Thinking Break for Marek Leads to Double Win on Fayvel at 2024 CDI-W Ocala

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2024 CDI-W Ocala

Sixth months after competing in Europe, Anna Marek and Fayvel returned to the stage at the 2024 CDI-W Ocala on 11 - 14 December 2024 to contest the Grand Prix 3* tour. They win both the Grand Prix and Special in a field of six competitors.

A Thinking Break

Marek and Fayvel scored 70.022% as the only pair to break the 70% mark to win the Grand Prix for Special CDI3*. Tina Konyot (USA) and Grover, a 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding by Everdale x United she owns with Earle I. Mack LLC, scored 69.478% for second place. Kevin Kohmann (USA) and Giulietta scored 66.522% for third place. The 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare by Bordeaux (NLD) x Olivi is owned by Diamante Farms.

After competing in the 2°24 World Cup™ Final in Ryad (KSA) in April and the CDI Kronberg in June in Germany as member of the U.S. Dressage Olympic team short list, Marek has been able to take a break from CDI competitions, having only shown in two classes at the previous WEC Dressage show in November with her other horse, Holiday, since CHIO Aachen in July. The time has given her a chance to consider how to spend her time with her two top horses, Fayvel and Fire Fly, in the coming year with no major team championships.

“What I’ve realized in doing the big championships is how much time you actually need, how long it takes to prepare,” she remarked. “You think that you have all this time, and then by the time you have the horses where you want them and fit – but also you’ve gone to enough shows, you’ve practiced enough – that time goes by so fast.”

Marek Makes the Special a Priority

For 2025, Marek is riding hr number one, Fire Fly, in the CDI-W classes to see what happens for the upcoming World Cup Final but also looking at qualifying for the U.S. Equestrian Open Dressage Final. WEC – Ocala has four qualifying dates, which is attractive for Marek in order to stay close to home and compete.

“If I could qualify for that I would absolutely love to do that,” she said. “It’s in the United States, and I could qualify at home. With Fayvel, I could practice the Specials.”

Practicing in the Special started in Thursday’s class, where she worked on piaffe and passage. Marek has only competed with Fayvel, a 14-year-old KWPN gelding by Zizi Top x Houston, at the CDI level for a year; owner Davila competed the horse at grand prix level prior to Marek taking the reins.

“It just takes time to go in there and make it feel like it’s easy,” said Marek. “He’s so talented with the piaffe and passage, but he’s just a little bit green at it. In schooling and at home I was like, ‘Oh wow, we can do this amazingly well,’ and today I felt like I started to show that where I didn’t have to work so hard to get it. He is getting really trained and relaxed and confirmed so that I could just steer him through it and ask him quietly for things.

“Today I came out thinking, ‘Everything that I’ve been working on, it worked today in this test.’ We had a clean ride. I know that the one-tempis can be bigger and little things like that, but overall, his way of going was what I was really happy with.”

A Second Win

Marek and Fayvel led the Grand Prix Special CDI3* with a score of 71.213%. Kevin Kohmann (USA) and Giulietta finished second with 67.298%. Third place went to Pablo Gómez Molina (ESP) and Servus Ymas, an 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding by San Amour I x Depardieu owned by Cristina Danguillecourt, Javier Bacariza with a score of 66.809%.

Marek and Fayvel won the Grand Prix on Thursday and had a day off before Saturday’s Special, which Marek thought benefited her horse. “I felt like it was nice that he had a rest before the Special,” she agreed. “He was maybe a little tired being at the show for a few days, and I was like, ‘Come on buddy, stick with me for six minutes and then you’re done.’”

This was only the third Special test that the pair have ridden together since Marek took over the ride a year ago, and Marek’s trainer Anne Gribbons told her to try for more power and take a little more risk.

“She told me to show off the passage,” said Marek. “That’s what I went to do today, and it really paid off. It was our personal best in the Special. I was happy. He gave me a great feeling throughout the entire test. It was really fun.

“There is so much passage in the test, and it can get tiring for horse and rider,” she continued. “He really tried very hard and gave me some really good moments. The whole test was mistake-free but also started to show off what he can do.”

Despite their short time competing together, Marek and Fayvel have already had major moments, including riding at the World Cup™ Final and CD Kronberg, where they picked up two second places.

“There are some things I’ve been working on trying to improve with him,” said Marek of Fayvel. “He’s getting confirmed at the [grand prix] test, and I can go in and ride with more precision and finesse. He really starts to help me with the test rather than me trying to get him through the test.”

Marek plans to bring Fayvel to the next dressage show at WEC – Ocala, which will be the CDI3* on January 29-February 2, 2025, and from there will navigate plans for Fayvel and her other top horse Fire Fly.