Carl Hester demonstrated outstanding horsemanship to take the lead in the grand prix on Fame at the European Dressage Championships after the third rider rotation. His 76.09% score has given Britain a whisker of a lead over Germany, with just one rider left to go in each of the teams.

“I am just thrilled – he’s such a genuine horse,” said Carl. “He’s fun to ride in a grand prix because he doesn’t run out of energy. He’s the most consistent horse, scoring 77% or nearly that every time this year.

“I’m really happy, and happy that Lottie has a bit less pressure heaped on her. And it’s great for the sport. They’re all good horses, could all be amazing or all make mistakes. It’s going to be an exciting afternoon.”

How Carl Hester’s grand prix went at the European Dressage Championships

The crowds were out in force to watch Carl, at his 13th European Championship, which might not have been in Fame’s favour but the pair exhibited a masterclass of harmony despite the distractions.

Carl’s relieved smile at the final halt told the story. After a tidy start, his scores briefly dropped to sixth place, well below his grand prix average. But Carl drew on all the trust he has built up with the Bordeaux stallion and conjured up an amazing final section, with fabulous pirouettes boosting the pair into the lead.

“Fame is always looking [around] a bit, which is why the special can be more difficult for him as everything is next to the wall,” said Carl.

“There’s always something that could be better – sometimes it can be more harmonious and when you’re trying not to make mistakes you get a bit tighter than normal, but he did everything and he has so many highlights.”

Germany leaves the door open

Frederic Wandres kept the competition between Germany and Britain tight at the top, scoring just 0.1% below Becky Moody on 74.72%. With this mark a touch below their grand prix average of around 76%, this has kept the door open for a British charge.

“It depends on the last riders now, it’s very close – if Lottie [Fry] and Isabell [Werth] both go clean, perhaps it is a question of taste,” Frederic said.

Frederic rode a bold and forward test, eking out every mark on his long-term partner Bluetooth OLD. This lovely Bordeaux gelding goes in a crisp tempo, and while his extensions were particularly good, he scored consistently across the board. His only blips were a couple of small mistakes in one and two tempis.

“Carl is always strong and his test was mistake-free, while mine was good but can be better,” said Frederic. “I made a few mistakes here and there, so I knew it wasn’t perfect and cost us points we don’t want to lose, but it was still a good enough score.

“I was happy the horse was fresh and now I will concentrate on the special. I’ll focus on the changes but I won’t make a big deal about it because they are normally fine.”

Leaderboard changes at the European Dressage Championships

The blue-blooded Total Hope OLD, ridden by Norway’s Isabel Freese, was the first to make an impact on the leaderboard on day two of the grand prix. They scored 74.15% to move into fifth at this stage, just behind Frederic.

“I had a super feeling, he was fresh and hot but still with me and gave me a really nice light ride,” said Norway’s sole rider Isabel of the stallion, who juggles breeding and competition duties.

“I tried to enjoy it! I’m very proud of him. I try not to think of how amazing he is, the great son from Totilas and Weihegold. He trusts me and I trust him and it‘s just fun to ride him.”

The world number sevens were exceptional in the piaffe-passage and tempi changes, with super cadence and spring. The walk and halts are still his weak point, but this stallion is really starting to fulfil the expectations of his pedigree.

At the end of the third rider rotation at the European Dressage Championships, Frederic lies in fourth for Germany. Britain’s Carl Hester and Becky Moody are first and third, sandwiching Katharina Hemmer in second for Germany.

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Germany’s Frederic Wandres has paid tribute to his “game-changing” grand prix dressage star Duke Of Britain FRH on the gelding’s retirement from competition.

The pair sprang into the limelight in 2018 with wins and top placings at major shows and World Cup classes across Europe in their first season at international grand prix.

They capped their breakthrough year with the “very nice Christmas present” of winning the World Cup freestyle at Olympia on +80% – returning to London in 2019 and 2021, to be placed on both occasions.

The now 18-year-old (by Dimaggio), bred in Britain by the Pidgley family, was part of the bronze medal-winning German side at the 2022 World Championships. He officially retired in a ceremony at Frankfurt CDI before Christmas.

“You give us so many beautiful memories of the international arenas all over the world,” said Frederic, who was on the team that won Olympic gold in Paris with his other ride, Bluetooth OLD.

“We grew up together – you opened all the doors for us – you also let Bluetooth grow up in your shadow.

