Fraser-Beaulieu 3rd in Grand Prix Freestyle; Carier Bergeron Wins U25

Week ten of the 2021 Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) continued on Friday, March 19, at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, FL, with a winning ride for Adrienne Lyle (USA) and Harmony’s Duval in the FEI Grand Prix Freestyle CDIO3*, presented by Stillpoint Farm. AGDF 10 continues through Sunday, March 21, and the circuit hosts 10 weeks of international and national dressage competition until April 4. Free live streaming and on-demand of select classes are available to view at globaldressagefestival.com.

Lyle and Harmony’s Duval, Duval Partners LLC’s 2008 KWPN gelding by Rousseau, conquered the freestyle under the lights, riding to a score of 80.020%. “It was worth staying up past my bedtime!” she joked.

“There’s really nothing that compares to riding at Global on a Friday Night Stars,” continued Lyle. “It’s one of my favorite experiences in the horse world. To do this on Duval, who we had from when he was unbroke, all the way up to becoming an individual gold medalist here, is just really special. I’ve got an unbelievable group of owners that have supported me along the way. ”

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Lyle noted that her freestyle is from her previous mount Wizard in 2011 at Dressage at Devon, but thought it would fit well for her mount’s second ever freestyle.

“I wanted to go back to something I knew since Duval has done one freestyle in his life, so I could give him a good experience out there,” she explained.

Lyle and the gelding produced top performances all week, achieving the highest scores in both the grand prix and grand prix special before contesting the freestyle. “I started with the canter work with him [when planning the degree of difficulty]” she remarked. “I think he’s got some fun, powerful canter work. It’s not the most difficult freestyle out there nowadays. When I made it, they didn’t have the degree of difficulty score the way that they do now. But it still has double pirouettes [and] piaffe pirouettes, so it gets enough [degree of difficulty points]. I think it’s a really fun one; it doesn’t always have to be for him the most difficult every time he goes out.”

Judge at C Stephen Clarke (GBR) awarded Lyle with an 82.775%, and commented on her strong performance. “The reason why I gave Adrienne such a high mark,” he explained, “was an easy one – the hair on the back of my neck was standing up because the music and power and expression of the whole performance was outstanding.”

Second place went to the night’s youngest competitor, 21-year-old Benjamin Ebeling, who excelled in his first senior grand prix freestyle under the lights at AGDF with Illuster Van De Kampert, a 2008 Belgian Warmblood gelding by Speilberg owned by Amy Roberts Ebeling and Sasha Cutter for Nuvolari Holdings LLC.

“I was talking with my teammates Adrienne [Lyle] and Katherine [Bateson Chandler] and Jennifer [Williams], [about the fact that] it’s so cool that I got to grow up watching Adrienne and Katherine and people like my dad [Jan Ebeling] all ride on a team together,” he said. “Finally I’m here, and it’s surreal.”

Ebeling had a successful career in the Under 25 division and worked his way up to the senior level with Illuster. “I would be remiss if I did not mention George Williams and Charlotte Bredahl,” he continued, “going through the pipeline of junior, young rider, U25, and now the international grand prix. The support I’ve had from them has really been amazing. Like Adrienne said, I don’t think there’s anything like riding under the lights here. I’ve always wanted to do it for the last four years that I’ve been in Wellington. To do this for the first time is really, really cool.”

The pair had never ridden this freestyle together, and Ebeling noted that the “Star Wars”-themed ride had just been finished the day before. “It was ready yesterday, and I ran through it on foot before I got here. That was the first time ever riding to it,” he stated. “This is his first time competing for three days in a row. In the warm-up he was a little tired, which is to be expected. But then as we got in that arena, he perked up. Let me tell you, I had so much fun riding that freestyle, because I’m also a ‘Star Wars’ fan!”

He concluded, “I need to mention the support of the two owners, my mom, Amy Ebeling, and Sasha Cutter. They’ve been behind me all of the way and have been a big part of our development along with my dad who’s my day-to-day coach, and Christoph Koschel who has really helped me fine tune the horse. I’m so proud of his development. At the beginning of last season we weren’t doing so well, but we finally managed to calm down his nerves and bring a presence into the show arena that I’m so proud of, and I’m so proud of the whole team.”

Third place was awarded to Canada’s Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu and All In, Brittany Fraser and Marc Andre Beaulieu’s 2005 KWPN gelding by Tango, who received a 77.065% for their test.

“All In had to have 10 days off because he had really bad allergies,” explained Fraser-Beaulieu. “That’s why I had to withdraw from the five star. Personally he wasn’t as fit as I would have liked him to be for the Grand Prix and the Grand Prix Special this week, but each day I felt him get better and better.

“Tonight he felt like his old self again,” she said. “That, for me, made me very happy, and it was a relief to say, ‘He’s back, and he has this.’ He’s so fun under the lights. He has so much power, so much scope. Last time we competed under the lights was a year ago at Nations Cup. It’s always such a fun time.”

