Ashley Holzer came out on top in the Intermediate A 2* with Bliss at the 2023 CDI Ocala on 15 April 2023. With the show circuit in Wellington having come to a conclusion, competitive action has moved four hours north to Ocala, where two CDI's are scheduled in April and May.
Holzer Wins Intermediare A
Just three combinations competed in the Intermediaire A "Medium Tour" class.
Canadian born Ashley Holzer, who first represented the USA at the 2022 World Championships in Herning, brought her rising Grand Prix horse Bliss to Ocala to win the class with 72.843%.
Bliss is an 11-year-old Oldenburg mare by Bordeaux x Likoto xx which sponsor Diane Fellows bought at Hof Kasselmann. She is bred by Maria Kasselmann-de Kuyper and her husband Hubert. Bliss is a full sister to the highly successful Oldenburg stallion Budhi, who sold at the 2015 PSI auction to Russian investor Elena Knyaginicheva and then re-sold to German young rider Luca Collin. Isabell Werth is competing Budhi at international Grand Prix level.
Denielle Gallagher (CAN) and Come Back de Massa, an 11-year-old Pure Race Lusitano gelding by Galopin de la Font x Quixote SDS owned by Gallagher and Ellen Lazarus, were second with 69.020% in the Inter A. Jennifer Williams (USA) rode Quantaris, a 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding by Quarterline x Sir Donnerhall owned by Oded Shimoni, to third place and 68.833%.
Marek Wins Grand Prix Special
While Marek had been focusing on the Grand Prix Freestyle this winter for FEI World Cup™ scores, her move to the Special for this CDI highlights “some of the things he does very well,” she said. “We have been working on the tempo, rhythm and being able to have that expression and energy. With that they can take a misstep or lose their balance, but he did it the same the entire time. It was an awesome feeling. I just have to give him a little reminder about something or tell him I want something a little better, and he tries so hard."
“What was crazy is that we made a couple of mistakes today,” she continued. “They were mistakes that we haven’t made before, so to get that score was incredible.”
Katie Duerrhammer (USA) and Paxton, a 12-year-old Westphalian gelding by Dante Weltino OLD x Don Marco owned by Kylee Lourie, stepped up into second place after a third-place finish on Friday. Duerrhammer works with U.S. Olympic silver medalist Adrienne Lyle, and between them they brought students and nine horses to this week’s show.
“I think the warm weather helped because we always have too much energy, so if it’s a little hot that usually works out in my benefit,” explained Duerrhammer. “It’s been a busy week. So, I felt the heat today, but it benefitted him.”
This is only Paxton’s second year competing at the grand prix level and only his third CDI of 2023, and Duerrhammer is still figuring out what system works best for the sensitive gelding.
“For some reason he finds this stadium extremely exciting,” she said. “It was a great learning experience. We started at the beginning of the week with way too much energy and not enough relaxation. We tailored his program over the weekend and to end today close to our personal best is very exciting.”
Duerrhammer was member of Team USA at the 2022 World Championships in Herning on Quartett (by Quaterback x Dream Of Glory), where she placed 34th in the Grand Prix with 70.839%. Quartett has not been shown since Herning in August 2022.
Third place went to Ashley Holzer (USA) and Hansel, a 10-year-old KWPN gelding by Blue Hors Don Olymbrio x Metall owned by P.J. Rizvi, with a score of 72.638%.
Related Links
Scores: 2023 CDI Ocala
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