Wrapping up the final day of competition at the World Equestrian Center (WEC) May Dressage CDI3*, presented by Hampton Green Farms on Sunday, May 17, 2026, three-time U.S. Olympian Adrienne Lyle rode Helix, owned by Zen Elite Equestrian Center, to victory for a second time in the Grand Prix Special CDI3*.

Photo – Adrienne Lyle and Helix finished their week with a second win, this time in the Grand Prix Special CDI3*, a test they haven’t performed in two years. (Andrew Ryback Photography)

It was a satisfying return to the show ring for the pair that competed at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games and who haven’t shown internationally for a year. The judges awarded them a score of 73.213% for victory.

In the past year, Lyle has worked on bolstering her bond with Helix, adjusting her ride on him, and strengthening Helix’s form.

“I’ve been working a lot on my position a little bit and tweaking it,” described Lyle. “It’s how I can sit differently to balance him, get more on my seat, be able to open the frame and lift, and find a more uphill balance. I think we’re starting to click into that.”

With two wins under her belt this week, Lyle is thrilled with how Helix handled every question.

Super Proud

“It feels awesome,” she expressed. “I’m super proud of him. We haven’t done a special in a CDI since Kronenberg before Paris, so it’s been a while. We didn’t do any last year. I’m just totally thrilled with him. It’s hot, and it’s the end of a long week, so I had to support him a little bit more to help him through the test today. He was just really accepting of that and let me ride him and put in, I think, the best effort that he could. So, that’s all you can ask for. I was really happy.”

While there are not currently any competition plans for Helix, he will join the rest of Lyle’s team and head to Europe in a few weeks, where they will base in Holland.

Second and third places from Friday’s Grand Prix swapped in the Grand Prix Special, with Kevin Kohmann (USA) and Sonata MF, an 11-year-old Hanoverian mare by Sir Donnerhall I x Don Principe owned by Diamante Farms, finishing second on a score of 69.298%.

Third place went to Denielle Gallagher (CAN) and Come Back de Massa, a 14-year-old Lusitano gelding (Galopin de la Font x Quixote SDS) owned by Ellen Lazarus and Gallagher, with 68.064%.

Dressage will return to WEC – Ocala on August 21-23, September 4-6, and October 16-18, 2026, with USEF/USDF national-level competition. International competition will be held on November 12-15 with a CDI3* and a CDI-W on December 9-13 that provide qualifying points for the 2027 FEI Dressage World Cup Final.

Grand Prix Dressage CDI3* Results

Full Show Results and Ride Times