Wellington, Fla.-February 20, 2026—German dressage megastar Isabell Werth stamped her own brand of riding magic on the Zen Elite Equestrian FEI Dressage World Cup™ Grand Prix Freestyle, producing a mesmerizing 82.66% performance. She and Special Blend 3 were making their CDI freestyle debut during the ‘Friday Night Stars’ sold-out evening showcase at the 2026 Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) in Wellington, FL.

(Photo:  Isabell Werth & Special Blend 3, 2026. Photo ©Centre Line Media)

Flipping the second and third places from the qualifying grand prix class, Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu landed the runner-up spot with a massive new personal best on Jill Irving’s 12-year-old, Jaccardo. The Desperado x Jazz gelding scored 79.25% with a high-energy, maximum throttle performance. Ecuadorian rider Julio Mendoza Loor finished third, meaning the top three athletes represented three different continents. Mendoza Loor rode his 2024 Paris Olympics mount Jewel’s Goldstrike to 78.165%. Riders from six different nations filled the top six places in the high-scoring class.

Special Blend 3, who is still registered to former owner Helgstrand Dressage but was recently sold to Werth’s student Natalie Stickling-Morzynski,

(Isabell Werth & Special Blend 3 are presented as winners of the Zen Elite Equestrian CDI-W Grand Prix Freestyle by (left to right): Adrienne Lyle; Heidi Humphries of Zen Elite Equestrian Center; Judge at C Dr. Evi Eisenhardt; Christian Simonson; FEI Director of Dressage Ronan Murphy; Endel Ots; Danielle Linder; Bryan Humphries; and Nicole Humphries.. Photo ©Centre Line Media)

belied his inexperience in the freestyle, dancing enthusiastically to a classical compilation originally designed for Werth’s Olympic team gold medal-winning horse, Emilio. Special Blend only got the call-up to fly to Florida a few days before the show after Werth’s intended horse, DSP Quantaz, got a small swelling on one leg.

“This freestyle is really, really difficult and I was not sure what Special would do because he’s not experienced in these kinds of atmospheres, but he was very focused,” said Werth, who was delighted to hear 2,000 spectators clapping along to her final centerline. “This crowd was so supportive and started to clap, which is something special. That end to a test is a feeling I really enjoy, and it’s how you know why you’re still in the saddle in a competition.”

Werth’s test showcased a full piaffe pirouette right after the entry halt and 22 one-time changes on a curving line between canter pirouettes. It was a masterclass in her signature fusion of extreme technical difficulty and jaw-dropping ease of execution. Hundreds of people were filming her performance on their phones and then showed their appreciation with a standing ovation.

“I’d like to thank the show team because it was pretty impressive here,” continued the seven-time Olympian, who last competed in Wellington a decade and a half ago. “I didn’t expect that it would be like this. There’s a huge improvement in the whole environment here—the horses, the riding—which is great to see. We have to make dressage more global and for sure here there is a lot of energy and enthusiasm, which I love to see and be a part of. I’m pretty sure that I’ll come back next year.”

Werth earned week seven’s Leading Lady Freestyle Rider Award, sponsored by Frank & Eileen. The senior show groom from her barn in Rheinberg, Germany, Steffi Wiegard, scooped the groom’s award, presented by The Horse of Course.

Click for full results from the Zen Elite Equestrian FEI Dressage World Cup™ Grand Prix Freestyle.

Dressage competition during AGDF 7 continues on Saturday, February 21, with the day’s headline class, the Dutta Corp CDI3* Grand Prix Special, starting at 11:35 a.m. ET. AGDF, which hosts seven weeks of CDI competition over three months, runs through March 29. For more information, results, and to watch all the classes in the International Arena live or on catch-up, visit www.wellingtoninternational.com