For Immediate Release
Deirdre Sullivan for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
Wellington, FL – February 7, 2019 – Week 5 of the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) started on Thursday, February 7, with CDI5* dressage competition at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, Florida. The week features the “Friday Night Stars” on Friday, February 8, with the FEI Grand Prix Special CDI5*, presented by the Palm Beach Equine Clinic and the FEI Grand Prix Freestyle CDI5*, presented by CaptiveOne Advisors.
Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu and All In Sparkle With Win in the FEI Grand Prix CDI5*
Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu (CAN) and All In won the FEI Grand Prix CDI5, presented by CaptiveOne Advisors, to qualify for the five-star freestyle on Friday night. The pair earned a score of 71.304%.
Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu and All In in their winning ride in the FEI Grand Prix for the Freestyle CDI5*, presented by CaptiveOne Advisors. ©SusanStickle.com
“I was really pleased with my test today. This year I’m not going to the Pan Ams because I’m pregnant, and I wanted to really just focus on nit-picking the movements apart to see where I can get more points. It’s paying off,” said Frasier, who competed for Canada at the FEI World Equestrian Games Tryon 2018 (WEG). “The last show and this show have been probably my best Grand Prix [tests] that I’ve ever had. So I’m really thankful for that.”
“The first part I thought was pretty strong – the trot, the half passes – my piaffe I thought is getting better. My changes were also much better,” commented Frasier about her test. “The whole thing just seemed easier. He’s a big horse, and it takes a lot of energy to get through the Grand Prix, and everything just started to feel a little bit easier, which is nice.”
Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu and All In in their winning presentation with Allyn Mann of Adequan, Olga Harstock of CaptiveOne Advisors, Judge at C Janet Foy, Amanda Luby of CaptiveOne Advisors, and Lisa Goretta, FEI Chief Steward. ©SusanStickle.com
This might have been Frasier’s last competition before her pregnancy. “I feel fine, the doctor says I’m fine, but I’m just going to take it as it comes. Ideally I would love to do Nations Cup, but I can’t say yes or no to that right now,” added Frasier. “I think the highest score I’ve gotten in my freestyle is almost 77%. I would love to beat that score. I really love riding my freestyle and coming out here on Friday night with the atmosphere. It’s really a fun time.”
Second place went to Katherine Bateson-Chandler (USA) and Alcazar, a 14-year-old KWPN gelding by Cantango owned by Jane Forbes Clark, with a score of 70.696%.
Katherine Bateson-Chandler and Alcazar in their second place ride in the FEI Grand Prix for the Freestyle CDI5*, presented by CaptiveOne Advisors. ©SusanStickle.com
“He wanted to be quite hot today, which he goes back and forth from being hot. I’m going to make sure that I give him a little ride in the morning tomorrow to see how electric he’s feeling,” commented Bateson-Chandler about Alcazar. “I’ll make sure that I have him in the right spot for tomorrow night to give everyone a run for their money I hope.”
“Brittany and I, we did the first International II at the national side at the same time, and we did our first Grand Prix at the same time on the national side,” Bateson-Chandler pointed out. “I always group those two horses [All In and Alcazar] together for some reason, because they did their first international together at the same time and they sort of came up on the same trajectory together.
“We both sort of struggled a little at the beginning and now they’re both 14 and both coming into their prime. You know it just takes that long,” added Bateson-Chandler.
Yvonne Losos De Muniz (DOM) and Foco Loco W, her 14-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding by Sierappel, came in third with a score of 69.696%.
Yvonne Losos De Muniz and Foco Loco W in their third place ride in the FEI Grand Prix for the Freestyle CDI5*, presented by CaptiveOne Advisors. ©SusanStickle.com
“The test today felt actually a little better than what I was expecting. He’s there and ready to go, but I’m being a little greedy as I’m jumping into the ring so fast and I do need to get into a little better shape,” commented De Muniz, who injured her shoulder and was out of the saddle for three months in 2018. “I’m really happy with the way he’s going.”
De Muniz said of her goals for the Friday night freestyle, “The atmosphere is still a lot for him. I don’t want to say he’s hypersensitive; he’s actually a chicken. [I just want] to keep him with me and together, [that will] will be absolutely my goal. And to have fun, as these guys [Fraser-Beaulieu and Bateson-Chandler] were saying, the five-star is just so much fun.”
Adrienne Lyle and Salvino Continue The Start of Their 2019 Season With Win in the 5* Special Qualifier
In the FEI Grand Prix CDI5*, the qualifier for the 5* Special presented by the Palm Beach Equine Clinic, Adrienne Lyle (USA) and Salvino won with a score 74.565%.
Adrienne Lyle and Salvino in their winning ride in the FEI Grand Prix CDI5* for Special, presented by Palm Beach Equine Clinic. ©SusanStickle.com
“I’m really pleased with Salvino, for going in for the second time he doesn’t seem to have lost any of his spark so far this season,” Lyle said of her WEG team silver medal-winning partner, a 12-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Sandro Hit owned by Betsy Juliano LLC. “I’m really proud of the way he’s training and schooling. There’s still a lot of little things in the ring that I as a rider need to figure out how to polish to get the scores up to where I know he’s capable of, but this is just the start of our season.”
“Having a five-star in the States is really something that’s incredible, and I really appreciate that we’re able to have this venue and have this level of competition here,” commented Lyle of this week at AGDF.
Lyle noted that her goals for Friday night’s Special class are “trying to polish up the way I ride the corners and the way I prepare for movements.” She continued, “Today we had a little short change behind in the twos, little stuff like that, which is unfortunate because he’s normally quite good in those. I really feel like his attitude is the best it’s been, and he’s really enjoying going in there. That, to me, is the number one priority, because then everything else will come along with that.”
Adrienne Lyle and Salvino in their winning presentation with Allyn Mann of Adequan, Sydney Frankhouser, Marketing Coordinator for Palm Beach Equine Clinic, Judge at C Vincenzo Truppa, and Lisa Goretta, FEI Chief Steward. ©SusanStickle.com
Earlier in the day, Ashley Holzer (USA) and Valentine, her nine-year-old Oldenburg mare by Sir Donnerhall, earned a score of 74.265% to win the FEI Prix St. Georges CDI3*, presented by Fair Sky Farm.
Ashley Holzer (USA) and Valentine in their winning ride in the Prix St. Georges 3*, presented by Fair Sky Farm.
In the FEI Grand Prix CDI3*, presented by Wellington Equestrian Realty, P.J. Rizvi (USA) and Breaking Dawn, her 18-year-old KWPN gelding by Akribori, won with a score of 68.152%.
P.J. Rizvi (USA) and Breaking Dawn in their winning ride in the Grand Prix for Freestyle 3*, presented by Wellington Equestrian Realty.
James Koford (USA) and Adiah HP, a 12-year-old Friesian Cross by Nico owned by Sherry Koella, earned a score of 67.804% to come in second place.
Third place went to Devon Kane (USA) and Destiny, a 16-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding by Diamond Hit owned by Diamante Farms. The pair earned a score of 67.696%.
P.J. Rizvi and Breaking Dawn in their winning presentation. ©SusanStickle.com
Competition at AGDF will resume on Friday, February 8. Week 5 of the AGDF runs through Sunday, February 10, and features CDI5* dressage competition at the “Friday Night Stars”. General admission is free for Friday night, and parking is $10/car. Competition will begin at 7pm. For more information and to see a full list of results, please visit www.globaldressagefestival.com.