“By far you were not only a partner from a sporting point of view, but a real family horse to this day and hopefully for a long time to come. You inspire everyone from young to old.”

He added: “Now you’re turning 18 years old and you’re already spending a lot of time in the field with your pony gang – here you have to learn the hierarchy all over again, even if you were our king in the arena. Ringo, 31 years old, still has the say here.

“I hope that we can give you the best time here with us and that you really enjoy your retirement.

“You have been our game-changer.”

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Frederic Wandres has secured himself a place in the Paris Olympic dressage individual medal decider – and got Germany’s team hopes off to a solid start – thanks to a 76.12% score in the grand prix test with Bluetooth OLD.

This score was good enough for second in the group B session, which was topped by Denmark’s Daniel Bachmann and Vayron. The top two from each group in the grand prix, along with the next six highest overall ranked pairs, advance to the freestyle.

Frederic and the experienced 14-year-old Oldenburg gelding were rewarded with mostly 8s and 7.5s throughout, but marks were lost during the one-time tempi changes, with the judge at H scoring them a 5. The final halt earned the pair two 9s.

Frederic said “Bluetooth” was “feeling good”.

“In the beginning I was thinking hopefully he doesn’t find the first impression of the atmosphere too much and get a little bit too excited, but it was perfectly the right level of how it has to be,” he said.

The established pair were part of Germany’s silver medal-winning team at the 2023 Europeans, and Frederic speaks fondly of the connection they have built together.

“He is a very sensitive horse, if something changes in the environment he picks up on those things. I’ve known him now a pretty long time and the better you know your horse, the more you can react to those situations. And this helps you when you get to an atmosphere like this,” he said.

“We love our horses as if they were children. We do it for the love and the passion”.

The grand prix acts at the qualifying competition for both the grand prix special (for the team medals) and the grand prix freestyle, which decides the individual medals. The top 10-ranked teams once all the scores have been combined after the grand prix will move on to the special, including those tied for 10th place.

Discussing Germany’s chances in the Paris Olympics dressage, Frederic is quietly confident but said they have to deliver in the special.

“I think that was a good start for the team, and I can be happy to be in the team with Jessica [von Bredow-Werndl] and Isabel [Werth] – they’re some of the most most experienced people in those dressage arenas and Jessica is world number one,” said Frederic.

“Together we are a super strong team. How it ends tomorrow after the grand prix maybe will kind of show a little bit in which direction we’re heading, but we have to all go in again starting on zero. I know that I will go more than all in!”

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Four combinations have been selected as nominated entries for the German dressage team at the European Dressage Championships this September, to be held at Riesenbeck, Germany.

Definite entries for the championships are not expected to be confirmed until the middle of August, but the German Olympic Committee for Equestrianism has listed just four riders on the home side’s “longlist”, along with three reserve combinations.

Germany are the reigning European champions, having won gold at Hagen in 2021, as well as at Rotterdam in 2019. Germany also won team bronze at last year’s World Dressage Championships, behind Denmark and Britain.

The nominated entries for the German dressage team at the 2023 European Dressage Championships are:

Jessica von Bredow-Werndl with 16-year-old mare TSF Dalera BB

Owner: Béatrice A. Buerchler-Keller

Breeder: Silke Druckenmüller

Breeding: by Easy Game, out of a mare by Handryk

Sönke Rothenberger with nine-year-old stallion Fendi

Owner: Rothenberger family

Breeder: Danish Derby Horse Shows ApS

Breeding: by Franklin out of a mare by Diamond

Frederic Wandres with 13-year-old gelding Bluetooth OLD

Owner: Hof Kasselmann

Breeder: Gestüt Lewitz

Breeding: by Bordeaux out of a mare by Riccione

Frederic Wandres with 16-year-old gelding Duke Of Britain FRH (reserve horse)

Owner: Hof Kasselmann

Breeder: Pidgley family

Breeding: by Dimaggio out of a mare by Rubinstein

Isabell Werth with 13-year-old gelding DSP Quantaz 

Owner: Victoria Max-Theurer and Madeleine Winter-Schulze

Breeder: Kathrin Damm

Breeding: by Quaterback out of a mare by Hohenstein 4

The following combinations are listed as reserves:

