WELLINGTON, Florida, Mar. 21, 2026–Jordan LaPlaca riding for the United States for the first time, captured gold on the aptly named Gold Play in the Nations Cup Grand Prix Special to add to gold his team won for the first time in six years.
Jordan of Ledyard, Connecticut and the 11-year-old Oldenburg gelding were awarded a personal best 71.000%.
Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu on Jaccardo, the 12-year-old Dutch gelding on which she placed second individually of 12 starters from three nations in the Grand Prix, was runner-up Saturday on 70.362%.
Anna Marek on Fayvel who led the U.S. team to Nations Cup gold over Germany and Canada scored 68.021% on the 16-year-old gelding.
“I honestly expected none of this,” Jordan declared, “and I’m a little bit in shock. I really wanted to just give my horse a good season and a good go at the CDI3* level, and it turned out to end up in a gold medal. , which I just, “It’s what dreams are made of. They have come true.”
Riding for the United States for the first, he said, “ is not only a privilege, it’s something I’ve dreamed about since I was a kid. It’s what kept me inspired to learn dressage and to keep going. I can’t really put words to it other than it’s incredibly humbling, it’s an honor, and I don’t take it lightly.”
Jordan has developed Gold Play from age four to Big Tour and are expected to compete in the Grand Prix national championships in Ocala, Florida in May that will determine which group of up to eight riders and horses will go to Europe ahead of the World Championships in Aachen, Germany in August.
Earlier, Jane Karol of Concord, Massachusetts on Vioretta, 11-year-old Oldenburg mare, won the CDI3* Grand Prix Special on 68.170%.
Results:
| Rank | Competitor | Score | E | H | C | M | B |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Jordan LaPlaca (USA) Gold Play | 71.000% | 71.596 | 72.553 | 70.638 | 70.106 | 70.106 |
| 2. | Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu (CAN) Jaccardo | 70.362% | 71.064 | 71.277 | 69.894 | 69.787 | 69.787 |
| 3. | Anna Marek (USA) Fayvel | 68.021% | 67.979 | 70.106 | 67.553 | 66.489 | 67.979 |
| 4. | Lars Ligus (GER) Zara K 2 | 67.617% | 70.851 | 66.277 | 68.085 | 66.489 | 66.383 |
| 5. | Camille Carier Bergeron (CAN) Finnländerin | 66.191% | 64.574 | 67.340 | 67.021 | 64.362 | 67.660 |
| 6. | Alexandra Duncan (CAN) Hitmaker | 65.362% | 66.383 | 66.702 | 64.362 | 65.213 | 64.149 |
 Find details on Equestrian Hub |
| Rank | Competitor | Score | E | H | C | M | B |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Jane Karol (USA) Vioretta | 68.170% | 68.723 | 66.489 | 71.064 | 67.234 | 67.340 |
| 2. | Bianca Berktold (USA) Imperial | 68.149% | 67.128 | 67.766 | 68.404 | 68.617 | 68.830 |
| 3. | Kevin Kohmann (USA) Famous | 67.276% | 64.468 | 67.128 | 68.191 | 68.404 | 68.191 |
| 4. | Maggie Elsbernd (USA) Gaio Do Zambujal | 67.128% | 66.170 | 66.596 | 68.298 | 66.596 | 67.979 |
| 5. | Jill Irving (CAN) Delacroix 11 | 67.085% | 67.234 | 66.489 | 66.809 | 65.957 | 68.936 |
| 6. | Lars Petersen (USA) Sang Real | 66.553% | 70.319 | 67.447 | 63.723 | 65.532 | 65.745 |
| 7. | Quinn Iverson (USA) Gremlin 41 | 65.915% | 66.809 | 65.638 | 66.915 | 64.574 | 65.638 |
| 8. | Chris von Martels (CAN) Londoncrown | 65.468% | 67.128 | 65.426 | 64.362 | 63.191 | 67.234 |
| 9. | Katherine Bateson Chandler (USA) Haute Couture | 64.830% | 65.638 | 64.255 | 63.298 | 63.085 | 67.872 |
| 10. | Michael Klimke (GER) Harmony’s Dante’s Peak | 64.362% | 65.957 | 63.404 | 63.404 | 63.830 | 65.213 |
| 11. | Hannah Bressler Jaques (USA) Jim | 63.298% | 61.596 | 65.106 | 64.681 | 62.234 | 62.872 |
| 12. | Tina Konyot (USA) Grover | 63.043% | 63.298 | 63.723 | 61.277 | 62.447 | 64.468 |
| 13. | Barbara Bertschinger (SUI) Sonnenbergs Solisco CH | 62.255% | 62.021 | 62.021 | 60.745 | 64.787 | 61.702 |
| 14. | Megan Shea (CAN) Sir Schiwago | 62.021% | 62.447 | 60.319 | 62.979 | 61.170 | 63.191 |
| Find details on Equestrian Hub |
