By Lynndee Kemmet for Dressagedaily.com

In reality, it was a tie between Melissa Taylor and Courtney King in the battle for winner of Friday’s FEI Prix St. Georges competition, but in the end, the collective marks gave the win to Taylor. King and Taylor both received a score of 68.667 percent. Taylor took the win on the gray, nine-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding Dacardo. King got her second place with Jubilant, an eight-year-old Oldenburg stallion owned by Anne Wood and Virginia Easley. King also took third with Rendevous 3, a 12-year-old Austrian mare owned by Francine Walker.

Taylor couldn’t have been more happy with Dacardo (by D-Day out of Azisterne), who has a history of being a bit hot and difficult. Taylor even opted not to ride him in the awards ceremony and instead borrowed Rykaard from client and fellow competitor Ashley Fornell. “I didn’t want to bring Dacardo in this ring, especially at night,” she said of the Dixon Oval ring at Devon. “I still have to show him tomorrow and he can be dangerous, meaning to other horses and also, he’s too good a horse to take the chance of hurting him.”

Dacardo also won the Prix St. Georges at Dressage at Devon last year with Lars Petersen. “I’m psyched. I’m so proud of my horse. You have no idea,” Taylor said after her win. “Everyone who knows Dacardo knows he’s not the easiest horse so I was a little thrilled. Lars has done an amazing job training him so I’m just reaping the benefits.” The pair will be competing again today and Taylor said maybe – just maybe – she’ll try the awards ceremony if they make it that far.