After a few weeks break, west coast-based dressage athletes returned to the Desert International Horse Park (DIHP) for the second installment of the Adequan® Desert Dressage series. With the sun shining brightly down on both the national and international show riders, the opening day of competition at the Adequan® Desert Dressage II CDI-W featured four CDI classes. In the Hof Kasselmann CDI3* Grand Prix, Croatia’s Karen Pavicic took the win aboard Totem, while the United States’ Carly Taylor-Smith and Rosalut NHF rode to victory in the Four Winds Farm CDI-W Short Grand Prix.
Competition reached a pinnacle Friday afternoon with the Four Winds Farm CDI-W Short Grand Prix in the International Arena. A competitive lineup of horse-and-rider combinations made up the start list, with qualification for Saturday’s Buffini & Company CDI-W Grand Prix Freestyle on the agenda. Taylor-Smith and Nikki Taylor-Smith’s Rosalut NHF (Rosenthal X Legacy) rode to a score of 69.053% from the judges, which would place them at the top of the leaderboard. Taylor-Smith and the 11-year-old Oldenburg gelding had never ridden the short format Grand Prix test prior to Friday’s competition, which led to some nerves from Rosalut NHF while on course. Having had the gelding since he was a foal, Taylor-Smith has developed him through the ranks and hopes to continue to give him experience at Grand Prix while improving upon his scores.
Guenter Seidel and Equirelle, a 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare, received second place in the Four Winds Farm CDI-W Short Grand Prix. The Leatherdale Farms and Louise Leatherdale owned entry scored a 68.395% with Seidel in the irons, and will go on to compete in the Buffini & Company CDI-W Grand Prix Freestyle Saturday afternoon.
Prior to the Four Winds Farm CDI-W Short Grand Prix, the Hof Kasselmann CDI3* Grand Prix took center stage in the International Arena of DIHP to welcome a strong roster of top athletes and their mounts. Of the competitive eight-horse field, it was Pavicic and her very own 9-year-old Hanoverian gelding, Totem (Totilas X Denebola), who was first down centerline and laid down a solid performance to receive a 69.391%. The occasion marked Totem’s Grand Prix debut and Pavicic’s first time in five years riding a Grand Prix test, and they ultimately held on to the lead to take home the win. The Croatian athlete was thrilled with the result, which was only made more special when she learned it was Croatia’s first ever CDI Grand Prix win in the history of the sport.
Second place honors in the Hof Kasselmann CDI3* Grand Prix was awarded to Jan Ebeling (USA) and the 11-year-old Oldenburg gelding owned by Ann Romney, Status Royal OLD, for their score of 67.304%. Aaron Janicki (USA) rounded out the top three with a score of 67.087% aboard Heron, his 9-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding.
Earlier in the day, Miki Yang and Donavan took home the win in the VitaFlex & Devoucoux CDI-Y Young Rider Team Test with a 67.157%, while Tiggy Gates and Shadow’s Dream topped the Antares CDI-J Junior Team Test with a 64.495%.
FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE
On Karen Pavicic’s expectations for Totem’s first Grand Prix:
“I had so much fun out there. It was a blast, which is a victory for me. I was just going out there to have a confident ride for his first experience, and I think we achieved that for the most part. We had two expensive mistakes and they were my fault, so no fault of his. He was super! The future is so bright for him and I am thrilled. The piaffe-passage work is always a highlight for him, but really he has a talent for all of the Grand Prix. He really has no weakness, he just needs a little more time.”
On her plans for the future with Totem:
“I would really like to qualify for the World Championships in Denmark next year. I believe it would be the first time for a Croatian to go, and I think today was also a big milestone for Croatia. I am thrilled to be here and every day is a gift with Totem.”
On competing at the Desert International Horse Park:
“Ever since I was here last year, I have wanted to come here to compete, so this is a dream come true to be able to come here to ride and to do our debut at Grand Prix here is fantastic!”
On winning the first Grand Prix for Croatia:
“I haven’t even thought about that yet to be honest! I wasn’t expecting to win at all today, I was just wanting to go out and have as best of a test as possible that we could do at this point. He is still very green, and I am a little rusty, but this is a great starting point for us and there is so much more to come in the future.”
Competition at the DIHP will continue Saturday, Nov. 20, highlighting the Elizabeth Keadle CDI3* Grand Prix Special set to kick-off at 9:45 a.m. PST, followed by the Buffini & Company CDI-W Grand Prix Freestyle at 3:55 p.m. PST. For more information about the Desert International Horse Park (DIHP), click here.
Four Winds Farm CDI-W Short Grand Prix:
Rider / Country / Horse / Owner / Total Score
1. Carly Taylor-Smith / USA / Rosalut NHF / Nikki Taylor-Smith / 69.053
2. Gunter Seidel / USA / Equirelle / Leatherdale Farms / 68.395
Hof Kasselmann CDI3* Grand Prix:
Rider / Country / Horse / Owner / Total Score
1. Karen Pavicic / CRO / Totem / Karen Pavicic / 69.391
2. Jan Ebeling / USA / Status Royal OLD / Ann Romney / 67.304
3. Aaron Janicki / USA / Heron / Aaron Janicki / 67.0987
4. Missy Gilliland / USA / Toledano XXXI / Missy Gilliland / 65.544
5. Mette Rosencrantz / USA / Dzeko / Cory Walkey / 63.239
6. Mathew Cunningham / USA / Ribery 27 / Jeri Walz / 58.370
7. Tina Caldwell / USA / Lagerfeld K / Marcia R. Sutherland / 58.217
8. Shannon Peters / USA / Disco Inferno / Shannon Peters / 52.739
More from News:
