Ashley Holzer Earns top Scores at CDI 5* Wellington

Ashley Holzer’s CDI results in Florida this season continue to sizzle following her most recent competition, the Global Dressage Festival CDI 5* Wellington, presented by Diamante Farms, held March 29–April 1 in Wellington, FL.

On Thursday March 29, Holzer, who is originally from Toronto, ON, rode Breaking Dawn, a bay 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding sired by Akribori and co-owned by Holzer and P.J. Rizvi, to third place in the Grand Prix with a score of 70.957%.

The pair then earned 74.000% in the Grand Prix Freestyle on Friday evening to clinch second place in the very competitive class.

“I was thrilled with Breaking Dawn’s continued success in Florida,” said the three-time Canadian Olympian. “The Global Dressage Festival went all out for Freestyle night—opening the evening with a laser show and band. The atmosphere was fun and exciting. Some people were worried that the atmosphere might have been too much for the horses but this seemed to not be the case.”

Holzer added, “Breaking Dawn loved having the people cheer for him. It was a fabulous way to end the winter circuit on such a high note.”

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Also competing for Canada were David Marcus of Campbellville, ON and Chrevi’s Capital, Deborah Kinzinger-Miculinic’s 12-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding sired by Chrevi’s Lavallo. Marcus and the Danish gelding finished in second place with 67.022% in the Grand Prix Special, improving upon their placing in the Grand Prix test, where they were 10th with 67.532%.

“Chrevi’s Capital is getting better and better,” said Marcus, who has been riding the gelding for two years. “He is just did his first Grand Prix test in January and he is exceeding my expectations. I’m really looking forward to seeing what he is capable of doing in the ring.”

Canadian Olympian Jacqueline Brooks of Cedar Valley rode D Niro, Brookhaven Dressage Inc’s 12-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding sired by D-Day, to a 12th place finish in the Grand Prix test with 67.234%. The duo earned 67.350% for 8th place in the Grand Prix Freestyle.

The officiating judges for the CDI 5* Wellington were Linda ZANG (FEI 5* — USA), Jean-Michel Roudier, (FEI 5* — FRA); Axel Steiner, (FEI 5* — USA); Ghislain Fouarge (FEI 5* — NED); Leif Toernblad (FEI 5* — DEN); and Marian Cunningham (FEI 4* — PER). Complete results for the Global Dressage Festival CDI 5* Wellington may be found at www.globaldressagefestival.com.

Canadians also competed on the US west coast this past weekend. At Festival of the Horse CDI3*, also held March 29—April 1, in San Juan Capistrano, CA, Rochelle Kilberg of Surrey, BC rode Rudy, the 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding sired by Rotspon that she co-owns with Ben Vermeulen, to first place in the Intermediaire I Freestyle with a score of 69.583%. Kilberg and Rudy finished fourth in the Intermediaire I test (67.061%) and fifth in the Prix St. Georges test (66.228%).

In the Young Riders division, Monica Houweling, of Delta, BC rode Rifradin, Linda Houweling’s 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare, to win the Young Rider Team test with a score of 67.061%. The pair placed third in the both Individual test with 67.193% and the Freestyle with 66.792%.

The ground jury for Festival of the Horse CDI3* included Mary Seefried, (FEI 5* — AUS); Gary Rockwell, (FEI 5* — USA); Jane Weatherwax, (FEI 4* — USA); Lorraine Macdonald, (FEI 4* — CAN); and Gabriel Armando, (FEI 4* — ARG). Complete results for the Festival of the Horse CDI3* are available at http://www.cornerstonedressage.com/.