Latest from Horse & Hound in Global-dressage-festival

‘His welfare is our top priority’: Olympic medallist withdraws from key World Cup event owing to colic

Polly Bryan — Thu, 09 Feb 2023 16:57:12 +0000

The USA’s top-ranked dressage combination, Adrienne Lyle and Salvino, have been forced to withdraw from this weekend’s World Cup qualifier in Wellington, Florida, after the 16-year-old Sandro Hit stallion suffered a “colic episode”.

Salvino and Adrienne, who are currently ranked eighth and 10th in the world respectively, were members of the US team who won silver at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. They also finished sixth individually at the World Dressage Championships in 2022.

They have proved to be on top form throughout the 2022/23 World Cup season so far, having won both qualifiers they have contested, scoring over 83% in each grand prix freestyle performance. A third victory this weekend at the Global Dressage Festival would have secured them a place at the World Cup Final, in Omaha, USA, in April.

“Unfortunately we have to withdraw Salvino from this week’s CDI-W competition. He is doing ok but had a colic episode and we don’t want to push him to go today,” said Adrienne.

“His welfare is always our top priority, so we will be packing up our tackroom set-up and heading home, but we wish the best of luck to all the other competitors and will be there to cheer them on.”

Adrienne is currently sixth in the World Cup standings for the North American League, with three spots available, and one more qualifier before the final, at Wellington in March.

The current league leader is Steffen Peters, who looks to have secured a ticket to Omaha with his Olympic team horse Suppenkasper, with Alice Tarjan and Sarah Tubman vying for places just behind him on the leaderboard. Adrienne is 20 points adrift of Steffen, and would have been hoping to draw level with him in the rankings with another qualifier win.

The World Cup qualifier gets under way with 13 combinations set to contest the grand prix today (9 February). Among the line-up is Britain’s Susan Pape with Harmony’s Eclectisch, as well as British-based Singaporean duo Caroline Chew and Tribiani.

You may also be interested in…

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Meet Adrienne Lyle: the USA’s top ranked dressage rider

Find out more about top rider Adrienne Lyle

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

‘He’s right there when you need him’: USA’s Adrienne Lyle leads World Dressage Championships grand prix special

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

7 things you didn’t know about Steffen Peters, from army service to famous owners

We find out more about Steffen Peters, who was born in Germany and has become one of the USA’s most

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

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

Meet the realtor whose horse connections helped steer the future of the Winter Equestrian Festival

Sarah Eakin — Sun, 03 Apr 2022 19:47:24 +0000

The village of Wellington, home to the Winter Equestrian Festival, is a realtor’s heaven (that’s an estate agent for those of you in the UK) and no one knows that better than Matt Johnson, whose combined interest in property and horses, brought prosperity to the area, with the advent of Andreas Helgstrand, CEO of Global Equestrian Group, owners of the newly-rebranded Wellington International showgrounds.

Matt started out as a working student for various grand prix and Olympic dressage riders, but not coming from money or a horsey family he quickly realised he would need to make some serious money if he wanted to ride so he acquired a real estate license in 1997.

By 2014 Matt’s real estate endeavours had paid off enough for him to travel to Denmark to purchase a four-year-old stallion from Helgstrand, Qasanova, who Matt has since brought up to grand prix level.

“Andreas had heard of Wellington but had not been here,” said Matt. “I told him ‘you should come and when you do I will give you a tour.’” Two years later Andreas took Matt up on his word and the rest, as they say, is history.

“He was really impressed and said I’ve got to be here next year,” said Matt. “Then we found a place to lease for three years and then we started looking at properties to purchase. In the beginning, we were looking at 10-acre properties and then his vision for what he could do here with his business started to evolve so then we started looking at 20-acre farms, 30-acre farms and ended up settling on Windsome, which was 80 acres. So it’s been exciting to work with him.”

It is one of many long standing relationships that has seen Matt rise to the top of his profession – serving now in the coveted position of a Private Office Advisor to luxury real estate company, Engel & Völkers.

“It was a natural progression,” said Matt, who works in his role as a realtor, while also riding and competing at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival. “I was able to tap into the network that I had built in those early years in Wellington. I would say 98% of my clients are connected to the horse industry.”

Wellington land prices have continued to rise over the years and more so since the pandemic.

“It started maybe six months into Covid,” said Matt of the recent property boom that has seen some property prices close to double in some cases. “I thought when Covid happened it was over – I was going to have to get a new job, but it went the total opposite. It started to really take off and about eight months ago it took another jump to a whole new level. It’s substantial – it depends what market and price point you’re looking at, but there has been a huge increase.”

Since the start of the pandemic Matt has closed over $176 million in sales, a clear indication that the once small town of Wellington continues to grow as a world destination for horse sport.

