The fifth week of the 2025 Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) in Wellington, FL, continued to be a bonanza for personal bests and the CDI3* Grand Prix Special, sponsored by Blucreeq Spirits, on Saturday, February 8, was no exception. Seven-time Olympian for Sweden, Tinne Vilhelmson Silfvén, logged her second combination-high score of the week with Lövsta Stuteri’s 13-year-old Hyatt, laying down 72.574%. Their previous best in this test was 70.979%, set at AGDF in 2024.

International Diversity

The podium boasted three different flags, underscoring the international significance of the AGDF winter circuit, which attracts riders and horses from around the globe thanks to the unparalleled chance to compete nationally and internationally throughout the 12-week circuit. Second-placed Erin Nichols (USA) also posted a personal best score, riding Premiere Sport Horses’ 16-year-old gelding Elian Royale (Johnson x Sandreo) to 71.702%. German rider Michael Klimke piloted the Fairytale son Harmony’s Fado—the youngest horse in the class at 11 years old—to third. Their 67.553% was a new high score for the inexperienced horse who was contesting just his second big tour CDI.

Winter Home for Tinne

Vilhelmson Silfvén, who spearheads the extensive Lövsta team that decamps to Wellington each winter season, said, “That’s a score I love to see! Hyatt was more self-assured today and she felt more comfortable in the ring. I had a good feeling, although I had two mistakes which were both my fault. That nags at me because I could have done even better, but she did everything I asked for, so I’m super happy with the horse and the result.”

Hyatt had a break from showing between Aachen in July 2024 and this year’s AGDF and Vilhelmson Silfvén used the time to fine-tune.

“We’ve been working on the details, on the basic riding like the balance, getting her stronger, better in the contact and more uphill,” she explained. “I wanted Hyatt to mature and be strong enough to carry herself, because that’s something she can always do when she’s calm, but she needs to be able to do that when there’s a bit of tension [in a test]. It feels like she’s already switched back on to showing again, so that’s great.”

Vilhelmson Silfvén is planning to contest two further AGDF shows with Hyatt this season and she remains busy as a trainer, too.

Results