Germany’s Frederic Wandres and Bluetooth OLD set a personal best to finish grand prix for freestyle winners as the 2022 Adequan Global Dressage Festival began week seven yesterday evening with five-star competition at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, home to the Winter Equestrian Festival, Wellington, USA.
US 2020 Olympic team silver medalist Adrienne Lyle and Betsy Juliano LLC’s Salvino were victorious in the grand prix for special CDI5*, presented by Havensafe Farm.
“I’m very happy. I had no mistakes at all, and he gave me a super feeling,” said Frederic of the 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding by Bordeaux, owned by Elena Knyaginicheva and Sergey Knyaginichev, who scored a personal best of 74.631%, to pick up their fourth win of five starts at the Global Dressage Festival, ahead of 12 other strong contenders.
“It was our personal best and at a five-star, that is really what I’m looking for. We have been building him up at the season here. Now delivering that score is what I’m looking for daily. That makes our whole team completely happy.”
Up-and-coming American star Benjamin Ebeling celebrated a second-place finish with Illuster Van De Kampert, ACR Enterprises Inc.’s 14-year-old Belgian warmblood gelding by Spielberg, on a score of 72.478%. Another American rider, Charlotte Jorst, filled the podium by scoring 71.674% with her own Kastel’s Nintendo, a 19-year-old KWPN stallion by Negro.
After time off following the Olympics, Adrienne Lyle and Salvino were back in winning form.
In their first competition since the 2020 Tokyo Olympics last August, Adrienne Lyle and Salvino set the winning tone with a score of 76.500% in the grand prix for special CDI5*, presented by Havensafe Farm. Fellow American Ashley Holzer rode her own Valentine, a 12-year-old Hanoverian mare by Donnerhall I, to second place with a score of 70.696%. Seven-time Swedish Olympian Tinne Vilhelmson Silfvén and Lövsta Stuteri AB’s Devanto, a 13-year-old Holsteiner gelding by De Chirico, were third with 68.739%.
“Honestly, I think that’s one of his better tests we’ve ever done,” said Adrienne. “I was really happy with it. It may not have been our best score posted, but I just went back and watched the video and I’m thrilled with him and the feeling.”
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