Top coach sees promise in US dressage pipeline and predicts exciting 2023 Global Dressage Festival

Sarah Eakin — Sat, 02 Apr 2022 07:55:51 +0000

According to US Dressage development coach, Charlotte Bredahl, the future’s looking bright based on the caliber of the riders and their horses currently enrolled in the programme that is aimed at producing combinations for future international competitions. She has been observing many of them during the course of the 2022 Global Dressage Festival.

“Fortunately, the majority of the riders and horses come to Florida in the winter,” she said. “I make a point of watching them all season when they’re showing.”

Charlotte herself competed on five horses up to grand prix and has among many other noteworthy achievements, one team bronze Olympic medal and team silver medal at the North-American Championships.

Leading rider, Laura Graves, is among the 20 individuals selected for the programme. “She was ranked number one in the world not too long ago,” said Charlotte. “And she’s coming up with a really really talented horse, SenSation HW.”

For Charlotte, the most satisfying aspect of the job is seeing the progress made by those on her watch. Ben Ebeling, 21, is a product of the pipeline, having started out as a young rider.

“One that stands out because he came up through the young rider programme and went very quickly up to the elite rider programme is Ben Ebeling,” she said. “He’s really been through the pipeline – that’s what we call it. We have the young rider programme and then we have the young horse programme and from there riders and horses can progress to the development programme and then hopefully on to the pre-elite and the elite.”

Currently, Charlotte believes the potential for results in finding international competitors is unprecedented. “We have many very talented combinations,” she said. “We’ve never had so many on their way up. Some of the combinations just need another year. All of them are showing that they will absolutely be at grand prix level. The majority of them are either getting really close to grand prix or they are showing grand prix.”

Next year’s Global Dressage Festival is going to be a benchmark for the progress of the development programme riders. “It will be very exciting to see them perform next winter season,” said Charlotte. “They are a super talented group.”

Teamwork makes the dream work for Harmony Sporthorses at the Global Dressage Festival

Sarah Eakin — Sat, 26 Mar 2022 20:23:06 +0000

Holland’s Luuk Mourits added to Harmony Sporthorses’ string of successes this season at the Global Dressage Festival, with his first international win yesterday aboard Harmony’s Sarotti OLD in the prix st georges CDI3*.

Luuk is one of a trio of international riders who winter in Wellington at the barn of Harmony owners Leslie and John Malone’s Four Winds Farm. His colleagues are Britain’s Susan Pape and Germany’s Michael Klimke, who has trained Luuk for some seven years.

“Overall, I must say we had the most successful season for Harmony Sporthorses,” said Michael. “We are a good team together, we all help each other. Teamwork makes the dream work.”

Luuk, 31, was the only non-American rider in the field and scored 71.147% with a high mark of more than 74% from judge Kurt Christensen.

“For me, it’s very special,” said Michael. “Next year Luuk will ride his first grand prix. He is one of the hardest workers – all day long he’s thinking about his horses. He’s really working hard for success. He started as a young horse rider to break horses in, some years ago. Then last year we heard the national anthem for the Netherlands in the stadium [at the Global Dressage Festival] – that gave us all goosebumps.”

Susan’s three horses in the mix were Harmony’s Eclectic, Harmony’s V-Plus, and Harmony’s Giulilanta. Susan had a notable season in Wellington with an exceptional showing in week three when she won the grand prix special CDI4* with Harmony’s Eclectisch posting a personal best. She then claimed a national prix st georges win on Harmony’s V-Plus. She also won on Harmony’s Giulilanta in the intermediate I CDI1*, with a test peppered with eights that handed victory to the 11-year-old Jazz daughter.

Highlight for Harmony Sporthorses – Michael Klimke and Harmony’s Sanrino RHP in the Nations Cup (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Michael meanwhile led Germany to victory in the Nations Cup aboard Harmony’s Sanrino RHP, a 13-year-old Oldenburg Stallion, with whom he has a significant connection. “He is really special,” said Michael. “I’m very optimistic with the horses that I have – the grand prix horses, but also the horses that are close to grand prix.”

Michael has been with the Malones and Harmony Sporthorses for 20 years, step by step, investing time in building up the horses to grand prix level. “Long-term relationships are one of the many secrets of success,” he said.

Musical magic rewarded with Global Dressage Festival’s highest ever score

Sarah Eakin — Sat, 26 Mar 2022 15:39:44 +0000

USA’s Adrienne Lyle and Salvino danced their way through the grand prix freestyle CDI4* at Global Dressage Festival’s “Friday Night Stars” to post the highest ever score recorded at the show – 85.58%. Entering the arena to Carly Simon’s Let The River Run, the stage was already set for a performance that proved hard to differentiate which came first – the music or the movements.

