From Nadir to Apex: Double Win for Orlob and Jane at 2025 CDI Wellington

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2025 CDI Wellington

-- GDF press release, edited by Eurodressage

Marcus Orlob (USA) made it two for two when he won the Grand Prix Special 3* at the 2025 CDI Wellington on Saturday 15 March 2025, during week 10 of the 2025 Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) in Wellington, FL. The pair won the 3* Grand Prix on Thursday. With this double victory Orlob turned round a bitter feeling after a summer of highs and lows.

Orlob rode Alice Tarjan’s 11-year-old Jane (by Desperado x Metall) to a winning 72.065% in the Grand Prix and 72.043% in the Special. It was a unanimous win from the five judges out of a starting line-up of 15 combinations.

Orlob’s compatriot Anna Marek scored 68.085% for second place in the Special aboard Janet Simile’s Briar Junior x OO Seven 15-year-old gelding, Fire Fly. Australian athlete Jemma Heran rode her own Total Recall, a 13-year-old gelding by Totilas x Sandro Hit into third with 67.957%.

To Overcome Heartbreak

For German born Orlob and Jane, a disorganized strike-off to canter from passage on the serpentine in the Special, was the only blip in an otherwise smooth and pleasing test, which was rewarded with a peppering of eights. Their high score of 74.468% came from the judge at M, Germany’s Tina Viebahn.

Orlob picked up the ride on Jane at the beginning of 2024 after owner Alice Tarjan—an international grand prix rider herself—found her too strong. The combination has gone from apex to nadir and back to apex. After a major high at the 2024 CDI Kronberg, where they clinched a spot on the U.S. Olympic team, the pair went to Paris where the mare did not cope with the electric environment. Upon entering the big stadium she spooked, spun round and knocked herself, which led to elimination in the test because of blood on her leg.

After Paris they went to the CDI-W Devon in September but the KWPN mare did not make it through the horse inspection. Their first CDI start of 2025 at the Palm Beach Derby two weeks ago ended up with Orlob retiring from the Grand Prix test in which his spooky mare struggled with the environment and energy of a show ring.

Two weeks after the Derby, they turned things around and have overcome Olympic heartbreak. Orlob is assiduously working to build up the powerful and sensitive mare’s trust and confidence. As a result, he rode the Special with relaxation and flow at the forefront of his mind, rather than maximum expression and marks.

“Today she felt a touch more relaxed than in the grand prix and I was really happy because she was breathing, so I could soften my hands,” said Orlob, who was born in Germany and now rides for the U.S. “It’s baby steps, but this was a good confidence-building round for her. I didn’t put any pressure on her; I just let her do the job and tried to keep the relaxation as the priority. She’s a good horse and now it’s just about [giving her] time.”

Improving the Connection

Orlob feels that the one-on-one months he spent with Jane last summer in the run-up to the Games improved their connection.

“Being in Europe (training with Johan Zagers) helped me to build the relationship because I was grooming her, riding her, turning her out—everything,” he explained. “There were so many hours and just one horse. It was great to build a bond with her. Now, in the morning when I come to the barn she immediately kicks the door, whinnies at me and puts her neck forward for me to scratch her. I love this horse; she’s so cute and responsive.”

Orlob will make a plan for Jane for the rest of the season in consultation with Tarjan, though the CDI4* in GDF 12—the final week of the season—may well be on the cards. As for how Orlob will continue to build Jane’s confidence in the ring, he plans to invest time and effort into it.

“We will travel over to WEF [home of the winter show jumping circuit at Wellington International] to hack around with the jumpers, and ride around White Fences to different barns; probably go once over to Kevin Kohmann’s barn, and keep giving Jane more opportunities to see different rings. I think that’s important for her,” he concluded.