Olivia LaGoy-Weltz and Rassing's Lonoir Earn Second FEI Intermediaire-1 Win at AGDF CDI W and CPEDI 3*

Olivia LaGoy-Weltz (USA) and Rassing's Lonoir topped Saturday's FEI Intermediaire-1, presented by Mike and Roz Collins, during the tenth week of competition for the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF), presented by Today's Equestrian, GF Enterprise, LLC, and Mike and Roz Collins. LaGoy-Weltz bested a field of 23 riders representing 10 different countries aboard "Lono," her 10-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding out of Lorani by De Noir. LaGoy-Weltz and Lono earned a score of 71.754% for first place, with second and third place riders finishing just shy of her score. Neve Myburgh (GER) and Lexington Star earned a 71.667% and fellow German Marcus Orlob and Shakespeare RSF finished third with a score of 71.623%. LaGoy-Weltz was happy to see her horse continue to do well at the CDI level; this is only the horse's second internationally ranked competition after picking up another FEI Intermediaire-1 win during the AGDF 8 Palm Beach Dressage Derby CDI W. Even with another win under the belts, LaGoy-Weltz reviewed her test with a critical eye."He was good, but there was quite a bit of room for improvement. The first extension was good but very on the edge, so I brought him back and rode the rest of the trot work more conservatively then you'd like to at the end of the day. You have to ride each test as it comes. Today, if I had gone for more, it would have been flat and runny," she noted.

She continued, "The whole thing would have been just a little more solid had I gone ten minutes earlier, but that's learning what the horse likes. It's the second CDI, so I'm pretty happy."

Figuring out exactly what kind of warm-up Lono needs has presented LaGoy-Weltz with a fairly significant learning curve. She acknowledged she isn't used to a horse that needs such a short warm-up and that she's continuing to tweak their warm-up. "Yesterday, I got kind of lucky. The person in front of me scratched and I was ready, so I just went. Today, I cut the warm-up down to thirty minutes, and I still felt like I needed to shave another ten minutes off. I haven't had a horse that needs that little amount of warm-up, so it's kind of like playing Russian Roulette trying to figure exactly the right formula!" she laughed.

LaGoy-Weltz was also pleased with Lono's progress in the FEI Prix St. Georges, where he gained a percentage point in his score on Friday. She described the FEI Intermediaire-1 test as better suited to the horse, with the increased movements and opportunity to get the horse forward early on.

"The St. Georges is such a lovely test, but there's not enough 'turn here and go.' [The I-1] is nice because the extended canter comes early and I can get him forward and get some of that energy out and then bring it back. It's hard because he picks up the canter and he's like, 'I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready!' So when I can send him forward and then bring him back, that really helps," LaGoy-Weltz explained.

LaGoy-Weltz and Lono will return to the final week of the AGDF with a new freestyle in hand, which LaGoy-Weltz is currently re-working to adjust to Lono. The music was originally choreographed for a different horse, but LaGoy-Weltz felt it will still be a good fit and looks forward to seeing how it turns out.

"They did sound checks the other day [at AGDF], and I was really happy that [he handled it well] because he can be very noise-sensitive. So we'll see! The trot music is from 'A Bug's Life,' so it's fun music. I've watched a video of him and played the music and was like 'This will work.' So it will be cute." LaGoy-Weltz smiled.

Canadian and U.S. Riders Excel in FEI Para-Dressage

CPEDI 3* competition was in its second day of competition on Saturday, with FEI Para-Dressage Individual Tests awarded top honors. Roxanne Trunnell (USA) won the Grade Ia class aboard Nice Touch. The pair earned a high score of 70.507% to ride away with the blue ribbon. Fellow American Sydney Collier emerged victorious from the Grade Ib Individual test with Willi Wesley and a score of 70.172%.

The FEI Young Rider and Junior classes enjoyed another day of big entries. Juan Matute Jr. (ESP) took home another first place prize in the Young Rider class with Quantico, who he piloted to a 69.430%. Second place went to Canadian Laurence Tetrault and Michelangelo for their score of 66.316%, while Taylor Yamamoto (USA) rounded out the top three with Domino with a score of 65.614%.

In the FEI Junior class, it was Bebe Davis that dominated. Davis took first place with Fievel Mousekewitz with a 68.202% as well as second place with Rotano and a 67.807%, while Paula Matute earned third place with Firmamento Ymas on a score of 67.193%.

Competition for the AGDF 10 CDI W and CPEDI 3* will continue on Sunday with the FEI Grand Prix Special, beginning at approximately 9:30 a.m. The FEI Intermediaire-1 Freestyle and FEI Para-Dressage Freestyle classes will wrap-up competition for the week on Sunday afternoon. The class begins at approximately 12:30 p.m. For more information and full results, please visit www.globaldressagefestival.com.

Full Results for the FEI Intermediaire-1

Rider, Country, Horse, Age, Breeding: Judge E%, Judge C%, Judge M%, Total %

1 Olivia LaGoy-Weltz, USA, Rassing's Lonoir, 10-year-old Danish Warbmlood geldling owned by rider, Lorani x De Noir: 71.579%, 71.974%, 71.711%, 71.754%

2 Neve Myburg, GER, Lexington Star, 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding owned by Joanne Trout, Diana x Londonderry: 70.658%, 73.553%, 70.789%, 71.667%

3 Marcus Orlob, GER, Shakespeare RSF, 10-year-old Hanoverian stallion owned by Maurine Swanson, Acapella x Sandro Hit: 71.842%, 71.053%, 71.974%, 71.623%

4 Denielle Gallagher-Legrif, CAN, Argo Conti Tyme, 12-year-old Oldenburg Springfrede gelding owned by rider, Alina x Argentius: 68.947%, 68.289%, 71.053%, 69.430%

5 Gabriela Stumpf, AUT, Finally Love, 8-year-old Oldenburg gelding owned by rider, Winzerin x Farewell III: 68.289%, 67.895%, 69.868%, 68.684%

6 Sara Spofford, USA, Lagrima, 12-year-old Wurttemberger mare by Lantnano owned by Doris Newcomb: 68.421%, 69.079%, 68.421%, 68.640% 

7 Shannon Dueck, CAN, Cantaris, 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding owned by Elizabeth Ferber, Egida x Complement: 69.079%, 68.553%, 68.289%, 68.640%

8 Catherine Malone, USA, Uno Don Diego, 11-year-old Danish Warmblood stallion owned by Iron Spring Farm, Uno Fredericia x Dressage Royal: 66.184%, 66.842%, 71.842%, 68.289%