Carier Bergeron Ends Successful AGDF Season with Freestyle Victory

Camille Carier Bergeron and Acoeur. (©SusanJStickle)

Canada’s Camille Carier Bergeron added a second gold medal to her week’s collection after riding to the top of the podium in the FEI Grand Prix Freestyle CDIO-U25, presented by Diamante Farms.

The 20-year-old piloted Acoeur, Gilles Bergeron’s 2007 Württemberger gelding by Acordelli, to a score of 74.485%. “I’m over the moon,” she admitted. “I can’t really believe what a successful few weeks it’s been; it feels unreal. It makes me happy to see that our hard work has paid off and that we can be successful in the ring. I’m thrilled.”

The pair rode to a personal best in their freestyle created by Karen Robinson, and Carier Bergeron noted her horse’s strengths and her fondness for the music. “Acoeur is very strong in all of the movements from the canter tour,” she explained. “We usually get higher points there. When our test is clean and the canter tour is strong, we can end up in the 70s.”

Watch the winning ride! ©Richard’s Equine Video

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She continued, “I first rode [my freestyle] here at the Nations Cup last year; it was my first time riding it and then everything shut down, and we went home. This is only my fourth time riding it, and we achieved a personal best, so it is really exciting. The inspiration for some of it comes from the advertisements for my uncle’s private game preserve in South Africa. When I saw the videos I loved it, and my uncle thought that it was a great idea. So now each time I ride it, I think of my family, my uncle, South Africa, so it also makes me travel.”

This week marked the last at AGDF 2021 for Carier Bergeron, and she concluded by thanking those that made her successful season possible: “When I first got down here, it took us a few shows before we really had our game face on. When we finally got that back, I had a personal best at the [Florida International Youth Dressage Championships] during AGDF 8, and now a personal best in the freestyle today, so I feel like this season was a success. I’m sad to leave and go home because I feel like we are on such an up. But that is life, and I am just thankful to the organizers here for hosting a show and competing here safely.”

Codi Harrison (USA) earned her third silver medal of the week, keeping things consistent aboard Katholt’s Bossco, her own 2007 Danish Warmblood stallion by Blue Hors Don Schufro, riding to a 74.030%. “My freestyle actually belongs to my trainer Lars (Petersen),” revealed Harrison. “Marlene Whitaker made it for him, and he didn’t end up using it. I needed a freestyle a few years ago, and he let me borrow it and it matched the horse quite well, so we’ve stuck with it.”

The 24-year-old has been partnered with her mount for seven years, and the pair has worked their way up together from the young rider levels of the sport. “I got him as a young rider horse,” said Harrison, “and we struggled through that, and then he ended up actually being a better grand prix horse. He’s been so fun to learn the grand prix with, and he’s so consistent. We’re finally able to take the performance we have at home and bring it into this ring. He’s a good boy with a good heart, and he’s a lot of fun.”

Third place went to the USA’s Hope Cooper and Hot Chocolate W, Mary Mansfield’s 2005 Hanoverian gelding by Hochadel, winners of yesterday’s FEI Grand Prix 16-25 CDIO-U25, presented by Diamante Farms, with 70.695%. “I’m really happy to be sitting here with these two amazing riders,” began Cooper. “We grew up together, and I can’t say I’m disappointed to be sitting here next to them.”

She continued, “I don’t think it was our best test today. I think he was a bit tired, and that made him a little less focused on me and a little more focused on the surroundings, which happens to the best of us. He really did try and is always amazing and tries to really be on it, so I couldn’t ask for more from him. Three days in a row at this level is hard, but he did his best, and I’m happy to be here.”

Earlier in the afternoon, Dongseon Kim (KOR) rode his own DSK Belstaff to victory in the FEI Grand Prix Freestyle CDI3*, presented by Wellington Regional Medical Center. Kim and the 2007 Hanoverian stallion by Brentano II rode to a score of 72.910%.

“In 2008, I was here [in Wellington] and getting 56% and always on the bottom,” explained Kim. “Thirteen years later, to win something like this is an amazing feeling. I want to repeat this experience on horses that I have trained myself. I’m competing one horse in the Grand Prix Special tomorrow that I’ve owned since two [years old] and trained since three [years old]. I want to repeat the winning experience on horses that I’ve trained myself. That would be a real goal for me.”

Kim has ridden DSK Belstaff for three years; the talented horse was previously trained by Hubertus Schmidt and competed at the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games in Tryon for Denmark.

“He has lots of experience,” said Kim. “He’s a little bit of a heavier type of horse, and my previous horses were much lighter, so he’s taught me to really sit and ride well and get a heavy horse sensitive.”

This is the 32-year-old’s third time competing at AGDF, and he spends the remainder of his year in Seoul, Korea. “I’d really like to thank Cho Won-Tae, the Chairman and CEO of Korean Air,” expressed Kim, “for sponsoring me to come here and flying my horses from Korea to here. It’s a great gesture for him to do that. It’s a big trip for them to come here [from South Korea], and if it wasn’t for Chairman Cho Won-Tae of Korean Air, it wouldn’t have been possible.”

