Jordan LaPlaca threw his arms in the air and hugged Gold Play after their final salute in the Modon FEI Nations Cup CDIO3* Grand Prix Special. He was justifiably delighted with his own and Nancy Huton’s 11-year-old, for the Grey Flanell x Sir Donnerhall II gelding had just sealed a double of gold medals for LaPlaca on the U.S. rider’s senior team debut. Their individual glory followed team gold on Thursday of Week 11 at the 2026 Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) in Wellington, FL.
The jewel in the crown of a breakthrough debut CDI grand prix season, LaPlaca and Gold Play—the youngest horse in the class—set a new personal best of 71% in the Special. Their score relegated the in-form pair of Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu (CAN) and Jill Irving’s 12-year-old Desperado x Jazz gelding, Jaccardo, into the silver medal position on 70.362%.
They were joined on the podium by Anna Marek (USA), whose 68.021% on her sister-in-law Cynthia Davila’s Fayvel earned the bronze. The result was impressive given that Marek and the 16-year-old Zizi Top x Houston gelding were only called up at the last minute to ride in the Nations Cup. (Two other Canadians, Camille Carier Bergeron with Finnländerin and Alexandra Duncan with Hitmaker, placed 5th and 6th, respectively.)
LaPlaca and Gold Play displayed exemplary use of the arena with textbook deep, balanced corners, as well as beautiful piaffe and passage work with seamless gear changes. There was a hiccup in the beginning of the first line of one-time changes, but Gold Play was enjoying the second set down the centerline so much that he decided to add two extra changes. Despite the glitches, the judges awarded plenty of eights, with the high score of 72.553% coming from H judge Susanne Baarup (DEN).
Jordan LaPlaca, Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu and Anna Marek on the podium for the Modon FEI Nations Cup CDIO3* Grand Prix Special. (Centre Line Media)
“I honestly expected none of this, and I’m a little bit in shock,” said LaPlaca. “Riding for the U.S. team is not only a privilege, it’s something I’ve dreamed about since I was a kid. It’s what kept me inspired to learn, to teach, and to keep going. It’s incredibly humbling and an honor and I don’t take lightly. I just wanted to give my horse a good season and a good go at the CDI3* level, and it ended up in a gold medal. It’s what dreams are made of.”
Of the errors in the test, he said, “I think making mistakes is essential, because it’s how we learn. I don’t evaluate my performance off mistakes; I base it off how my horse is feeling. Is he still confident because he’s still relaxed? Did I leave a good impression after the mistake that didn’t set him back? That’s what’s important for me. That’s also the joy of my relationship with Gold Play, given our years together. We’re a bonded pair.”
LaPlaca is based at Maverick Hill Dressage in Ledyard, Conn. and trains with mentor Albrecht Heidemann and U.S. Dressage Team Chef d’Equipe Christine Traurig. He has trained Gold Play since he was a young horse, ensuring that his varied life included plenty of trail rides and turnout.
“I got to bring a young horse up, and I have an owner that worked with me to help see this through—the journey’s been nothing but fun and there has not ever been a bad day,” continued the 37-year-old, who is also an FEI-registered driving competitor. “To go from a four-year-old to an international grand prix horse has been everything. It’s hard to put into words.”
LaPlaca, who was full of praise for Traurig’s inspirational coaching at AGDF, is aiming for a couple more Florida CDIs before firming up plans for Gold Play.
Click here for full results from the Modon FEI Nations Cup CDIO3* Grand Prix Special.
CDI3* Grand Prix Special
As the second of 14 riders to go in the Diamante Farms CDI3* Grand Prix Special, Jane Karol was surprised to find herself still atop the leaderboard at the conclusion of the class in which U.S riders filled the top four spots. She rode her own 11-year-old Vivaldi x Blue Hors Don Schufro mare Vioretta to 68.17%, with a high score of 71.064% from the judge at C, Germany’s Pascal Strohbücker. Canada’s Jill Irving and Delacroix 11 were 5th with 67.085%.
Results here.
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