The final dressage show of 2024 at World Equestrian Center – Ocala (WEC) opened on Thursday, December 12, at the December Dressage CDI-W presented by Hampton Green Farms. Three CDI classes were featured on the day’s schedule with familiar faces leading the victory gallops. U.S. Olympic team silver medalist Adrienne Lyle (USA) led the 15-entry strong Grand Prix for Freestyle CDI-W class riding Helix, owned by Zen Elite Equestrian, while Anna Marek (USA) and Fayvel, owned by Cynthia Davila, topped the Grand Prix for Special CDI3*. The Prix St. Georges CDI1* victory went to Pablo Gómez Molina (ESP) and Aurelius Ymas, owned by Yeguada de Ymas S.L.

(Above Photo: Helix’s half-pass work, along with pirouettes, were a strong point in his test according to Adrienne Lyle. Photo by Andrew Ryback Photography)

It has been five months since Adrienne Lyle and Helix went down centerline at a competition, and the scene was quite different the last time – they were riding for the U.S. Dressage Team at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games with the stunning Palace of Versailles as the backdrop to the riding arena. Following their performance as the highest-placed American combination, Helix returned to the U.S. and enjoyed his time in Colorado with turnout and trail rides before gearing up again for the winter show season.

Their performance in the Grand Prix for Freestyle CDI-W garnered a score of 72.478% from the five-judge panel. Jennifer Williams (USA) and Joppe K, a 10-year-old KWPN gelding by Rousseau (ex Rambo) x Santano owned by Joppe Partners LLC, was second with 70.804%, while Anna Marek rounded out an all-American podium with third place on Fire Fly, a 14-year-old KWPN gelding by Briar Junior (Anton) x OO Seven owned by Janet Simile, on a score of 69.891%.

So Overall I Was Very Happy With Him

“I thought parts of the test for his balance stayed better,” described Lyle. “He got a little bit kind of sucked back in the first piaffe, which caught me off guard because usually he’s quite energetic in that, but then he relaxed as the test went, so overall I was very happy with him.

“I think he’s still a little bit looking for all the thousands of spectators to come pouring out of a corner somewhere,” she laughed, remembering the atmosphere in Paris, “so about halfway through the test, he took a big breath and relaxed into it. He’s a horse that has so much energy anyway. The venue doesn’t seem to matter; he’s always ready to go.”

Lyle hasn’t even had a year with Helix, having first sat on him stateside on January 17, 2024, and with that new partnership comes building trust and working on Helix’s balance, self-carriage and lengthening of frame.

She explained, “That’s something that we work on a lot, and it takes time in this sport for them to build the understanding and the strength. I’m really happy with the work we’ve been able to get at home. I think we’re starting to show some of that in the ring, but I still think there’s a lot more to come in there. It’s hard to really believe it’s been even less than a year that we’ve done all this.

He’s Just A Great Partner To Work With

“There aren’t many horses who I think would be up for that game, to handle so many changes,” she added. “He’s always willing to work and try something different, and he’s just a great partner to work with.”

With months off after Paris and a year of no major championships in 2025, Lyle has her eye on possibly qualifying for the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final and showing in Europe this summer with Helix, all with a long-term goal of the 2026 World Championships in Aachen, Germany.

“I’m looking forward to having some time to really focus and train at home and go compete but not have such a lofty goal on the horizon this year,” she noted.

For Thursday’s test, Lyle praised Helix’s pirouettes and half-pass work and is excited for the freestyle, where they will perform a brand-new test that with music and choreography that was made for Helix.

Grand Prix for Freestyle Results

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