-- GDF press release, edited by Eurodressage
In a beautiful display of riding, Adrienne Lyle (USA) pulled off a huge new personal best of 80.325% on Friday 7 February 2025 in the World Cup Grand Prix Freestyle on her Paris 2024 Olympic partner, Helix. With it, she booked a starting place at the FEI World Cup™ Final in Basel, Switzerland (April 2-6).
Wellington International hosted the third ‘Friday Night Stars’ of the 2025 Global Dressage Festival (GDF) in Wellington, FL. The stands were filled with enthusiastic fans and the atmosphere electric, motivating Lyle and Helix to score more than 2.7% higher than their previous best score, set in December 2024. They topped an all-American sweep of the top four places.
With the judges in a mood for high marks no matter what, Lyle took advantage of the scoring with pink glasses, just like the rider last-to-go and crowd favourite P.J Rizvi, who had the crowds cheering, clapping and on their feet as her Lusitano stole the show.
Personal Best for Lyle and Helix
Lyle took over the ride on Helix just over a year ago and made her CDI debut with Zen Elite Equestrian’s 13-year-old Apache x Jazz gelding at GDF in March 2024. Lyle competed Helix under lights for the first time two weeks earlier, and he was a little overawed. This time, she walked him around the arena giving him pats before the bell, and he duly performed.
“That is, hands down, the best feeling he’s ever given me,” said Lyle, who rode to a Terry Gallo music compilation. “He was able to replicate the work that I’ve been getting at home—the lightness, harmony, and self-carriage. Tonight, he was able to take that into an electric environment and stay relaxed and in his own balance. It felt effortless and I didn’t have to push for anything. To feel that kind of confidence from him is really exciting.
The pair stood out with energetic piaffe-passage work in which the horse shows proper sit behind, but struggled with achieving length in the neck, particularly in the canter work, and the walk was not truly relaxed and ground covering. The tempi changes were big and uphill and Helix can truly take the weight on the hindquarters in the pirouettes.
“When I saw the score, I was so excited. It’s not many times in your life you’re going to see an 80%; it’s a huge thrill,” added Lyle, whose groom Marina Lemay was awarded the $500 grooms prize, sponsored by Lövsta Future Challenge. “We added a high degree of difficulty to the floorplan by adding combinations, like pirouettes into the changes and the piaffe full pirouettes.”
Helix will have a short break before picking up training again ahead of the World Cup Final and, hopefully, the summer competing in Europe with the U.S. squad. Lyle’s longer-term goal is the 2026 World Championships in Aachen, Germany.
Marek In Lyle's Wake
Marek rode a complex floorplan on Fayvel, including a half circle of two-time changes straight into one-times. A bobble in the final extended trot, where the horse’s abundant power brimmed over, was costly for Marek.
“Fayvel is a really fun horse to ride,” enthused Marek, who is based near Ocala, FL, and trains with Ann Gribbons. “I can take risks and we made this freestyle with so many combinations in a row. As difficult as it is, he’s still so easy to ride. I ride the brake a little bit and say, ‘Not so much, buddy!’”
Owner Davila originally made the soundtrack—which features funky dance music—for herself when she was competing Fayvel. Marek hopes to return to the World Cup Final and also compete in Europe this summer.
Vanilla Ice - the Horse & Singer Steal the Show
Last to go in the class, P.J. Rizvi and the 14-year-old Lusitano stallion Vanilla Ice got the crowd clapping along to their ice-themed freestyle from the get-go, finishing third with 76.585%. Her floorplan featured long series of piaffe-passage and numerous pirouettes and really put "fun" in the freestyle.
American rapper and mutual friend of Rizvi, Vanilla Ice himself—Robert van Winkle—presented the awards in the prize-giving.
Rizvi’s was an extraordinary comeback story after major injury. She has been out of the CDI ring for six years since having a major accident and being told she would never ride, walk or drive again. Vanilla Ice, who is originally named Guarana do Sobral, was found by Rizvi’s trainer Ashley Holzer and Robert Dover. He became the horse who gave her the confidence to return to the saddle after numerous surgeries. Rizvi grinned throughout her test.
“The horse has charisma like Vanilla Ice. He’s a Lusitano, he’s so different than a warmblood and I have to do the best I can with him and not try to be something that he isn’t, because he’s enough, and he’s the best for me,” she added.
Judge at C Debbie Rodriguez (USA), who was presiding from C during Friday Night Stars for the first time, said: “I couldn’t have asked for a better class. Seeing Helix relax as he walked by me before the test was awesome. You knew the test was going to be good, and it didn’t disappoint. Watching Anna come in and have that confident partnership with her horse, that was a treat, too. Then P.J. came in to finish the night and it was sheer fun; whether you’re a dressage person or not, it made everyone clap. Tonight was awesome.”
US Equestrian Open of Dressage
The class was also a qualifier for the new US Equestrian Open of Dressage, which features 23 qualifiers—seven of which are at GDF—before the final in California in November.
The U.S Equestrian Open of Dressage is a show circuit series of CDI's in the U.S.A in which riders can gain qualification points in the Kur to Music. At the finals a purse of 350,000 USD is up for grabs. The series is open to foreign riders too, but they have to compete in the CDI's in the U.S.A.
Related Links
Scores: 2025 CDI-W Wellington
Mid-Way Check-Up at the 2025 Global Dressage Festival: Come Out, Come Out Where Ever You Are
Grand Prix Riders in Search of Self Carriage at the 2025 CDI-W Wellington
Eurodressage coverage of the 2025 World Cup Finals