WELLINGTON, Fla.--Adrienne Lyle on her Olympic mount Salvino won the Grand Prix CDI4* for freestyle, which was moved indoors due to the weather, with the days highest score 78.566%, on March 24 at Global Dressage.
Adrienne Lyle on Salvino (Photo by Susan Stickle)This is Lyle's second CDI of the year, and, riding Salvino, she remains unbeaten in all three of their starts since the Olympics, having won twice in five-star week of AGDF 2022.
Fellow Olympians filled the remaining two podium steps.
Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu of Canada, who was last to go, placed second with 71.500% on All In, while seven-time Swedish Olympian Tinne Vilhelmson Silfvén was third on her relatively new ride Devanto, with 71.261.
“Salvino’s proving to be so consistent,” said Lyle, 37 of Idaho. “His body feels really powerful and full of energy, so I’m thrilled. He’s always had a lot of power, but he sometimes struggled with the balance in the trot extensions, so I feel like we’re really able to unleash and go full power, which is fun.”
THE CLASS was moved to the Van Kampen Covered Arena as storms swept the Wellington area.
“I’m thankful that they chose to do this because in this weather, with the thunderstorms and the rain, the last thing we want to do is take a chance on sloppy footing for these horses,” said Lyle. “The horses have to be able to go in any venue, so it doesn’t really matter to me. He’s an absolute gentleman who loves to show and loves to be the center of attention.”
“I’m looking forward to doing a freestyle tomorrow night, which I haven’t done for a long time with him, because all up to Tokyo we were focused on the special because that was the test for the team medal," said Lyle, who last rode in a freestyle at Aachen, Germany, in July of 2019, where she scored 83.56%. "I’m really excited to ride it here because it’s such a fun venue,” said the 37-year-old.
Lyle, who trains with Debbie McDonald, is aiming for a place on the shortlist of riders who will travel to Europe to try to win a place on the U.S. team at the ECCO FEI World Championships in Denmark in August.
Germany’s Christoph Koschel won Grand Prix CDI4* (for special) over 10 starters, riding Dünensee to 70.609%, the only plus-70% score in the class.
It was also held in the Van Kampen Covered Arena.
“My horse was a little scared getting in there with the judges’ tables and everything, so maybe he was not as good to ride like in the Nations Cup, but I had not so many mistakes,” said Koschel.
“I was really happy with the piaffe," he said. "He wanted to piaffe all the time, but he didn’t want to passage so that was a little expensive, otherwise the score would be even higher. We are quite a new combination, and I’m very happy that Devon Kane of Diamante Farms has given me the chance to ride this horse. I think it’s a great horse for the future.”
The horse is for sale, so Koschel will consult with his owners about his next competitive steps.
“First we’ll do the Special and then we see if we keep the horse a little longer or if she wants to sell him soon,” he said. “He still needs some show experience and mileage in the ring for sure, but he’s really ambitious to do it. He wants to go forward, and he wants to fight for the rider.”
Canadian Naïma Moreira Laliberté was second on Statesman with 68.152%, and another Canadian, Diane Creech scored 67.457% to place third on Chrevis Christo.
Ecuador’s Julio Cesar Mendoza Loor scored a new career high score of 72.348% riding Jewel’s Goldstrike to win the Grand Prix CDI3* (for freestyle).
Koschel was second on Favorito 11 on 67.717%, and Colombian María Alejandra Aponte González had a new personal best of 67.283% on Duke De Niro for third.
Ashley Holzer rode Valentine to 73.63, a personal best, to win the Grand Prix CDI3* (for special), for Valentine's third CDI of the year, and her first win in 2022.
Belgium’s Laurence Vanommeslaghe on Havalon was second with 70.63%, and Katie Duerrhammer placed third on Paxton with 68.587%.
