Week five of the 2021 Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) concluded on Sunday, February 14, with another victory for Canada’s Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu and All In in the FEI Grand Prix Freestyle CDI-W, presented by Helgstrand Dressage.
Personal best scores for every big tour class winner in the FEI Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special CDI 3* presented by CabanaCoast, and FEI Grand Prix and Grand Prix Freestyle CDI-W, presented by Helgstrand Dressage were recorded this week. Fraser-Beaulieu and Brittany Fraser and Marc-Andre Beaulieu’s 2005 KWPN gelding by Tango added to that tally, beating their personal best with a 79.330%, while earning two scores above 80% from judges at both M and B.
“I’m so happy,” began Fraser-Beaulieu. “This is like a dream come true, to be back here with a personal best. At the five star and the Nations Cup last year we had great rides, and after such a long break you hope that it’s going to be the same, but after 10 months I was a little nervous. You want to keep those scores and keep hitting personal bests, and All In has come out this season and really proven that he knows his job so well. He tries his heart out for me every time we go down centerline, and I just have to hang on for the ride. I’m ecstatic with him.”
Watch the winning ride, Brought to you by Premier Equestrian. (©Richard’s Equine Video)
Fraser-Beaulieu rode to a freestyle created by Joost Peters, with Celine Dion music beginning and concluding the ride. “Joost Peters made new music for me for the Nations Cup last year,” she explained, “so this is only the second time I’ve ridden to this new freestyle. I love Celine Dion. My husband is French, I live in Montreal now, and I love the song, so I asked him to incorporate it into the beginning and the end, and I think he did a great job.”
President of the Ground Jury, William Warren (USA), noted the quality of the day’s class and of the pair’s ride. “For me,” he said, “the entire class was a nice quality to judge. It challenged us judges to up our game and really get it right. Brittany hit a lot of strong technical points, and to really have a good freestyle, it has to be technically solid. Today everything was spot on. That really supports the artistic side of the freestyle, because if the ride has technical issues you have a problem. There was wonderful harmony between horse and rider.”
Fraser-Beaulieu’s artistic percentages were all in the 80s, and she elaborated on her horse’s highlights throughout the ride.
“I thought my extended trots today were nice. My changes and pirouettes, I was very happy with them,” she continued. “I felt that the whole freestyle really flowed today. I wanted to go mistake free again today. He was a little nervous in the first piaffe and pirouette, so I had to make it a bit bigger than I would’ve liked, but we were with our music, the whole test flowed nicely, and sometimes that last extended trot is exuberant, but everything worked really well today. I came out with a 17-minute warmup, and thought maybe I could’ve done even less. All of these things are learning opportunities. He’s 16, and I thought I’d have him all figured out by now, but each show you learn something new!”
After being a part of impressive performances from Canadian riders all week, the 32-year-old said, “I think Canada is really strong right now, maybe the strongest we’ve ever been, and we’re getting great marks and are all so supportive of each other. If Tokyo happens, I think we will have a very strong team for Canada.”
AGDF Director of Sport Thomas Bauer concluded with remarks about the current state of points for the North American League, saying, “I’m quite happy with it so far. It looks like it will be quite the competition with the new system for the North American League. It’s still not a perfect system, but it’s better than it was before, and is now up to the last show to decide who goes to Gothenburg.”
Second place in the FEI Grand Prix Freestyle CDI-W, presented by Helgstrand Dressage went to Ashley Holzer (USA) and Valentine, her own 2010 Hanoverian mare by Sir Donnerhall, who also earned a personal best for Holzer in the mare’s first FEI Grand Prix Freestyle, with 78.365%. Third place went to USA’s Anna Buffini riding FRH Davini la Douce, her own 2007 Hanoverian mare by Don Frederico, earning 75.505%.
In the FEI Intermediaire II CDI 3* the USA’s Mikala Münter earned the win aboard her own Skyfall, a 2008 Oldenburg gelding by Zardin Firfod, with a 66.500%.
