Wellington, Fla. – March 3, 2022 – Competition at the Palm Beach Dressage Derby CDI was packed on Thursday at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF). The competition featured the FEI World Cup Dressage Short Grand Prix, CDI4* Grand Prix to qualify for the Grand Prix Freestyle, and CDI4* Grand Prix to qualify for the Grand Prix Special, and the Derby Prix St. Georges class. The highly competitive entries made the afternoon a back-to-back nail-biter, but it was Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu, Jan Ebeling, and Alice Tarjan who took the coveted top placings.
FEI Grand Prix competition commenced with the FEI World Cup Dressage Short Grand Prix in the morning. The compact test serves to engage the spectators but also challenges the athletes’ ability to prepare for the quick progression of movements. Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu proved to be up for the challenge, emerging victorious with a score of 71.447% on her longtime partner All In. In addition to competing successfully at the AGDF for many seasons, Fraser-Beaulieu and her 17-year-old KWPN gelding were members of Team Canada in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic games. Fraser-Beaulieu also competed at the 2018 World Equestrian Games and holds a Pan-American team silver medal.
Next on the leaderboard was Alice Tarjan with her own Donatella M. The pair expertly maneuvered through the fast-paced test, scoring a 69.053% for the red ribbon. Tarjan was shortlisted for the U.S. Olympic Team on her other mount Candescent, and earned both first and second place in the U.S. Dressage Grand Prix Championship in the 2021 U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions at the Lamplight Equestrian Center.
Codi Harrison and Katholt’s Bossco rounded out the top three with a score of 68.368% and a third place finish. The 26-year-old rider and her mount competed very successfully in the U25 division in 2021 at the AGDF. Most recently, the pair have also achieved high scores this season at the Open Grand Prix level.
Eleven horse-and-rider combinations competed for top honors in the CDI4* Grand Prix qualifier for the Freestyle. The lineup featured several familiar faces from the previous week’s CDI5*, including second place ride, Juan Matute-Guimón. Jan Ebeling and Bellena executed a skillful and expressive test, claiming the blue ribbon with a score of 71.739%. Next on the leaderboard was Spain’s Juan Matute-Guimón with Quantico. Despite some expensive mistakes, the duo’s stunning performance earned them a score of 69.848% for second place. Third place honors went to Canada’s Ariana Chia and Fiderflame with a score of 69.087%. Chia and the 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding have competed with high scores in the AGDF 2022 season, but made their debut in the top three placings on Thursday with their harmonious test.
Fourteen athletes took to the International ring following the Grand Prix Freestyle qualifier to showcase their mounts in the CDI4* Grand Prix qualifier for the Special. The competition was stiff, however, it was Alice Tarjan who took the lead once again with a score of 71.251% on her mount, Serenade MF. Coming in second place with a score of 69.870% was Benjamin Ebeling and 13-year-old DWB Mare, Indeed. Ebeling has had a successful run this 2022 AGDF season, most recently taking a top-three finish in the CDI5* Grand Prix. Close behind him was Sarah Tubman and Summit Farm’s First Apple. The pair took third with a score of 69.522%.
Competition at the AGDF will resume Friday with the CDIAm FEI Intermediate I for Amateur at 8 a.m. The day will conclude with the CDI4* Grand Prix Freestyle at 7 p.m.
FROM THE WINNERS’ CIRCLE
Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu – CDI-W Short Grand Prix Winner
On the test:
“He felt great. It was a little bit of a shame on the miscommunication with the ones on centerline, but he’s seventeen years old, I just had a huge show at the 5*, he came back out here and was with me again. He’s just a horse of a lifetime. He always comes out and does his best. I thought my pirouettes were really nice, his piaffe has improved so much, he feels so much more secure in it. Before in the piaffe he used to get a little nervous, and I would feel like I’d have to play it safe. But now at seventeen, he’s like, “Oh I got this!” Some days he might be a little bit stronger than others, but he still enjoys his job and likes to come out here and compete.”
On her partnership with All In following the Olympics:
“Going to the Olympics on a horse that you have had since five is a dream. When you buy a young horse, of course that would be the goal but realistically it doesn’t always happen. All and I have such a strong partnership, so to spend that much time together for that long grew our partnership even more. But like I said, he just comes out and does his job every time.”
On her future plans:
“I would love to go to the World Cup if I could get an extra starting place. I know it’s a long shot, and I don’t know if I’ll get invited, but last year I got invited with an extra starting place so that’s what I would want to do if there’s a way for me.”
