Kasey Perry-Glass Spearheads Olympic Girl Power Podium at 2025 CDI Wellington

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2025 CDI Wellington

--- GDF press release, edited by Eurodressage

Three female Olympians filled the podium in the 4* Grand Prix Freestyle in the final week of competition at the 2025 Global Dressage Festival in Wellington.

U.S. Olympic team bronze medalist from Rio 2016 Kasey Perry-Glass and Heartbeat W.P. logged their third international win of the season. They scored 75.915%. Ashley Holzer— a four-time Olympian for Canada before electing to ride for the U.S.—set a new combination high score for second place, piloting Hawtins San Floriana to 74.84%. Canadian Camille Carier Bergeron rode her Paris Olympic partner Finnländerin into third place with 73.37%.

Fine-tuning

Perry-Glass debuted the now 13-year-old Heartbeat a year ago at GDF and has been fine-tuning the Charmeur x Ferro gelding’s performances inside the boards, aided by Adrienne Lyle who came up with their floorplan.

“There was a lot of power and a lot to contain, but I’m starting to be able to manage it,” explained Perry-Glass, who rode to a bespoke Tom Hunt soundtrack featuring the sound of a heartbeat. “Sometimes ‘Heart’ tries to overpower me, but tonight he proved that he can keep the power underneath me. It’s about figuring out what works for him, but once I get in the ring, he’s a true showman and he stepped up.

“Tonight was fun, and it’s hard to say that sometimes because you have a lot of pressure on yourself,” continued Perry-Glass, who is grateful for the plentiful and flexible opportunities to show that AGDF affords. “We don’t have anything like this anywhere else in the States. To be able to give our horses experience in a stadium that’s actually really difficult to ride in is awesome. I get to know my horse a little bit more each time.”

The duo plans to contest one more show in Florida before heading to Europe for the summer, with Hagen and Aachen CDIs in Germany pencilled in on the calendar.

Making the Bond

Holzer also rode to Tom Hunt music with a patriotic American twist on the 13-year-old Hanoverian, San Floriana (San Amour x Florestan). They produced a new personal best despite only having received the new music three days before the class. Holzer bought the British-bred mare, whom she co-owns with Diane Fellows, just over a year ago from Carl Hester and Charlotte Dujardin.

“She’s really the first trained horse I’ve taken over the ride on (sic), and I found that a bit tricky,” explained Holzer. “I struggled to feel that bond with her. I took her to Carl’s last summer and worked on trying to create a partnership. It’s really just in the last few weeks that I’ve started to feel that she’s speaking my language. She really tries so hard, and it’s special when you feel a horse start to become your teammate.”

Of her choice of patriotic music, she added: “I’m an immigrant. I came to the States a number of years ago when I met my husband. The music spoke to me about America welcoming people. I’m a new American and I’ve been embraced by this country.”

In the past Holzer has taken over the ride on several ready-made Grand Prix horses already competed at Grand Prix level by their previous riders, such as Mango Eastwood, Havanna, Unlimited, and Jewel's Adelante. She also took on rising Grand Prix horses Breaking Dawn and Arthur and further fine-tuned them at Grand Prix level for their owners.

Holzer's number one in the barn, her U.S. Olympic team short listed ride Hansel (by Don Olymbrio x Metall), has stayed in Europe with Carl Hester after last year's euro tour. Hansel is owned by P.J. Rizvi and is 12-year old sensitive liver chestnut, which Ashley produced to Grand Prix level herself.

Feeling Connected

Carier Bergeron rode to a Joost Peters soundtrack on Finnländerin, a 15-year-old Fidertanz x Donnerhall mare whom she co-owns with her father, Gilles Bergeron.

“That test was one of the times she’s felt the most relaxed and most connected with me—very accessible,” said the 24-year-old. “The trot tour felt like a win to me, and the piaffe/passage. We had some bobbles in the canter tempis at the end of the test, but other than that I was really happy with her.”

Judge at C Janet Foy (USA), who is herself a ballroom dancer, said, “That was really fun for the judges. I’m a dancer, so there was a lot of great stuff going on in there. The top five or six horses were really special and did a great job. It’s a great way to finish the season.”

The class doubled up as part of one of the 24 qualifying events held around the country for the inaugural season of the US Equestrian Open of Dressage, with the final set for mid-November in California. Anna Marek (USA) currently sits atop the rankings with 88 points, with Germany’s Evelyn Eger (85 points) in second and the USA’s Karen Lipp (70 points) in third.