Germany’s Frederic Wandres & Bluetooth Win Wellington CDI5* Freestyle, Morgan Barbançon of France on Habana Libre Captures Special

By KENNETH J. BRADDICK

WELLINGTON, Florida, Mar 17, 2023–Germany’s Frederic Wandres on Bluetooth OLD won the CDI5* Grand Prix Freestyle Friday night for a sweep of Wellington’s top rated dressage competition for the second year in a row while Morgan Barbançon on Habana Libre A won the Grand Prix Special for the French rider’s first 5* victory.

Frederic and the 13-year-old Oldenburg gelding won the Freestyle under lights in Wellington’s centerpiece jumping stadium before about 1,500 spectators on a score of 82.310% after capturing the Grand Prix–the sweep of the CDI5* a repeat of the performances in 2022. The duo has won six in six starts in Wellington for prize money of $33,400.

“Six out of six is really amazing,” said Frederic, who rides for Bluetooth’s owner, Hof Kasselmann of Hagen, Germny. “It shows that the horse and I have improved a lot. We started already high, and it’s not so easy over three months to keep the level that high–you have to keep the horses happy and sound–and they’re not used to the heat.”

“He was very fresh in the Grand Prix and I had a super feeling. He’s very with me during the tests. Even though there were a lot of spectators, he was very focused and with me.

“You can always take the experience that you get here back with you to Europe and show how you have improved. So I am looking to do that for sure and carry the results and experience into the European dressage arenas.”

He plans to compete Bluetooth and his top horse, Duke of Britain at the German championships ahead of the European championships in late summer.

Sarah Tubman on First Apple, 13-year-old KWPN stallion that was her gold medal mount at the 2019 Pan American Games, was runner-up on 77.580%.

“We have been using the freestyle to help build his confidence,” she said. “I can set the test up so it’s the best for him. Tonight I think was some of my best piaffe I have had in the ring and he felt super reliable. We’re really excited to take what we’ve learned–I’m pretty new at this in this big ring. This is my first 5* so it’s a bucket list item to be sitting here with these guys.

“He’s a showman. This is his thing– he loves the lights, the more people, the more noise the better. He’s super happy and we are learning now to take that energy without the tension so then our canter tour ends up staying quite lovely whereas in the past we have lots of energy but quite a few mistakes. I’m really happy to feel honest energy with relaxation.”

Sarah, based in Wellington, plans to go to Europe this summer with hopes of being able to compete at the CHIO in Aachen as she did last year.

Ashley Holzer and the 13-year-old mare Valentine that she competed on the U.S. team at the world championships last year scored 76.295% for third.

“This is a really challenging venue for her and she was a little tense in the beginning but I think the last centerline with the piaffe and passage was amazing,” Ashley said. “She was feeling really energetic and forward. I’m excited that she’s able to come to this atmospheres now and cope. It’s been a bit of a challenge so the more I can do it the better she get as far as confidence is concerned. It’s great to have this venue in America.”

Stephen Clarke of Great Britain, president of the ground jury, described the lavel of competition as “really” and “the atmosphere here is electroc and I think it have an edge to many things.

Morgan Barbançon of France and Habana Libre A scored 72.000% for the win, her first 5* victory in more than a decade at Big Tour, including two Olympics and several championships. She will be Omaha for the World Cup Final in three week with Sir Donnerhall II OLD.

Morgan, in her first year at Wellington and with her three horses, explained after the Special that the appearance in a new arena and Habana’s first time under lights in the Grand Prix Wednesday led to her to push too hard causing too many errors.

“Today I decided to ride a very conservative test because if we are fault-free then he automatically gets between a seven and an eight,” she said. “Passage is our strong point, so I was really focusing on that. The piaffe was still a bit shy and not enough steps, but I came here to Wellington to give him as much experience and mileage as possible. I am not reaching out for big scores at the moment. He needs to understand that in there, it’s OK. I tried to ride a little bit smart today.

“I’m so proud of Habana tonight after Wednesday; he really kept it together.”

She has been training for a year with British team rider Gareth Hughes, “and he’s helped me a bunch recently. Two weeks ago, the show really didn’t go well and both Habana and me had huge loss of confidence, so I called Gareth ‘SOS!’ and he found the time for me. We did some session on the Internet system and that really helped.”

After the final week of Global Dressage Festival in two weeks she will take the horses back to Europe and then return with Sir Donnerhall for the Omaha World Cup.

Germany’s Felicitas Hendricks on Drombusch, a 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding was runner-up on 71.523%. The 22-year-old rider began Big Tour on Drombusch in Wellington this year.

She has competed at the Global Dressage Festival since 2015 in youth divisions and took a break to complete college in Germany.

Spain’s Pablo Gomez Molina on the 13-year-old PRE gelding Ulises de Ymas, who won the Grand Prix for the Special on Wednesday, was third on 71.043%.

Results:

CDI5* Grand Prix Freestyle

CDI5* Grand Prix Special