Spanish rider Paula Matute Guimón pulled off the biggest win of her career, piloting her own and Julie McAllister’s 14-year-old Delagronge to the blue ribbon in the Grand Prix Freestyle CDI4*, presented by U.S. P.R.E. Association. The second “Friday Night Stars” evening freestyle on Friday, January 28, of the 2022 Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) in Wellington, Florida, also provided a personal best for Matute Guimón and the De Niro stallion of 74.480%. AGDF, which hosts seven weeks of CDI competition, runs through April 3.

It was an international podium, with Germany’s Christoph Koschel finishing runner-up on the striking grey Lusitano Favorito 11 (71.670%) and Mikala Münter (USA) filling third on Salsa Hit with 71.425%.

“I honestly didn’t expect those results,” said the 26-year-old Matute Guimón. “The victory is amazing, but I want to keep improving. Winning is a very nice reward, and it means a lot. Of course we all like the color blue, but I wasn’t expecting it. I have great competitors next to me, who work very hard. I’m super happy, and I’m going to remember this week forever.”

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