In the FEI Intermediare I Freestyle CDI 3*, Cesar Parra (USA) and Mr. Bumblebee claimed victory. Parra and the 2008 Danish Warmblood gelding by Sting, owned by Equiventure LLC and John and Karen Blank, earned a 78.950%. Second place went to Kevin Kohmann (GER) and Equitas LLC’s 2010 KWPN stallion by Amazing Star, Five Star, with 76.333%. The USA’s Anna Marek took third aboard Felissirana, Alise Carrico’s 2010 KWPN mare by Belissimo M, with a 74.392%.
The Lövsta Future Challenge
Pia Fortmuller and Freida in their awards ceremony. (©susanjstickle)
The Lövsta Future Challenge/Young Horse Grand Prix Series welcomed a win for Canada’s Pia Fortmuller and Busch, Lars, and Pia Fortmuller’s 2011 Hanoverian mare by Furstenball, Frieda, with a 72.352%. Second place was awarded to Jennifer Hoffmann (USA) and Jennifer Hoffmann and Wolfgang Himsl’s 2011 Austrian Warmblood stallion, Rondoro Noblesse by Rosengold, earning a 71.249%. Third place went to Karen Pavicic (CRO) and her own 2012 Hanoverian gelding by Totilas, Totem, with 70.269%.
In the Future Challenge/Young Horse Prix St. Georges Series, Marcus Orlob (USA) topped the leaderboard with Spirit of Joy, a 2014 Westphalian gelding by Sir Calypso, owned by Jeanette Pinard, with 72.646%. Pablo Gomez Molina (ESP) took second place with Servus Ymas, a 2013 Hanoverian by San Amour I, owned by Cristina Danguillecourt and Yeguada de Ymas, with 69.926%.
Competition at AGDF will resume with AGDF 7 on February 24-28. Competition highlights will include Grand Prix and Grand Prix Freestyle CDI5*, presented by CaptiveOne Advisors, Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special CDI5*, presented by Palm Beach Equine Clinic, Grand Prix and Grand Prix Freestyle CDI3*, presented by Premier Equestrian, Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special CDI3*, presented by Hygain Feeds, Small Tour CDI3*, and Small Tour CDI1*, as well as national competition. For more information and to see a full list of results, visit www.globaldressagefestival.com.
FEI Grand Prix CDI-W Freestyle, presented by Helgstrand Dressage:
1. Brittany Fraser- Beaulieu (CAN) on All In, Brittany Fraser and Marc-Andre Beaulieu’s 2005 KWPN gelding by Tango: 77.330, 78.450, 79.225, 80.850, 80.575; 79.330%
2. Ashley Holzer (USA) on Valentine, her own 2010 Hanoverian mare by Sir Donnerhall: 78.550, 77.900, 78.525, 79.925, 76.925; 78.365%
3. Anna Buffini (USA) on FRH Davini la Douce, her own 2007 Hanoverian mare by Don Frederico: 77.875, 75.150, 75.525, 74.800, 74.175; 75.505%
4. Chris Von Martels (CAN) on Eclips, Barbara Soederhuizen and Chris Von Martels’ 2009 KWPN gelding by Apache: 72.650, 76.175, 74.175, 75.225, 74.425; 74.530%
5. Anna Marek (USA) on Dee Clair, Diane Morrison’s 2008 KWPN mare by Sir Sinclair: 72.000, 75.850, 73.650, 74.175, 73.300; 73.795%
6. Shelly Francis (USA) on Danilo, Patricia A. Stempel’s 2004 Hanoverian gelding by by De Niro 6: 70.600, 69.275, 69.200, 71.325, 67.575; 69.595%
7. Evi Strasser (CAN) on Déjà Vu Time, Evi Strasser and Erika Murphy’s 2007 Hanoverian gelding by Dauphin: 67.800, 69.675, 69.800, 68.150, 66.475; 68.380%
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