Matthias Alexander Rath with 10-year-old stallion Thiago GS

Owner: Gestüt Schafhof

Breeder: Gestüt Schafhof

Breeding: by Totilas out of a mare by Warkant

Katharina Hemmer with 11-year-old stallion Denoix PCH

Owner: Nancy Gooding

Breeder: Friedrich Kuhlmann

Breeding: by Destano out of a mare by Pik Noir

Bianca Nowag-Aulenbrock with 11-year-old mare Florine OLD

Owner: Elisabeth von Wulffen

Breeder: Klaus Gustenberg

Breeding: by Foundation out of a mare by Lauries Crusador XX

The European Dressage Championships take place from 4 to 10 September, with the European Para Dressage Championships running alongside at Riesenbeck, Germany.

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The German team has been announced for the dressage World Championships in Herning, Denmark, in August.

Germany are the defending champions, having won team gold at the World Equestrian Games in 2018. A German team has also won gold at every major championship since, but the line-up for this year’s team looks rather different to recent years, with two team rookies among the riders, alongside a German team stalwart and an eventing multi-Olympian making her dressage championship debut.

The following combinations have been selected for the German team at the dressage World Championships:

Ingrid Klimke with 14-year-old stallion Franziskus 15

Owner: Wilhelm Holkenbrink

Breeder: Elisabeth Albers (GER)

Breeding: by Fidertanz, out of Antara, by Alabaster

Frederic Wandres with 15-year-old gelding Duke Of Britain FRH

Owner: Hof Kasselmann

Breeder: Sarah and Tony Pidgley (GBR)

Breeding: by Dimaggio, out of Real Gold, by Rubinstein

Frederic Wandres with 12-year-old gelding Bluetooth OLDOwner: Hof KasselmannBreeder: Gestüt Lewitz (GER)Breeding: by Bordeaux, out of Lorena, by Riccione

Benjamin Werndl with 13-year-old gelding Famoso OLDOwner: Benjamin, Klaus Werndl and Flora KellerBreeder: Lambertus SchniederBreeding: by Farewell III, out of Donna Weltina, by Welt Hit II

Benjamin Werndl with 18-year-old gelding Daily MirrorOwner: Benjamin, Klaus Werndl and Flora KellerBreeder: Dieter KellermannBreeding: by Damon Hill, out of Fiedergirl II, by Florestan I

Isabell Werth with 12-year-old stallion DSP Quantaz

Owner: Victoria Max-Theurer and Madeleine Winter-Schulze

Breeder: Kathrin Damm (GER)

Breeding: by Quaterback, out of Piroschka, by Hohenstein 4

It will be decided closer to the time which horse Frederic and Benjamin, both championship debutants, will ride. Dorothee Schneider and Faustus have also been listed as team reserve.

Ingrid Klimke will make her dressage championship debut following an illustrious eventing career. She has won gold medals at world and Olympic level and was European champion in 2017 and 2019 with SAP Hale Bob OLD.

This will be Isabell Werth’s seventh dressage world championship, and she is also the reigning individual world champion. She will be riding a team debutante in Quantaz, who has taken over the mantle as her top ride this year after the retirement of her two top mares, Bella Rose – with whom she took double gold at WEG in 2018 – and Weihegold OLD.

Isabell’s season with Quantaz has been somewhat chequered: they have previously posted almost 78% in the grand prix, but were eliminated under blood rules at CHIO Aachen, and scored a below-par 69.48% on their last international outing at Kronberg CDI4* in mid-July.

Germany will be without the reigning Olympic and European champion, Benjamin’s sister Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, who is due to have her second baby in August, as well as Dorothee Schneider’s top horse Showtime FRH, but all four selected riders have a horse capable of scoring in the mid to high 70s for the grand prix test, meaning this German side is sure to prove competitive.

This year, home side Denmark will start the competition as favourites for team gold. The British team for Herning is set to be announced this week, following the release of the nominated entry list.

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The pressure was on Christoph Koschel as Germany took the win in the FEI Nations Cup CDIO3* at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival for the second year in a row.

Christoph was unaware of what he needed to score in order to propel Germany to the top spot on the podium. He pointed out an expensive mistake in the half-pass.

“I knew that my score would drop a lot,” he acknowledged. “I was aware that there was no mistake allowed in the canter, so I tried to do my best there. It worked out.”

Leading the team as a rider as well as the chef d’equipe was Michael Klimke alongside teammates Christoph, Lars Ligus, and Frederic Wandres.