Adrienne, who scored two 10s for piaffe and another for music, said: “It was hands down the best feeling I’ve ever had in the ring in my life. Salvino just feels unbelievable. This is such a fun place to show. The crowd’s amazing and enthusiastic. The competition was super tonight; it was a magical evening.”

Adrienne had updated the freestyle music, put together by Terri Gallo, since last performing to it with Salvino at Aachen in July 2019.

“Salvino had a rest after Tokyo, and he’s back and he truly feels better than ever,” said Adrienne of Betsy Juliano LLC’s 15-year-old stallion by Sandro Hit, with whom she was on the Olympic silver medal-winning team. “To end on this high note here for our Wellington season is really wonderful.

“We’re hoping to head to Europe and do a selection show there with our sights set on trying to qualify for the team for the dressage World Championships [in Denmark in August], which would be our big goal. He’s proven that he doesn’t need to go a whole lot. He’s always there when we want him to be, so we’ll respect that of him.”

The previous record of 84.975% had been held by USA’s Laura Graves and Verdades since March 2018.

Bruce Springsteen, who personally approved the use of his music, also featured in Adrienne and Salvino’s crowd-pleasing performance, which included a curving line of 17 clean one-time changes.

Compatriot Sarah Tubman pulled off a personal best of 78.205% on First Apple, Summit Farm’s 12-year-old by Vivaldi, to claim second place. Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu and All In — who represented Canada in Tokyo — took third with 77.01%.

Winter Equestrian Festival’s home to be renamed in plan to create ‘world’s leading and most attractive venue’

Sarah Eakin — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 18:16:36 +0000

Palm Beach International Equestrian Center – home to the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) – is about to be renamed.

“We know it will take some getting used to, but we are very excited to reveal our new venue name this weekend,” said Michael Stone, President of Equestrian Sport Productions, with the announcement scheduled ahead of the 7.30pm start time for the $140,000 1.50m Series Final Classic CSI4* at the showground’s Saturday Night Lights event.

“The Palm Beach International Equestrian Center [PBIEC] is a storied facility, but the name is quite a mouthful and we have found it can be confusing to non-equestrians, who expect the facility to be located on Palm Beach Island,” Michael said.

The village of Wellington, where PBIEC is located, is some 17 miles inland from the island of Palm Beach.

Wellington’s claim to equestrian fame started in 1977 when polo pioneer Bill Ylvisaker bought 2000 acres of what was essentially wild and untamed marsh on the edge of the Florida Everglades and turned it into the internationally-renowned Palm Beach Polo and Country Club. High goal polo paved the way for Wellington to become an epicenter of winter equestrian activity, giving rise to both the Global Dressage Festival and the Winter Equestrian Festival.

“Now that the property has grown in popularity and is well-known, we are pleased to enter our next chapter with our new owners, Global Equestrian Group,” said Michael. “One of our first steps to advance the venue is to change our name to something that we feel is more modern and will open the facility to additional ventures.”

Global Equestrian Group acquired PBIEC in July of last year. Their first move was to conduct a survey in August to give them feedback from both riders and spectators. “We drew up a huge list of things we want to change, and we started prioritizing what is most important and working on it,” Global Equestrian Group CEO Andreas Helgstrand, said as WEF got underway in January.

“Currently, we are working on a five-year plan on the development of the whole facility. We cannot change everything in six months, not even in 18 months. We want to enhance WEF and maintain our position as the main event in this sport. Our ambition is to make it the world’s leading and most attractive venue.”

Father and son win at the Global Dressage Festival with Europe next stop

Sarah Eakin — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 15:14:09 +0000

Ben Ebeling is planning a campaign across the pond after last weekend’s personal best that brought him a win in the grand prix freestyle CDIO3* at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival with a commanding 78.41%. British Olympic judge Stephen Clarke awarded Ben and Indeed, Vantage Equestrian Group II LLC’s 14-year-old mare by Hofrat, over 80%.

“I knew that coming into this week, I had some difficult competition in this individual final, and I wanted to crank up the difficulty with Indeed,” said California-based Ben, 23, who rode to a freestyle put together by Karen Robinson, initially for his other horse Illuster Van De Kampert. “This is the first time that she [Indeed] had ridden through it. It’s been a long season, but it means a lot to end it off with a win. And I have to thank my coaches; my dad [Jan] and Christoph Koschel.

“I’m really hoping to take Indeed to Europe, do a couple of competitions out there, and continue developing her. She continues to get better every week, and it’s really fun to see.”

Fellow USA rider Katie Duerrhammer clinched second, riding Quartett to 75.09%, with Germany’s Michael Klimke third on Harmony’s Sanrino RHP with 73.78%.

