Canada’s Jill Irving and Naima Moreira Laliberte round out podium

Competition at Week 10 of the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) continued on Saturday, March 16, with a day full of top dressage competition. The afternoon featured the FEI Grand Prix Special CDI3* presented by Horseware Ireland. AGDF runs until March 31 with top international and national dressage competition.

Adrienne Lyle (USA) and Harmony’s Duval rode to a new personal best score of 75.851% in the Grand Prix Special and secured their win. Harmony’s Duval made his big tour debut just five weeks ago at AGDF. “The highlight for me was being able to get him much more consistently on the hind leg and get the balance much more consistently uphill,” said Lyle of her ride on the 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding by Rosseau owned by Duval Partners LLC.

Harmony’s Duval is still a green Grand Prix horse, but he’s learning quickly. “We got the changes, yay! Finally. Those have been a little bit of a struggle for us in the ring,” Lyle noted. “We worked between Wednesday and today a lot on perfecting the balance getting into the changes, and I was able to keep him at a place where he felt controlled and mentally slow enough to know what was going on.

“When I can get everything in balance it’s an incredible feeling because he has power that’s unlike any horse that I’ve ever ridden,” she continued. “When that power gets away from you it’s a little bit like a runaway train, but when I can get it all, he really feels incredible and the honesty is really incredible in him.”

In the FEI Intermediate I CDI1* Katie Johnson and Paxton, an eight-year-old Westphalian gelding by Dante Weltino owned by Kylee Lourie, led the lap of honor as winners. The pair rode to a score of 73.647%.

Final Results: FEI Grand Prix Special CDI3* Presented by Horseware Ireland

Place, Rider, Nationality, Horse, Horse Information: Judge E% – Isabelle Judet, Judge H% – Cesar Torrente, Judge C% – Peter Storr, Judge M% – Lee Tubman, Judge B% – Hans Voser, Total %

1. Adrienne Lyle (USA), Harmony’s Duval, a 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding by Rosseau x Uptown Girl owned by Duval Partners LLC: 77.872%, 74.787%, 75.213%, 75.851%, 75.532%, 75.851%

2. Jill Irving (CAN), Degas 12, 17-year-old Hanoverian gelding by De Niro x Rosana M and owned by Jill Irving: 72.979%, 73.830%, 72.128%, 72.766%, 71.596%, 72.660%

3. Naima Moreira Laliberte (CAN), Statesman, 12-year-old American Warmblood gelding by Currentsville lane owned by KML S.A.R.L: 71.277%, 70.745%, 72.128%, 70.532%, 70.957%, 71.128%

4. Charlotte Jorst (USA), Deep Impact 3, 16-year-old Hanoverian gelding by De Niro x Rubina owned by Kastel Denmark: 68.723%, 69.043%, 72.553%, 69.468%, 69.787%, 69.915%

5. Signe Kirk Kristiansen (DEN) Her Highness O, 16-year-old Hanoverian mare by Hohenstein x Wild Lady O owned by Signe Kirk Kristiansen: 69.043%, 71.915%, 70.000%, 69.255%, 68.085%, 69.660%

6. Diane Creech (CAN), Diana C, 12-year-old Hanoverian mare by Damsey x Belinda owned by Louise Leatherdale: 69.787%, 66.064%, 69.787%, 70.532%, 69.681%, 69.170%

7. Anna Marek (USA), Dee Clair, 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding by Sir Sinclair x On Pointe owned by Diane Morrison: 68.404%, 69.149%, 68.404%, 67.872%, 68.511%, 68.468%

8. Megan Lane (CAN), Zodiac MW, 15-year-old KWPN gelding by Rosseau x Mieranda H owned by Deer Ridge Equestrian: 66.170%, 67.766%, 70.638%, 68.936%, 66.915%, 68.085%