“Last year it was a really big surprise, and it motivated us for this year,” Michael said. “We all had a top day yesterday, and today it got very close again, a little bit like last year where Christoph had to ride to a certain point to win. It was a lot of fun to ride here again with these colleagues. We are very happy that we won.”

Germany took the top spot with a final team score of 433.337%, while the team from USA were just behind in 432.265% for silver. Canada won the bronze medal with 409.091% in a contest over two days.

“The first day, I had a really good and clear test. I was very happy,” said Michael, who said Harmony’s Sanrino RHP is competing in only its third CDI.

“He’s a little bit nervous. I must say I was also really happy until the half-pass to the right,” he said of yesterday’s performance attaining scores of 72.652% in the grand prix CDIO3* and 70.755% in the grand prix special CDIO3* (both scores including the +1.5% for competing in the large tour classes).

“I lost it a little bit in the change to the right,” he continued. “I was a bit disorganized. He’s already 13, but he has not much experience. I was more happy with my horse today than with me.”

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Michael Klimke pulled off a personal best with Harmony’s Sanrino RHP of 71.152% as Germany established the lead over the USA and Canada on day one of the FEI Nations Cup CDIO3* at the Global Dressage Festival.

Lightning strikes closed the showground during the grand prix and Michael was among the riders forced to wait out the weather.

“They had to stop the tests, so Michael had to go back to the barn and wait for an hour,” said team mate Frederic Wandres. “The temperature fell from 31 to the higher 20sm but you felt the difference and it is not easy for some horses. But he had a very nice test and I felt very happy for him – he showed beautiful piaffes.”

Frederic was second with Dolciario in the prix st-georges CDIO3* to USA’s Bianca Berktold on Imperial. Frederic’s compatriot Lars Ligus placed third on Soccer City.

“It was Las’ international prix st-georges debut on a horse he rode just four times before,” said Frederic. “He had a really nice score and without mistakes. And also Dolciario is just eight years old and it was his second international prix st georges so I had a small mistake, but he showed a very fancy and expressive trot – also in the extended walk he got an average of 8.4.”

The format at the Global Dressage Festival allows teams to combine small tour and grand prix combinations, with the latter garnering a 1.5% bonus for the more difficult test. Thursday’s action included prix st georges and grand prix, with small tour riders progressing to the intermediate I test today, and the big tour riders tackling the grand prix special, after which the team medals will be awarded.

“It’s the second day and everyone has to start new,” said Frederic. “Dolciaro is not that experienced on the intermediate I level, and Lars’ horse too. Everyone has to handle the situation again from the beginning and then we will see – fingers crossed.”

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Germany’s Frederic Wandres sent a visual and financial message of support to the Ukraine yesterday riding in the Palm Beach Derby at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival with the Ukrainian national flag on his back and pledging his prize money to help the Ukraine.

“To be honest, I don’t know yet how much money it is,” said Frederic, who was edged out of victory by Ben Ebeling after they both rode prix st georges tests on Harold Denton’s eight-year-old Danish gelding Atterupgaards Belafonte. “But it doesn’t matter. Every Euro is important!

“The Ukrainian horse community survives in normal days from giving riding lessons… at the moment the stalls are bombed and burned down and a lot of horses have no food for many days. It’s important to do the the best we can to support them because we are safe here and having a good life so we have to give something back.”

Second to go against Frederic in the derby final ride-off, Ben achieved a 71.838% out of the son of Bellissimo M, eclipsing the 70.698% laid down by Frederic in a contest that for the first time had spectator scoring count for 25 percent of the total.

Ben, 23, is the youngest ever participant in the derby. “I think it’s about showing your mastership of the skills of dressage,” said Ben of the challenge of just five minutes familiarisation with the horse before the test. “I was confident, but of course I had some really good competitors, not to mention Freddie, who has literally beaten me 20 times in a row. So it was nice to finally beat him.”

“The derby thing should always be fun,” said Frederic, “For sure we are all competitors, and everyone wants to win, but my message yesterday was this flag on my back for Ukraine. We are having a good time here, but for other people and other horses, it’s very difficult at the moment. Especially for us in Germany, we are way closer to that whole thing, and the whole world needs to support them. For me, it was important.”

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USA’s upcoming dressage riders Anna Buffini and Ben Ebeling will go up against each other in today’s opening knock-out round of the Palm Beach Dressage Derby at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival, just down the road from the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida.

