WELLINGTON, Fla--Kevin Kohmann on Dünensee scored a new personal best of 79.24% to win the FEI World Cup Grand Prix Freestyle and secure his place in the World Cup Final on Friday, Feb. 28 during “Friday Night Stars” at the Global Dressage Festival.
Krvin Kohmann on Dunensee Phot by Susan Stickle)This will be his second final.
Going last, Anna Marek on Fire Fly scored 77.64% to place second, leaving her fourth in the Dressage World Cup North American League standings with just three spots up for grabs.
Kohmann will join Adrienne Lyle and Geñay Vaughn in Basel, Switzerland for the Fianal on April 2-6.
Canada’s Camille Carier Bergeron on Finnländerin scored 75.325% to place third.
The class was also a qualifier for the new US Equestrian Open of Dressage, which features 23 qualifiers, seven of which are at the Festival, before the final in California in November.
Germany’s Evelyn Eger and Karen Lipp are currently tied at the top of the standings with 60 points.
Kohmann rode a complex floorplan to upbeat music by Avicii—his favorite DJ—which includes ‘Wake Me Up’ by Hinterland.
THERE WAS a high degree of difficulty right from the outset: halt to canter and straight into a double pirouette to start.
The test also included changes on curving lines and a full piaffe pirouette in the middle of the walk section.
Kohmann punched the air as he nailed the final halt right on cue.
“That’s twice now that we’ve ridden a personal best,” said the 36-year-old Kohmann, referring to the pair’s 77.575% in Friday Night Stars during Festival 3, their previous high score. “It’s coming together more and he’s helping me every time in the ring. I cannot thank the horse enough. I trust him and he trusts me. This arena is not so easy, but we know our freestyle, we like the music, and it flows nicely.”
“He really brought me into the international grand prix ring; I’ve shown it before, but never like this,” said Kohmann. “This horse keeps getting better and we’re peaking at the right time. Although this is very bittersweet because me and Anna are good friends and that was not an easy competition today.”
Kohmann has a long history with Dünensee, Diamante Farms’ 16-year-old Dancier x Davignon gelding, having first ridden him as a 5-year-old.
He was then sold, but Kohmann’s coach Cristoph Koschel later persuaded him to take the horse back, despite some difficulties with the tempi changes. Now, he has a home for life.
Kohmann also won the CDI1* FEI Intermediate I on another Diamante Farms horse, scoring 70.617% on the 10-year-old mare Scala.
Marek, who is based near Ocala, FL, and trains with Ann Gribbons, decided to ride a full power test on Janet Simile’s 15-year-old Briar Junior gelding, Fire Fly.
“Following Kevin I had nothing to lose, so I decided to go for it and take some risks I might not normally on Firefly,” said Marek, who has ridden the horse for almost four years. “But today it all worked out. He was really good and I was proud of him."
“He already showed grand prix before I got him, but he was scared in the piaffe and he couldn’t always do the ones. I still can’t always get them, but overall he’s the horse that has taught me probably more than any other in terms of learning patience and building a relationship. He has the biggest heart,” said Marek, who is hoping to qualify for the US Open Final with Fire Fly.
The popular Palm Beach Derby returned for its 42nd anniversary edition on Friday.
The exciting knock-out contest pits riders head-to-head to ride a Prix St. Georges on an unfamiliar horse with just five minutes to warm up before tackling the test in the main arena.
This year, the class was a battle between Spain’s Paula Matute Guimón and Evelyn Eger of Germany.
Both athletes emerged victorious from the semi-final knock-out rounds earlier in the evening.
Guimón rode a sympathetic test on Totem for 71.654%.
The test is marked by three CDI judges, and the spectator judging score makes up 25% of the final mark.
Riding second and making her Derby debut, the 27-year-old Egerscored a 74.89% on Totem.
“I’m super honored to do my first Derby experience here in Wellington at my first season here; it’s super special,” said Eger, who works for Hof Kasselmann. “To prepare myself, actually I just did my job because I’m used to riding so many different horses in a day. Of course it was a big challenge to go directly into the test, but we had such nice horses today, thanks to the owners, that it was a pleasure to ride them.”
Of her first Derby experience she said, “It was so much fun! Even when you know your horse it’s a challenge to ride a test, but this is something else. I enjoyed seeing how the other riders handled the horses; I’d love to do another Derby.”