Michael was riding Harmony’s Sanrino RHP, a 13-year-old stallion by San Remo, in his first-ever freestyle at the level. This was only their third big tour CDI together.

“This was Sanrino’s first time doing three classes [at one show] and today the horse gave everything,” said Michael.

Jan Ebeling thinks the Future Challenge classes are “a wonderful idea”. (Image credit: Meg McGuire Photography LLC)

In the Future Challenge classes at the Global Dressage Festival, Jan Ebeling, Ben’s father, took full advantage of the final qualifying opportunity in the prix st georges series, topping the class with 71.911% on Zitat. Both Jan and second-placed Jaime Dancer, who scored 71.519% on Supremont, earned places in the grand final this week.

These classes aim to identify up-and-coming young FEI horses. “I love this series,” said Jan. “It’s such a wonderful idea. It’s really something that I hope will catch on in this country because these types of classes are so big in Europe. It’s an awesome class. We need to promote the young horses just like we need to promote our up-and-coming riders.”

Disneyland beckons after rider claims three wins in one week at Adequan Global Dressage Festival

Sarah Eakin — Sun, 20 Mar 2022 16:40:53 +0000

USA’s Charlotte Jorst and her longtime partner, Kastel’s Nintendo, claimed another win at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival in the FEI grand prix special CDI3*, landing a score of 72.936% that saw the crowd go wild.

“When I came up that last centerline, people were screaming and people were cheering,” said Charlotte. “It was just a really, really fun weekend altogether. It’s so fun to inspire other people. Nintendo was that special. He was just incredible,” she said of the 19-year-old KWPN stallion by Negro x Monaco. “In the test, I kept going and going, and he was always completely in front of my leg. I’ve never had so much energy in Nintendo, ever – in his whole career.”

Today the Danish-born dressage rider is off to Disneyland with her daughter and grandchildren and is “looking forward to not having anything horsey for a few days because it’s very intense.”

Nintendo’s win yesterday marked his final appearance in Wellington this winter, rounding off a season in which the pair have won four of their six starts.

On Thursday not only did she win the grand prix CDI3* (for special) with Nintendo, but she also captured the CDI3* FEI prix st georges, with Zhaplin Langholt.

While Charlotte’s at Disneyland both horses will be enjoying some much-needed downtime.

“They can have a few days of doing nothing and they can think about how great they were,” said Charlotte. “I think they do that. With Nintendo I am one hundred percent sure. He knows that he has won. He also knows if he comes third and he’s not happy. At the five-star he was third and he didn’t love it.

“He knows when he has won, he knows when he has not won. He grows by 10 centimeters when he knows he has won.”

Less than 2% splits top two nations in FEI Nations Cup at Global Dressage Festival

Sarah Eakin — Sat, 19 Mar 2022 13:37:25 +0000

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.”

You may also find interesting…

(Image credit: Susan J Stickle)

Klimke scores personal best in Nations Cup after lightning storm halts competition

(Image credit: Susan J Stickle)

Frederic Wandres pledges prize money from Palm Beach dressage derby to support the Ukraine

(Image credit: Susan J Stickle)

‘Taming the tiger – he had so much power’: rider reaches personal milestone as Nations Cup gets underway

(Image credit: Susan J Stickle)

Klimke scores personal best in Nations Cup after lightning storm halts competition

Sarah Eakin — Fri, 18 Mar 2022 17:00:42 +0000

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.”

You may also find interesting…

(Image credit: SusanLStickler.com)

‘Taming the tiger – he had so much power’: rider reaches personal milestone as Nations Cup gets underway

(Image credit: SusanLStickler.com)

Frederic Wandres pledges prize money from Palm Beach dressage derby to support the Ukraine

(Image credit: SusanLStickler.com)

Frederic Wandres and Guenter Seidel among leading riders taking the arena for Palm Beach Derby

(Image credit: SusanLStickler.com)

‘Taming the tiger – he had so much power’: rider reaches personal milestone as Nations Cup gets underway

Sarah Eakin — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 15:42:17 +0000

Today sees the start of the CDIO3* Nations Cup at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival in Palm Beach, Florida. Susan Dutta is no stranger to Nations Cup teams, but this one will be special as she reaches a milestone with Don Design DC, selected to represent the USA on a horse she bought as a five-year-old and has been on a journey with ever since.

“He was a project,” she said. “This particular horse, he’s not always been the easiest along the way.” Susan studied under Rudolf Zeilinger in Europe so that she could make her own horses. “I am very grateful for that and most of the time I buy horses and make them.”

She enlisted the help of Holga Finken in Germany in the early days of training Don Design DC. “He was probably the most influential in helping me make him,” Susan said. “The horse was a bit scary to ride – he had so much power – and he did a really good job of taming the tiger.”