The leading rider will take on the winner of the match-up between veteran US rider Guenter Seidel and on-form Frederic Wandres of Germany. Ben, if he wins, is torn as to who he would rather face in the final.

“I’ve always wanted to ride against Guenter,” Ben,22, said. “But I’ve always been riding against Freddy. But Freddy keeps beating me so at the end of the day I just want to have one more chance of beating Freddy.”

Ben, who has watched his father, Olympian Jan Ebeling, and trainer Christoph Koschel, compete in the Derby over the years, is taking on the challenge for the first time.

“I’ve always wanted to do it because I ride so many horses a day, I’d really like to try horses that I haven’t ridden before and see if I can make them look good.”

With five minutes familiarisation with a horse, new to both riders, they will each ride a prix st georges test to be judged by three judges and an arena full of spectators, whose input counts for 25 percent of the overall score – a new twist added this year.

“I think it’s very interesting that the spectator judging is taken into account this time,” said Ben. “Somebody posted on social media – ‘give them all 10s!’. It’s the first 100 percent that you could ever have. It’s fun for the crowd and it’s really cool for the sport too.”

Ben has some planned exercises to implement during the five-minute familiarisation ahead of the Palm Beach Dressage Derby, including trot-canter transitions and flying changes.

“There’s not much you can change during that [five-minute] ride,” he said. “You kind of have to get the feeling of the horse and go with it.”

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Guenter Seidel, Frederic Wandres, Ben Ebeling and Anna Buffini ride off in Friday’s Palm Beach Derby at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) in Wellington, a venue close to the Winter Equestrian Festival.

“I am really excited and looking forward to the weekend,” said Frederic. “I think it’s important to enjoy it and see it as a little bit of a fun thing.”

The draw takes place on Thursday to see who goes against who in the virtual semi-finals. Riders have five minutes of familiarisation with the horses before performing a prix st georges level test. Frederic has some experience of derbies, having won the Hamburg Derby in 2019 and also the German championships derby. In spite of this, he knows he has tough opposition.

“I know that my competitors are also very talented and experienced riders. So I think it’s a nice combination and we will see how it goes,” he said.

The Palm Beach Derby has been running for over 30 years, making it the oldest dressage contest in Wellington. Friday’s competition includes the four riders and three horses, with the winners of the first round riding off against each other in the final on a new horse as part of the “Friday Night Stars” spectacle. Crowd participation is added to the equation with spectators’ scoring supplying 25% of the final score.

“The crowd love it,” said AGDF director of sport, Thomas Baur. “And also the people on the livestream. We have three judges giving their scores and the spectators giving their scores. The spectator scores are always close; there are only rare cases where they really do not agree with the judges. I think the tendency overall is that they [the spectators] are a bit more generous but if you look at the individual ride, then they might be lower, but it’s combined with a lot of people so they might be right!”

Horse & Hound will be continuing to bring you all the action from the Winter Equestrian Festival this week.

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US and Germany take first five-star wins at Adequan Global Dressage Festival

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Frederic Wandres and Bluetooth OLD ended their winning CDI5* grand prix freestyle test last night in the international arena at the home of the Winter Equestrian Festival with a crowd-pleasing one-handed centre line passage.

“I think as a rider you know that it must have been not that bad when the crowd is already clapping on the last center line,” said Frederic. “And it always also pushes the horses a little bit more to come out of themselves and shine. I’m always willing to say thank you to the crowd. I think it really worked out and he showed all his qualities in passage.”

In “Friday Night Stars” showcase, part of the 2022 Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF), Frederic won the freestyle, presented by CaptiveOne Advisors, with a score of 81.165%. Belgium’s Laurence Vanommeslaghe filled second with an energetic performance on Edison (79.430%) and Spain’s Juan Matute Guimón finished third on Quantico (78.925%).

“Bluetooth is getting better and better,” said Frederic of the 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding by Bordeaux, with whom he also won Wednesday night’s grand prix freestyle. “I’m super happy about his development here in the Wellington season. For him, the season is finished now, and he has a few more weeks here to rest a little bit and enjoy the Florida sun before he goes home. Then we are looking forward, and trying to take these things which we have achieved and developed here, together with us to Europe.” Next stop is the CDI4* at Horses and Dreams in Hagen. “It’s the first selection view for the German World Equestrian Games team,” explained Frederic.

