Ebeling and Future Hope Bellena Win Inter I Kur at 2019 CDI-W Wellington

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2019 CDI-W Wellington

Competition on week seven of the 2019 Global Dressage Festival in Wellington concluded on Sunday 24 February 2019 with freestyle classes from the Young Rider level to Intermediate I.

Jan Ebeling (USA) and Bellenna had the last test of the day and rode to a win in the Intermediate I Freestyle CDI3*.

Ebeling and Bellenna, a nine-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Belissimo M owned by Ann Romney, earned a score of 76.500% with their freestyle designed by Karen Robinson.

“First of all, it’s a very green horse so we’re keeping the lines fairly simple,” said Ebeling of his partner Bellenna. “The horse has fantastic basic gaits; the walk, extended walk, collected walk are really great. Those are always places where she can score high.”

“Right now we’re not focusing so much on one tempi; we’re focusing on getting her stronger in the canter. She’s got a big engine, but she needs to build up the muscle,” continued Ebeling. “Overall I think every day she’s gotten better. She’s learning to focus and we’re very hopeful. She is an awesome horse.”

Ebeling found places to simplify the test for his green mount. He said, “I think the most difficult thing is the half pass to a pirouette to a half pass, and I simplified that a little bit. I had a little bit of a cheater line in there, [it was a] half pass, and then I went straight a little ways, and then pirouette. I kind of put it into a few pieces instead of putting it all together.

“It’s fun, I’m lucky to have the horses that I have and the sponsorship behind me. It takes a horse, and it takes a rider, but it takes a village to really make it happen,” concluded Ebeling, who is based in Moorpark, California, and has been sponsored for years by a circle of friends including Ann Romney, wife to former U.S. presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

Second place went to Classy Sinclair, a 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding by Sir Sinclair x Sacro Santa owned by Lisa Grossi and ridden by Leif Aho (USA), who scored 74.458%. Ariana Chia (CAN) and her own Fiderflame, a nine-year-old Oldenburg gelding by Fidertanz x SPS Rose, placed third with a score of 73.417%.