Super Sunday for Canadians at AGDF 10

Week 10 of the 2022 Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) in Wellington, Florida, wrapped up on Sunday, March 20. The day featured the individual conclusion of the CDIO classes as well as the final qualifiers for both the Lövsta Future Challenge Young Horse Grand Prix Series and the Summit Farm Future Challenge Young Horse Prix St. Georges Series.

Canadian under-25 rider Camille Carier Bergeron recorded her second win of the week on Sound Of Silence 4 when she topped the CDIOU25 Grand Prix Freestyle, presented by Diamante Farms. The top four in the class all scored over 70%, but Carier Bergeron and the 14-year-old gelding by San Amour led the pack with 72.23%, narrowly edging out Benjamin Ebeling and Status Royal OLD (72.05%). Quinn Iverson (USA) finished third, riding Beckham 19 to 70.46%.

Carier Bergeron was riding Sound Of Silence at only his second under-25 CDI, and they managed to claim victory despite their inexperience at the level and veering off their intended floorplan. It was another score put together by Karen Robinson from Applause Dressage.

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“The music is actually from my other horse, Acoeur, in the last two Nations Cups,” said Carier Bergeron, who garnered a high score of 74% from the Dutch judge Mariette Sanders Van Gansewinkel. “Because Sound Of Silence is so new at this level, I didn’t really plan a freestyle yet for him. It’s the second time I’m riding ‘SOS’ with this music as I used it two weeks ago in the Palm Beach Derby. But I switched the pattern around to fit him better, and I went off course today. I was going like I used to with Acoeur, and I realized I was going off course, and then I did a half-pirouette and went into my one-tempos right away.”

Sound Of Silence is proving a worthy successor to Acoeur: “I was first in the FEI world ranking with Acoeur and then to have SOS coming up to the level and showing as much talent, it’s really exciting for the future. He has a lot of potential and so much more room for improvement. I’m really looking forward to next year and getting him to develop even more and become even more confident and expressive.

The Intermediate I Freestyle CDIO3* Beatrice Boucher (CAN) rode the nine-year-old mare Summerwood’s Limei, by Londonderry, to second place with 71.345%. (©susanjstickle.com)

“I came into this show not really knowing what to expect, so I didn’t want to put too much pressure on him,” added Carier Bergeron, who has ridden Sound Of Silence at young riders level at AGDF for the past three seasons and trains with Canadian Olympian Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu. “We had an awesome team here. That’s the feeling that I really like in all the Nations Cups I’ve participated in, is all the Canadians being a big family, supporting and cheering for each other.”

Full results here.

Sunday’s action marks the end of week 10 of the 12-week 2022 AGDF. International CDI competition resumes next week with a CDI4* show, as well as a national show. “Friday Night Stars” features the showcase Grand Prix Freestyle CDI4* class, presented by Douglas Elliman Real Estate. For more information and results, visit www.globaldressagefestival.com.