On keeping All In fit:
“He knows his job so well, I warm him up for twenty minutes at most. I work him lightly at home, especially in the summer. He loves to work, though, he loves to do his job. As long as he keeps doing that, he’ll tell me when he wants to retire.”
Jan Ebeling – CDI4* Grand Prix (for GPFS) Winner
On Bellena:
“She felt awesome. She’s a super talented horse. Definitely the most talented horse I’ve had in my career (sorry Rafalca!) She’s amazing. She’s still green, so she does things that green horses do, but what a horse! I know this she will go a long way.”
On the test:
“Her half-passes are always good, and I was really happy I got the ones because those were a challenge. I was really proud of her piaffe-passage today, even though I was a little nervous to put int on the spot. The judge came and asked me, ‘Why are you doing your piaffe so early!’ but those are little things. I’m just happy to have her.”
On his future plans with Bellena:
“I really was hoping we’d be at this point now a year ago, but we weren’t and that’s okay. I’m always the one that says you can’t push the horses. It took a long time, but we’re finally getting to the point where she’s really coming into her own. There’s still a lot to improve, but I’m taking it one step at a time. Being on another team would be amazing, but the competition is fierce, even in my own family! But it’s amazing. We have so many great horses and riders coming up.”
RESULTS
CDI-W Short Grand Prix
Rider / Country / Horse / Owner / Total Score
1. Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu / CAN / All In / Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu and Marc-Andre Beaulieu / 71.447%
2. Alice Tarjan / USA / Donatella M / Alice Tarjan / 69.053%
3. Codi Harrison / USA / Katholt’s Bossco / Codi Harrison / 68.368%
4. Anna Buffini / USA / FRH Davinia La Douce / Anna Buffini / 67.737%
5. Jan Ebeling / USA / Status Royal OLD / Ann Romney / 67.316%
CDI4* FEI Grand Prix (for GPFS)
Rider / Country / Horse / Owner / Total Score
1. Jan Ebeling / USA / Bellena / Ann Romney / 71.739%
2. Juan Matute Guimón / ESP / Quantico / Juan Matute Azpitarte / 69.848%
3. Ariana Chia / CAN / Fiderflame / Ariana Chia / 69.087%
4. Christoph Koschel / GER / Dünensee / Diamante Farms / 68.565%
5. Lisa Marriott / GBR / Valucio DH Z / Lisa Marriott / 67.935%
6. Pablo Gómez Molina / ESP / Ulises De Ymas / Javìer Bacacriza, Cristina Danguillecourt & Yeguada de Ymas S.L / 67.870%
7. Jessica Jo Tate / USA / Derby / Cackie Vroom / 64.239%
8. Evi Strasser / CAN / Disney Tyme / Evi Strasser / 63.913%
9. Paula Matute Guimón / ESP / Delagronge / Julie McAllister & Paula Matute Guimón / 60.913%
10. Joanne Vaughan / GEO / Al Martino 10 / Joanne Vaughan / 58.761%
CDI4* FEI Grand Prix (for GPS)
Rider / Country / Horse / Owner / Total Score
1. Alice Tarjan / USA / Serenade MF/ Alice Tarjan / 71.261%
2. Benjamin Ebeling / USA / Indeed / Vantage Equestrian Group II, LLC / 69.870%
3. Sarah Tubman / USA / First Apple / Summit Farm / 69.522%
4. Michael Klimke / GER / Harmony’s Sanrino RHP / Harmony Amateur Sports Foundation / 69.261%
5. Katie Duerrhammer / USA / Paxton / Kylee Lourie / 68.630%
6. Laurence Vanommeslaghe / BEL / Havalon / Laurence Vanommeslaghe / 68.500%
7. Kiichi Harada / JPN / Sir Galanto / Chiemi Katayama / 67.348%
8. Aaron Janicki / USA / Heron / Aaron Janicki / 67.326%
9. Mikala Münter / USA / Skyfall / Mikala Münter / 66.261%
10. Bridget Hay / USA / Faolan / Bridget Hay / 66.261%
11. Katherine Bateson- Chandler / USA / Haute Couture / Katherine Bateson Chandler and Jennifer Huber / 64.848%
12. Gloriana Herrera / CRC / Vampiro De Pereto / Glorianna Herrera and Lucas GII / 63.978%
13. Virginia Yarur / CHI / Ronaldo / Ana María Echeverría / 62.630%
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