The 2022 Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) continued with week 6 national competition from Friday, February 18, through Sunday, February 20, which included top competition of all levels at Equestrian Village. The 2022 AGDF continues through March 27.

Friday’s FEI Prix St. Georges class was won by Julie McKean (USA) with Fling For U, a 13-year-old Swedish Warmblood mare by Blue Hors Don Romantic x OO Seven, with a score of 73.823%. They garnered praise for their lateral work, notching scores of eight on both the half-pass to the left and to the right and were able to just edge out Vanessa Creech-Terauds (CAN) and Daniel L who scored 73.529%.

Photo – Julie McKean and Fling For U (©susanjstickle.com)

Eliane Cordia van Reesema and Codiak (©susanjstickle.com)

In Saturday’s FEI Prix St. Georges class, there were 11 competitors in the open section where Christopher Hickey (USA) rode to the win with 72.794% aboard Valentin, a 10-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding by Dalwhinnie x Regazzoni. Their consistent marks across the test propelled them to the top spot, just ahead of Adrienne Lyle (USA) and Nexolia Feodoro, who scored 72.353%.

Seven riders contested the open section of the FEI Grand Prix class, but it was Eliane Cordia van Reesema (USA) who excelled from start to finish with Codiak. Codiak, a 13-year-old Rheinlander gelding by Cristallo 7 x Carabas, demonstrated exceptional passage and pirouettes for marks of eight, which boosted his score with Cordia van Reesema to a 74.239%. Second place went to Lisa Marriott (GBR) and Valucio DH Z, who finished with 69.347%.

Competition concluded on Sunday with another notable display from 2020 Olympic team silver medalist Adrienne Lyle who rode Fürst Dream, a stallion by Fürstenball OLD owned by Betsy Juliano LLC, to a remarkable score of 96.000% in the Markel/USEF Young Horse Test for 4 Year Old class. Judges Sandy Osborn (USA) and Kem Barbosa were impressed with the trot and canter rhythm reflecting suppleness and natural balance.

AGDF 7 hosts one of the biggest dressage shows of the year with CDI5* competition featured under the lights in the International Arena at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. Wednesday night, February 23, will showcase the CaptiveOne Advisors CDI5* Grand Prix Freestyle qualifier class beginning at 6:00pm and the Havensafe Farm CDI5* Grand Prix Special qualifier beginning at 8:35pm.

On Friday night, February 25, “Friday Night Stars” will start at 6:00pm with the Havensafe Farm CDI5* Grand Prix Special and conclude with the CaptiveOne Advisors CDI5* Grand Prix Freestyle. In addition, the remaining CDI and national daytime competition continues on February 24-27, highlighted by CDI3* classes throughout the week, at Equestrian Village.