Konyot and Boylen Victorious at 2013 CDI-W Florida Dressage Classic

Shows

2013 CDI-W Wellington

The Global Dressage Festival continued on Friday 15 February 2013 with two top classes for the small tour and big tour in the Florida Dressage Classic, CDI-W presented by the USPRE Association. European based Canadian Christilot Boylen and American Olympic team rider Tina Konyot were victorious in the big CDI classes of the day.

The $3,000 Prix St. Georges saw the top two spots going to Christilot Boylen (CAN) riding Hudson and Dio Mio, both owned by Windhaven Farm and Jill Irving. Tina Konyot (USA) was the winner of the $20,000 Grand Prix Freestyle, sponsored by USPRE Association, on Calecto V, with Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven (SWE) and Divertimento second and Jacquline M. Brooks (CAN) on D Niro in third.

The judges in both the Prix St. Georges and Grand Prix Freestyle were Jane Weatherwax (USA) at E, Victoire Mandl (AUT) at H, Gary Rockwell (USA) at C, Jean-Michel Roudier (FRA) at M, and Jacques Van Daele (BEL) at B.

The Prix St. Georges had an outstanding 19 entries. Winning first and second place, with scores of 69.921% and 67.868% respectively, Boylen was content with the performance of the 9-year-old bay Oldenburg gelding, Hudson (by Hohenstein x Democraat) , and the 10-year-old black Hanoverian gelding, Dio Mio (by De Niro x Charmeur).

"Dio is usually a horse that makes few mistakes, if any at all, so today's couple mistakes were flighty. He was a little nervous in the ring this morning. He should be getting better since he's seen this arena before. Hudson is very green, but did a super job today and I'm very thrilled with him. That's his third Prix St. Georges. He rode in the National in January and then went international at the CDI-W two weeks ago. He's gone from a 66 to a 69 in such a short span of time that I can't ask for anything more. I always knew it was in him. He's a brilliant horse. Now we just have to continue to get him experience in the ring," remarked Boylen.

Jill Irving, part owner of both horses, won both today's Adult Amateur Intermediare I and Grand Prix-Open in the Wellington Equestrian Realty Ring 1. Riding Delavaux in the Intermediare I, she scored a 67.500% and in the Grand Prix-Open, she rode Degas (by De Niro x Regazzoni) to a score of 70.213%.

Tina Konyot and Calecto V With 12 entries in the Grand Prix Freestyle, Konyot won with a score of 76.775%. Under the lights, she and Calecto V (by Come Back II x Rastell), owned by Konyot and John Byrialsen, danced to the music. In reflecting on her freestyle, she commented that the 15-year-old Danish Warmblood stallion felt wonderful. "I was looking to improve from yesterday so it was just great. When you are on your own, doing your own thing with your horse, you feel personally responsible. He's been feeling fantastic. Yesterday's warm-up and today's was fantastic. I rode just to be happy. Because of issues in my personal life, I almost scratched today, but my boyfriend convinced me to go in and just enjoy myself and do the best I can. My horse is a good boy. I love him so much!" Konyot said.

Vilhelmson-Silfven and Antonia Ax:son Johnson's Divertimento (by Di Versace x Ferragamo) rode a brand-new freestyle this evening. Receiving a score of 74.700%, no one could tell she had only one run through this morning. "I thought it was great fun. I really enjoyed the music and I think it fits him well. It was a challenge to ride a new test since I haven't had it a long time to practice with, but it felt good," observed Vilhelmson-Silfven. In thinking about the 11-year-old bay Westfalen gelding, she felt he was a bit tense, but better then the last CDI here two weeks ago. "I had a little mistake in the last piaffe due to camera flashes, but otherwise I'm happy. Some more practice is necessary, but overall I like my new freestyle. He was comfortable riding it," she noted.

Brooks and D Niro (by D-Day x Napoleon) were awarded third place with a score of 70.900%. The 14-year-old grey Swedish Warmblood gelding owned by Mary Brooks is finally being able to really feel the test. "Last year was making him happy with and practicing the test at these shows for the Olympics, which he was amazing at. This year it is about adjusting how he goes. The first few shows there was some miscommunication between us as he was confused as to why I was changing things. But today he was full-on in. He was committed and it's a great feeling to know that he is content while riding the test. You know they're happy when they get those floppy ears and that makes me really happy," praised Brooks.

Konyot said, "He's completed my bucket list. But he's a strong horse and that's so important. He's been feeling great training, so I needed to have a good feeling in the arena, to confirm my feeling. I am certainly aiming for another World Cup qualifier and then we'll take it from there." Brooks is focusing on the 2014 World Equestrian Games, but the World Cup Finals could be on the horizon if things fall into place. Vilhelmson-Silfven has already qualified for the World Cup Finals with her top mount Don Auriello, but is concentrating on taking everything one step at a time.

Other CDI classes took place today in the International Arena as well. The winner in the FEI Pony Team was Barbara Davis (USA) riding Poldy (by Platello), owned by Michael Davis, with a score of 66.885%. In the FEI Young Rider Team, the blue ribbon went to Mathilde Tetreault (CAN) with Michelangelo (by Admiral) with a score of 65.526%. The FEI Junior Team saw Naima Moreira-Laliberte and Diamond (by Donnerhall x Werther), owned by Moreira-Laliberte, as the winners with a score of 65.649%.