OCALA, Florida, April 16, 2022–Katie Duerrhammer and Paxton posted a personal best score for the second time in a row to win the World Equestrian Center CDI3* Grand Prix Special Saturday and the first sweep second beginning Big Tour two years ago.
Katie and the 11-year-old Westfalen gelding scored 73.638% to win the Special, a result similar to the 73.217% the pair logged in the Grand Prix. The two 73% scores for Katie of Greenwood Village, Colorado and Paxton will boost her ranking toward possible selection for CDIO5* Nations Cup events at Rotterdam June 22-26 and Aachen June 28-July 3 ahead of the world championships.
“I think it’s important to remember that he is only 11,” Katie said. “If he comes out the next week and gets a 68%, then that’s okay. It’s all about the journey and preparing him for things later in his career. Just because he can do it once doesn’t mean he’s going to do it every time. I want to ride who he is today and be appreciative of that. After doing so well today, I’m going to go home and let it sink in a bit.
“This weekend was extra special because my mom, Elizabeth Johnson, who trained me all my teenage years, was here this weekend from California.”
Jessica Howington of Wellington, Florida and Cavalia were runner-up on 71.936%.
Alice Tarjan of Oldwick, New Jersey on Serenade MF was third on 71.639%.
The only remaining CDI in the United States that meets selection criteria is in Temecula, California May 5-8. A CDI4* in Tryon, North Carolina that was on the calendar for next week has been canceled though the national competition will go ahead.
Results:
CDI3* Grand Prix Special
| Judges: | William Warren | Omar Zayrik | Gabriel Martin Armando | Marian E. Cunningham | Sarah Geikie | ||||||||
| Place | Score | Nation | Athlete | Horse | E | H | C | M | B | ||||
| 1. | 73.638 | USA | Katie Duerrhammer | Paxton | 72.766 | 75.000 | 74.362 | 74.574 | 71.489 | ||||
| 2. | 71.936 | USA | Jessica Howington | Cavalia | 70.638 | 72.766 | 72.553 | 68.404 | 75.319 | ||||
| 3. | 71.639 | USA | Alice Tarjan | Serenade MF | 71.809 | 72.447 | 71.809 | 68.830 | 73.298 | ||||
| 4. | 70.787 | USA | Lehua Custer | F.J. Ramzes | 68.936 | 69.362 | 71.596 | 70.851 | 73.191 | ||||
| 5. | 70.213 | CAN | Ariana Chia | Fiderflame | 70.851 | 68.936 | 69.043 | 71.383 | 70.851 | ||||
| 6. | 70.106 | CAN | Megan Lane | Zodiac MW | 68.085 | 71.064 | 71.809 | 72.340 | 67.234 | ||||
| 7. | 68.724 | USA | Susan Dutta | Don Design DC | 69.681 | 69.894 | 65.426 | 69.255 | 69.362 | ||||
| 8. | 68.702 | USA | Anna Marek | Snoopy Sunday | 68.617 | 69.043 | 69.043 | 69.574 | 67.234 | ||||
| 9. | 68.213 | USA | Melissa Taylor | Dixie WRF | 69.149 | 67.447 | 66.489 | 68.830 | 69.149 | ||||
| 10. | 67.702 | USA | Mary Haskins Gray | Don Divone | 69.043 | 68.511 | 66.596 | 66.277 | 68.085 | ||||
| 11. | 67.638 | USA | Kevin Kohmann | Inshallah | 67.128 | 67.979 | 67.128 | 67.234 | 68.723 | ||||
| 12. | 67.192 | CAN | Pia Fortmüller | Frieda | 65.745 | 68.511 | 68.617 | 69.149 | 63.936 | ||||
| 13. | 66.511 | USA | Nora Batchelder | Faro SQF | 65.532 | 67.021 | 65.638 | 67.660 | 66.702 | ||||
| 14. | 65.681 | USA | Mikala Münter | Skyfall | 65.638 | 64.574 | 65.000 | 67.766 | 65.426 | ||||
| 15. | 65.638 | GUA | Alexandra Dominguez Thomas | Etanga | 65.532 | 64.787 | 65.213 | 66.064 | 66.596 |