Kim has his sights set on the Tokyo Olympics, and after a successful season in Wellington, he hopes to be chosen to represent his country when the time comes. He concluded, “Korea has qualified an individual for the Tokyo Olympics. I would really like to be the one who gets to go, but we don’t know until June.”

Second place in the FEI Grand Prix Freestyle CDI3*, presented by Wellington Regional Medical Center went to the USA’s Jan Ebeling riding Ann Romney’s 2010 Oldenburg gelding, Status Royal OLD (Statesman), to a score of 72.645%. Third went to Canada’s Evi Strasser on Déjà Vu Tyme, Erika Murphy and Evi Strasser’s 2007 Hanoverian gelding by Dauphin, with 68.045%.

Competition at AGDF 10 will continue tomorrow with a full schedule of classes, including the FEI Intermediaire A CDI3* and FEI Intermediaire I CDI1*, followed by the FEI Grand Prix Special CDI3*, presented by Iron Spring Farm beginning at 12:35 p.m. For more information and to see a full list of results, visit www.globaldressagefestival.com.

Final Results: FEI Grand Prix Freestyle CDIO3*, presented by Stillpoint Farm:

1. Adrienne Lyle (USA) on Harmony’s Duval, Duval Partners LLC’s 2008 KWPN gelding by Rousseau: 79.200, 78.675, 82.775, 79.300, 80.150; 80.020%

2. Benjamin Ebeling (USA) on Illuster Van De Kampert, Amy Roberts Ebeling and Sasha Cutter for Nuvolari Holdings LLC’s 2008 Belgian Warmblood gelding by Speilberg: 76.175, 78.425, 75.950, 79.475, 77.750; 77.555%

3. Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu (CAN) on All In, Brittany Fraser and Marc Andre Beaulieu’s 2005 KWPN gelding by Tango: 72.800, 78.375, 77.550, 79.325, 77.275; 77.065%

4. Jennifer Williams (USA) on Millione, Millione Partners LLC’s 2003 Danish Warmblood gelding by Milan: 74.750, 75.675, 74.525, 76.700, 75.200; 75.370%

5. Naima Moreira Laliberte (CAN) on Statesman, KML S.a.r.l.’s 2007 Hanoverian stallion by Sandro Hit: 75.275, 76.400, 71.400, 76.825, 73.300; 74.640%

6. Kelly Layne (AUS) on Samhitas, Nori Maezawa and Kelly Layne’s 2009 Oldenburg gelding by Sir Donnerhall I: 74.350, 76.200, 75.175, 73.275, 72.725; 74.345%

7. Chris Von Martels (CAN) on Eclips, Barbara Soederhuizen and Chris Von Martels 2009 KWPN gelding by Apache: 73.625, 76.375, 72.350, 71.075, 74.250; 73.535%

8. Carlos Salguero Ocana (ESP) on Vagens Star-Light, Mary Hankey’s 2009 Danish Warmblood gelding by Skovens Rafael: 67.025, 69.725, 65.975, 67.850, 65.275; 67.170%

9. Katherine Bateson Chandler (USA) on Alcazar, Jane Forbes Clark’s 2005 KWPN gelding by Contango: 63.750, 66.275, 56.375, 67.550, 63.775; 63.545%

Final Results: FEI Grand Prix Freestyle CDIO-U25, presented by Diamante Farms:

1. Camille Carier Bergeron (CAN) on Acoeur, Gilles Bergeron’s 2007 Pferdezuchtverband Baden-Württemberg gelding by Acordelli: 75.525, 73.125, 76.000, 72.875, 74.900; 74.485%

2. Codi Harrison (USA) on Katholt’s Bossco, her own 2007 Danish Warmblood stallion by Blue Hors Don Schufro: 74.800, 75.225, 74.000, 73.250, 72.875; 74.030%

3. Hope Cooper (USA) on Hot Chocolate W, Mary Mansfield’s 2005 Hanoverian gelding by Hochadel: 71.600, 66.875, 69.350, 71.325, 74.325; 70.695%

4. Paula Matute Guimon (ESP) on Delagronge, Carolin Mallmann’s 2008 Oldenburg stallion by De Niro: 70.875, 70.275, 70.125, 70.225, 71.300; 70.560%

5. Vanessa Creech-Terauds (CAN) on Fleur De Lis L, Diane Creech and Louise Leatherdale’s 2009 Hanoverian mare by First Dance: 73.450, 71.275, 66.435, 69.500, 70.975; 70.325%

6. Beatrice Boucher (CAN) on Baldacci, Camille and Gilles Bergeron’s 2006 KWPN gelding by Havidoff: 68.500, 72.050, 73.000, 68.650, 69.375; 70.315%

7. Rosemary Julian-Simoes (USA) on Rankrado, Rankrado LLC’s 2004 ZfDP stallion by Ranko: 67.475, 71.050, 68.625, 67.200, 67.175; 68.305%