | 63.913 | 64.674 |
| 11. | Eline Eckroth (USA) Daphne | 60.370% | 60.000 | 60.761 | 58.152 | 63.261 | 59.674 |
 Find details on Equestrian Hub |
| Rank | Competitor | Score | E | H | C | M | B |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Jordan LaPlaca (USA) Gold Play | 68.913% | 68.696 | 70.761 | 67.174 | 70.978 | 66.957 |
| 2. | Kevin Kohmann (USA) Famous | 68.326% | 68.370 | 69.565 | 67.609 | 67.826 | 68.261 |
| 3. | Leonardo Antonio Godoy (ARG) Marques Do Lis | 65.152% | 64.239 | 66.304 | 63.913 | 66.196 | 65.109 |
| 4. | Mathilde Blais Tétreault (CAN) Fedor | 65.087% | 64.565 | 65.543 | 65.326 | 67.826 | 62.174 |
| 5. | Alexandra Duncan (CAN) Hitmaker | 64.891% | 66.957 | 64.565 | 62.065 | 67.500 | 63.370 |
| 6. | Bianca Berktold (USA) Imperial | 64.522% | 65.435 | 64.348 | 63.478 | 65.435 | 63.913 |
| 7. | Leonardo Antonio Godoy (ARG) Mundial O C | 64.217% | 64.565 | 63.913 | 62.065 | 66.304 | 64.239 |
| 8. | Caleb Scroggins (USA) Villanelle | 64.196% | 64.130 | 67.174 | 62.283 | 63.478 | 63.913 |
| 9. | Micah Deligdish (ISR) Carpe Diem De Massa | 63.978% | 63.696 | 67.391 | 61.739 | 62.826 | 64.239 |
| 10. | Barbara Bertschinger (SUI) Sonnenbergs Solisco CH | 62.065% | 62.283 | 63.587 | 61.087 | 62.065 | 61.304 |
| EL | Sasha Newman Dubois (USA) Damaris S | eliminated | |||||
| WD | Sylvia Gugler (USA) Vulkano 14 | withdrawn | |||||
| Find details on Equestrian Hub |
