Adequan Global Dressage Festival National 3 and 4 Show Wrap-Up

For Immediate Release

Wellington, FL - March 29, 2013 - The Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) held two national level shows at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center on March 19-20 and March 26-27. The shows welcomed competitors of all levels to gain experience and scores. Both shows were filled to capacity, with a full schedule of judging for the officials and a large number of entries competing at the FEI levels. The AGDF will host it's next show on April 4-7 with a strong contingent of top international-level horses and riders at the Wellington CDI 5* presented by Diamante Farms.

One of the big winners at the AGDF National 4 Show was Christilot Boylen, a six-time Canadian Olympian now based in Rottingen, Germany, when she is not in Wellington in the winter. Boylen swept the USEF Third Level Tests with Soccer City, a six-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Sir Donnerhall x Weltmeyer owned by Windhaven Farm and Jill Irving, and with Donnetella 79.  

Christilot Boylen and Soccer City

Soccer City won the USEF Third Level Test 1 with a score of 75.658% on Tuesday and the Test 2 class on Wednesday with a 77.073%.

Boylen and Irving found Soccer City as a three-year-old at the Performance Sales in Germany. He stayed and trained in Germany for three years, showing lightly but successfully. They competed at White Fences this winter and won both of their classes there, and moved up to the Test 2 at the AGDF.

"He handled it very, very well," Boylen remarked. "The reason we picked him - we were looking for beautiful gaits, three good gaits and above all, a presence and balance - that's exactly the package that we have with him. That pays off, as you can see." 

Christilot Boylen and Donnetella 79

Donnetella 79, a horse that Boylen has only been riding for seven months, won the USEF Third Level Test 2 on Wednesday with a 71.220% and Test 3 on Wednesday with a 75.385%.

Boylen noted, "She again is what I look for in a young horse. She's very balanced, she has presence and she has a cadenced way of going by nature. Those are the things she has naturally, so it's the trainer's and rider's job to develop that and show it. She has great nerves in the ring. Again, she's fulfilling the promise that we saw."

Boylen enjoys the National shows at the AGDF and has found them to be a great fit for bringing along her young horses. "It's an excellent idea and fits perfectly in the program. We made up our minds [to show] the international horses at one show and pick the National [shows for the young horses]. The format for Tuesday and Wednesday is excellent. It breaks the week up and doesn't bother your routine if you are showing on the weekend," she explained. 

Ashley Holzer and Breaking Dawn

Two top scores from the AGDF National 4 Show included a 76.383% from Canadian Olympian Ashley Holzer and her Olympic mount Breaking Dawn, who won the FEI Grand Prix Open. Winning the FEI Prix St. Georges 2009 Adult Amateur class with a score of 71.053% was Jeanne Van Nuys-Hitt and Sirtaki.  

Jeanne Van Nuys-Hitt and Sirtaki

At the AGDF National 3 Show, one of the top finishers was Caroline Roffman, who scored a 78.605% in the FEI Test of Choice - HF FEI Young Rider Grand Prix 16-25 2009 Open - with Sagacious, a 14-year-old KWPN gelding by Welt Hit II x Cocktail owned by Hyperion Farm.

Roffman started riding Sagacious, a top grand prix horse, in June last year. They have been competing in the Young Rider Grand Prix classes to practice the movements of that level and have been working on their partnership.

Caroline Roffman and Sagacious

Their score at the AGDF National 3 Show was their highest yet and the highest that Roffman has received in a grand prix test. She said of his performance, "This horse has all the talent in the world, it's just getting him to want to give that to you. He was good that day. His level of rideability was great, [and he] wanted to do what was asked with him. He was really reliable. When that is there, then he can be brilliant."

Roffman also took the opportunity at the National 3 Show to gain experience with another horse, a four-year-old stallion. With the great layout and feel of The Stadium facility, she felt it was a perfect way to school her young horse. "This was perfect to give the baby 100% of my focus and give him a great experience," she acknowledged. "I chose that show specifically to take him out and get him experience on good footing and in a secure place. The layout of the facility is wonderful, and the horses are really calm there."  

Lauren Barwick and Off To Paris

Two great scores were marked during the AGDF National 3 Show as well. Canadian Paralympian Lauren Barwick and Off To Paris received an 80.143% in the FEI Test of Choice - Para Grade II Individual - 2013 Adult Amateur. Riding Donna Felice, Kelly Layne scored 80.900% in the Young Horse Test of Choice - FEI Young Horse 5 Year Old Preliminary Open.  

Kelly Layne and Donna Felice

Timothy Mellott and Final Approach were given a 75.811% in the USEF First Level Test 2 - Open, while Bernd Schopf on De Value won the FEI Grand Prix 2009 Adult Amateur with a score of 75.957%. Ilse Schwarz and Don Joseph received a 75.526% in the USEF Third Level, Test 1 2011 Open, and Chris Von Martels rode Sandroletto in the USEF Third Level, Test 3 2011 Open for a score of 78.333%.  

Timothy Mellott and Final Approach

Bernd Schopf and De Value

Ilse Schwarz and Don Joseph

Chris Von Martels and Sandroletto

Competition at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival continues next week with the Wellington CDI 5* presented by Diamante Farms on April 4-7, 2013. For full results and more information, please visit www.globaldressagefestival.com.

Photo Credit: Photos � SusanJStickle.com. These photos may be used only in relation to this press release and must include photo credit.