Lyle Edges Out Jorst in Grand Prix Special at 2019 CDI-W Wellington

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2019 CDI-W Wellington

In unique circumstances, two riders tied in the Grand Prix Special CDI3* at Week 7 of the Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) in Wellington on Saturday, February 23, 2019.

Adrienne Lyle (USA) and Harmony’s Duval, and Charlotte Jorst (USA) and Nintendo both rode to a score of 72.255%, but Lyle and Harmony’s Duval broke the tie and secured their win with Lyle’s higher “Median score” from the judges.

It was a close call with Lyle receiving four rider collective mark scores of 8.0 and one 7.5, and Jorst receiving three 8.0 marks, and two 7.5 marks to take second place behind Lyle.

“I thought the piaffe/passage tour was much stronger than in the Grand Prix. That’s really a highlight of this horse, and I was glad we were able to tap into more of his potential in there today,” said Lyle of Harmony’s Duval, a 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding by Rousseau owned by Duval Partners LLC.

“He’s very green. This is his first year at grand prix,” continued Lyle. “It’s such a process with him, just the whole what works best in the warm-up, what works best in preparation. [It’s [all those things when you’ve been showing the same grand prix horse for years that you know, and when there’s a new one it’s all just part of figuring out all those little things.”

Harmony’s Duval has a strong work ethic, says Lyle. “The great thing about him is that he’ll go forever; there’s not a stop in him. I think his best quality is his ambition. Sometimes it’s a little overzealous, but there’s never a lack of trying with that horse. He’d jump off a cliff if you asked him to,” concluded Lyle.

Earlier in the day, Jennifer Baumert (USA) and Handsome earned a score of 72.765% to win the Intermediate I CDI1*. Handsome is a 14-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Hochadel owned by Betsy Juliano LLC.

Sara Hassler (USA) and Boitano, a 13-year-old KWPN gelding by Santano owned by Leslie Malone, rode to a score of 70.529% to take second place. Third place went to Patricia Becker (USA) and Derk, a 11-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding by Wynton owned by Lauren Walfish. The pair earned a score of 68.176%.