USA Olympic team silver medalists, Adrienne Lyle and Salvino, also made it two wins from two starts this week when claiming the grand prix special CDI5*, presented by Havensafe Farm. The 15-year-old stallion by Sandro Hit posted 79.511%, with a high score of 81.489% from judge Monique Peutz-Vegter.

Showcasing dressage at the Winter Equestrian Festival this week was a new venture for the AGDF. “I always wanted to have a change of venue so that the horses see something different, so I’m really happy,” said the Festival’s director of sport, Thomas Baur.

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US and Germany take first five-star wins at Adequan Global Dressage Festival

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Germany’s Frederic Wandres and Bluetooth OLD go third to last in tonight’s grand prix freestyle at the Winter Equestrian Festival showgrounds and Frederic is hoping for a back-to-back win, while recognising that the competition is wide open.

“I hope everything comes together fine, but the cards are newly mixed,” said Frederic, 35, who will be one of 13 riders lining up as dressage takes top billing for the second time this week at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Centre, USA. “Everyone has the same chance again so everyone has to be in competition mode – also me. But I am looking forward to it,” he said.

Wednesday night’s victory came on the back of a personal best of 74.631%, giving Frederic the fourth win of five starts at the Global Dressage Festival in Wellington, Florida. After the ribbons had been distributed, he knew he could not rest on his laurels. “I saw some other riders with nice tests today,” he said at the time. “Maybe they had a little mistake here or there, but they can also develop for Friday. The challenge is on.”

Frederic cited the atmosphere in the international arena at the Winter Equestrian Festival as “amazing”, and knows his horse is relatively new to the limelight. “He has not had that much experience with super crowded arenas as we have been in partnership for less than a year,” he said of the 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding by Bordeaux, who is owned by Elena Knyaginicheva and Sergey Knyaginichev. 

The German rider also knows that tonight’s setting can be an asset in lifting performance. “The Americans are always creating a super atmosphere,” he said. “We love to be here. Most of the horses love to be in an atmosphere, and they really feel it. They like it and they push a little bit and feel like, ‘Now I want to shine and that is our moment’. For sure the horses can bring it into the arena and use it for shining better and being more impressive.”

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Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Germany’s Frederic Wandres and Bluetooth OLD set a personal best to finish grand prix for freestyle winners as the 2022 Adequan Global Dressage Festival began week seven yesterday evening with five-star competition at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, home to the Winter Equestrian Festival, Wellington, USA.

US 2020 Olympic team silver medalist Adrienne Lyle and Betsy Juliano LLC’s Salvino were victorious in the grand prix for special CDI5*, presented by Havensafe Farm.

“I’m very happy. I had no mistakes at all, and he gave me a super feeling,” said Frederic of the 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding by Bordeaux, owned by Elena Knyaginicheva and Sergey Knyaginichev, who scored a personal best of 74.631%, to pick up their fourth win of five starts at the Global Dressage Festival, ahead of 12 other strong contenders.

“It was our personal best and at a five-star, that is really what I’m looking for. We have been building him up at the season here. Now delivering that score is what I’m looking for daily. That makes our whole team completely happy.”

Up-and-coming American star Benjamin Ebeling celebrated a second-place finish with Illuster Van De Kampert, ACR Enterprises Inc.’s 14-year-old Belgian warmblood gelding by Spielberg, on a score of 72.478%. Another American rider, Charlotte Jorst, filled the podium by scoring 71.674% with her own Kastel’s Nintendo, a 19-year-old KWPN stallion by Negro.

In their first competition since the 2020 Tokyo Olympics last August, Adrienne Lyle and Salvino set the winning tone with a score of 76.500% in the grand prix for special CDI5*, presented by Havensafe Farm. Fellow American Ashley Holzer rode her own Valentine, a 12-year-old Hanoverian mare by Donnerhall I, to second place with a score of 70.696%. Seven-time Swedish Olympian Tinne Vilhelmson Silfvén and Lövsta Stuteri AB’s Devanto, a 13-year-old Holsteiner gelding by De Chirico, were third with 68.739%.

“Honestly, I think that’s one of his better tests we’ve ever done,” said Adrienne. “I was really happy with it. It may not have been our best score posted, but I just went back and watched the video and I’m thrilled with him and the feeling.”

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now