Two Wins in Two Starts for Adrienne Lyle and Salvino

The week seven’s “Friday Night Stars” showcase at the 2022 Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) in Wellington, FL, on Friday, February 25, 2022, was hosted in the spectacular International Arena at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC), home to the Winter Equestrian Festival. AGDF, which hosts seven weeks of CDI competition, runs through March 27.

Adrienne Lyle (USA) and Salvino made it two wins from two starts in AGDF 7 when claiming the Grand Prix Special CDI5*, presented by Havensafe Farm. The 15-year-old stallion by Sandro Hit — part of the silver medal-winning USA team at the Tokyo Olympics — posted 79.511%, with a high score of 81.489% from judge Monique Peutz-Vegter.

Lyle finished 10 percentage points clear of second-placed Tinne Vilhelmson Silfvén (SWE) who scored 69.617% with Devanto. Germany’s Christoph Koschel rounded out the international podium, claiming third, just a whisker behind Vilhelmson Silfvén, on 69.511% with the Lusitano gelding Favorito 11.

Incredibly Thrilled

“I’m incredibly thrilled with him,” said Lyle of her horse that is owned by Betsy Juliano of Havensafe Farm. “I think both our Grand Prix and the Special were possibly some of the best feelings I’ve had in the ring. He feels so strong, so solid in his work, and he’s always such an incredible competitor. He didn’t put a foot wrong both tests. I don’t know what more I could ask for him. He’s just absolutely amazing.

Click above to watch Adrienne Lyle’s winning test. 

“He’s got very powerful extensions and then an incredible ability for the collected piaffe/passage work, so I think this test really highlights that I can step on the gas where I need to,” she continued. “Coming down that last centerline is always so incredible on him, because most horses when you get to the end they’re a little bit tired, and him, you turn onto the last centerline and you can take a breath and be like, ‘Take it home, baby, you got it.’ He loves it.”

Class sponsor and winning owner Betsy Juliano noted, “It’s fantastic to have all of us here competing [at PBIEC]. I also think that it’s particularly special to have riders from different countries, like Frederic, Laurence, Juan, and others who really enhance the sport and make everybody better. I think that for me personally to sponsor the Special, to have Adrienne in the Special, and then to have such a result is very touching and extremely meaningful to me.”

Movin on Up

In only her second-ever senior big tour competition, Hope Cooper (USA) swept the Grand Prix Freestyle CDI3*, presented by Premier Equestrian. She and Hot Chocolate W attained 73.925%, with all five judges placing them first. Fellow American Susan Dutta debuted Don Design DC at CDI grand prix freestyle, claiming second with 72.320%, while Colombia’s María Alejandra Aponte González filled third with her first-ever plus-70% score on Duke De Niro (70.345%).

Cooper, who rode Mary Mansfield’s 17-year-old gelding by Dauphin, said of her win: “It’s crazy and really surreal and — honestly — not something I thought would happen this year. I’m so proud of Chocolate. He feels so good, and he puts 100% into anything I ask him. To have this [result] as the second time we’ve done the freestyle is unbelievable. He felt like he was dancing.”

Cooper, from Massachusetts, rode to a Marc Anthony soundtrack. She has come up the levels with Hot Chocolate, competing him at under-25 grand prix level since 2019.

“Chocolate has so much suspension off the ground, especially in the passage,” said the 25-year-old. “Having this music that has a lot of lift to it — and a lot of soul — is a cool thing to have for him, because he’s such a heart horse.

“He’s not the hottest horse on the planet, but he’ll do it for you. I [try to] take the pressure off and have fun with it because it’s our first year. The end has the words to the Marc Anthony song, so I sing that in my head, and he gets more alive on the last centerline,” added Cooper, who trains with Christoph Koschel.

Career Best

Bianca Berktold continued her winning form during AGDF 7 in the Intermediate I CDI3*, presented by Donato Farms. Having led Thursday’s Prix St. Georges CDI3* class with 73% and a personal best, Berktold and Imperial stamped a 73.324% career best on Friday’s Intermediate I. Last to go of the four all-American starters, Berktold was riding the youngest horse in the class, Imperial — her own nine-year-old KWPN mare by Charmeur.

The Prix St. Georges CDI1* produced inspirational performances, with four of the top five finishers posting personal best scores. The winner, Canada’s Beatrice Boucher, laid down 73.382% riding Summerwood’s Limei for a unanimous win from the five judges. The nine-year-old Londonderry mare — formerly ridden by Heather Blitz — was contesting her second CDI show with Boucher, and this marked their first international win.

Boucher and Monica Von Glahn’s Summerwood’s Limei were the last to go of 15 competitors in the class, toppling María Alejandra Aponte González and Lord Of The Dance from the top of the leaderboard. They finished second with 68.471%, with Hannah Irons (USA) third with 67.676% on Scola Bella.

Dressage resumes on Saturday, February 26, headlined by the Grand Prix Special CDI3*, sponsored by Fair Sky Farm. The day also includes small tour classes, an under-25 grand prix, young riders, juniors and young horse classes. For more information and results, visit www.globaldressagefestival.com.