WELLINGTON, Fla.--Germany’s Evelyn Eger on Tabledance won the individual gold medal in the Nations Cup CDIO3* Grand Prix Freestyle on Friday, Feb. 21 during “Friday Night Stars” at the Global Dressage Festival.
Evelyn Eger on Tabledance (Photo by Susan Stickle)As the last to go, Eger on the Totilas daughter Tabledance 3 had a captivating Shakira-inspired performance which scored a new personal best of 77.235%.
The victory came just a day after Eger led Germany to the team gold with another winning career high score in the grand prix.
It was closely fought for the silver and bronze medals, with just 0.005 percentage points dividing the two.
Germany''s Felicitas Hendricks won the battle for silver with 75.13% on Drombusch OLD, and Devon Kane, best of the U.S. riders, on Vamos placed third on 75.125%.
The class was a qualifier for the new U.S. Equestrian Open of Dressage, which features 23 qualifying rounds, seven of which are being held by Wellington International at the Festival, before the final in California in November.
Eger now leads the standings with 60 points, while Hendricks is second with 54.
THE 27-YEAR-OLD Eger, who works for Hof Kasselmann, has been riding 12-year-old Tabledance since she was 7, and they began their international career in the Under 25 division.
“I competed her first at Prix St. Georges and we made our way together up to the big sport,” said Eger. “We’ve grown and this makes a very deep relationship. Tonight was a big surprise and an unbelievable evening. Tabledance told me in the warm-up that she wanted to win. She was so relaxed and fighting for me, so I could enjoy the music and I could enjoy the audience. It was a perfect feeling.”
Eger’s powerful final centerline was met with clapping and whoops from the audience.
“I love Shakira, so it was a long-time wish for me to have this music,” said Eger, who had originally planned the freestyle for another horse, Gossip Girl. “It fit Tabledance so well that I decided to swap. On the last centerline I was singing a bit because it came out of my heart!”
Eger is grabbing every chance she can get to compete and gain experience at her first Festival.
“It’s a completely different world here than in Europe, and I’m super happy to be here,” said Eger. “My horses can show from week to week, and that’s what makes Wellington so great.”
Hendricks, who won individual freestyle gold at the Wellington FEI Nations Cup show in 2024, rode to her familiar disco music on the 14-year-old Drombusch OLD, by Destano.
“We had some real highlights in today’s test, but there was a fine line in the piaffe pirouettes,” she said, referring to a kick-out on the final centerline. “Drombusch is a very sensitive horse, which makes him a great grand prix horse. But first I didn’t ask for enough, then I asked for too much, which caused a little explosion. That was unfortunate, but I love his sensitivity."
“I’ve had the pleasure of being on the Nations Cup team for the third time now, and I’m definitely never getting tired of it,” said Hendricks, who trains with her uncle Christoph Koschel. “We have great team spirit, especially yesterday, so you really want to bring home a good round, not just for yourself, but for your team.”
Kane has produced Vamos up the levels, and he is coming into his own at grand prix this year.
“This is our third freestyle under the lights, and when he walks out at night he walks out different,” said Kane, whose family owns Diamante Farms. “He really enjoys the dancing and the music and he knows exactly what’s happening. He lights up and he’s game on from the start.”
Kane rode Vamos to “techno swing” music based on the new Gatsby movie.
It was originally intended for her retired horse, Destiny.
Vamos has now earned his own freestyle, though Kane plans to preserve some of the difficult choreography, which includes changes on a circle, into the new routine.
“Vamos is special in every way,” she said. “He’s hot, he’s intense and he’s needy, but he shines when he shines, so I’m blessed to be his mom. He looks to me for guidance, so I hope I keep giving him the right answers and asking the right questions.”
In the CDI3* Grand Prix Freestyle, Karen Lipp on Infinity scored 72.255% to win.
Kiichi Harada of Japan on placed second on 67.42%, and Amy Bradley on Quileute CCW was third with 63.09%.
In Friday’s daytime CDI1* FEI Intermediate I, Benjamin Ebeling repeated his win in the previous day’s Prix St. Georges by winning the class with another personal best score of 71.029% on Escona B.
Katrina Sadis finished second with 69.235% on Legend Ymas, with Jill Irving on Knight third on 68.588%.
