By KENNETH J. BRADDICK
OCALA, Florida, April; 23, 2026–Jordan LaPlaca rode Gold Play to victory on a personal best score in the CDI4* Grand Prix Thursday in the pair’s first competition at the imposing World Equestrian Center’s centerpiece arena.
Jordan and the 11-year-old Oldenburg gelding were awarded 69.935% to top the field of 15 horse and rider combinations in their first CDI4* since starting Big Tour at Wellington in February.
“I was impressed and blown away with his staying with me,” said Jordan of the horse nicknamed “GP” that he has partnered for seven years.
“Today was the most fluid the whole test has been. And it’s really special to see it all coming together and be more than just part of another day in the office. I think I was a little more intimidated in there than he was. He was like, I got this.”
Kasey Perry-Glass of Wellington on Heartbeat W.P., 14-year-old Dutch gelding, was runner-up close on 69.674%.
Ashley Holzer also of Wellington on the 14-year-old mare Hawtins San Floriana placed third on 69.152%.
Jordan, based in Ledyard, Connecticut like some other riders opted to compete at this show ahead of the U.S. Grand Prix championships to be held here in mid-May. That will be a key competition for choosing several combinations to go to Europe in preparation for selection of a team for the World Championships in Aachen, Germany in August.
“This is really quite amazing,” he said of the development of Gold Play.
“I mean, I think it’s a little bit mind -blowing, really. Not just with his success but as a trainer to have a horse that has taken to the atmosphere and the intensity of the competition so well and stayed so even in his mind and sane has been really special.
“I’m over the moon with the development and it only can go up from here.”
His average Grand Prix and Special results that count in the Dutta Corp. rankings would push him from 10th place currently to 7th.
Jordan and Gold Play will compete in their first Big Tour Freestyle Friday night.
Results:
| Rank | Competitor | Score | E | H | C | M | B |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Jordan LaPlaca (USA) Gold Play | 69.935% | 67.935 | 70.652 | 68.696 | 70.761 | 71.630 |
| 2. | Kasey Perry-Glass (USA) Heartbeat W.P. | 69.674% | 69.022 | 70.326 | 68.478 | 70.109 | 70.435 |
| 3. | Ashley Holzer (USA) Hawtins San Floriana | 69.152% | 70.109 | 69.674 | 67.717 | 68.696 | 69.565 |
| 4. | Denielle Gallagher (CAN) Come Back de Massa | 68.630% | 68.152 | 69.348 | 69.130 | 67.935 | 68.587 |
| 5. | Ellesse Gundersen (USA) Quintessential 4 | 68.544% | 67.935 | 68.587 | 70.435 | 68.370 | 67.391 |
| 6. | Tina Konyot (USA) Grover | 68.283% | 65.543 | 69.891 | 67.609 | 69.457 | 68.913 |
| 7. | Benjamin Ebeling (USA) Bellena | 68.239% | 67.935 | 69.130 | 69.457 | 67.174 | 67.500 |
| 8. | Jennifer Williams (USA) Joppe K | 66.848% | 65.652 | 66.522 | 68.043 | 66.957 | 67.065 |
| 9. | Pablo Gómez Molina (ESP) Servus Ymas | 65.674% | 65.543 | 63.478 | 64.348 | 67.391 | 67.609 |
| 10. | Lars Petersen (USA) Sang Real | 65.131% | 63.587 | 66.196 | 64.130 | 65.870 | 65.870 |
| 11. | Claire Darnell (USA) Harrold S | 64.956% | 63.913 | 67.500 | 63.913 | 65.217 | 64.239 |
| 12. | Shelly Francis (USA) Dante | 62.478% | 60.326 | 63.152 | 62.609 | 62.717 | 63.587 |
| 13. | Charlotte Osborne (GBR) Fruhlingszauber | 62.217% | 61.413 | 63.587 | 62.391 | 63.261 | 60.435 |
| 14. | Patricia Ferrando (VEN) Honnaisseur SJ | 62.000% | 59.891 | 61.087 | 63.370 | 62.500 | 63.152 |
| 15. | Adriane Alvord (USA) Selfmade | 58.326% | 57.609 | 59.130 | 60.326 | 59.674 | 54.891 |
 Find details on Equestrian Hub |
