The Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) Palm Beach Dressage Derby CDI W, presented by Martha W. Jolicoeur and Maria Mendelsohn of Illustrated Properties, concluded on Sunday at The Stadium at PBIEC. First to take a victory lap was Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven (SWE) and Don Auriello in the FEI Grand Prix Special. The day concluded with the FEI Intermediaire Freestyle, which was topped by Evi Strasser (CAN) and Rigaudon Tyme.
Vilhelmson-Silfven and Don Auriello were hot off a win in Friday's FEI Grand Prix before topping the Special with a 77.804%. Second place finisher Caroline Roffman (USA) earned a total score of 70.373% aboard her Highness O. Fellow American Lisa Wilcox and Denzello rounded out the top three with a 70.020%.
Vilhelmson-Silfven purposely chose to contest the FEI Grand Prix Special instead of the FEI Grand Prix Freestyle on Saturday night. Since she and Don Auriello are already qualified for the FEI World Cup Dressage Finals in Lyon, France, Vilhelmson-Silfven opted to get in some practice for the special. The pair will surely face the test in the FEI Alltech World Equestrian Games (WEG), also in France, and Vilhelmson-Silfven felt sufficiently prepared after their test on Sunday.
“I'm really happy with him. I actually had a personal best score today. I did have a little stumble in one of the half passes, I don't really know what happened, but otherwise he felt good,” Vilehlmson-Silfven explained.
Don Auriello will now begin his trek back to Europe before the World Cup Finals, where Vilhelmson-Silfven admitted she will have a completely different horse.
“You're in this heat, and then go indoors in Europe again. He's totally different there. He gets hot. He gets totally excited. Here he's a bit laid-back, and I have to get him awake,” she outlined. “So I have to switch from one to another, but on the other hand I almost like the hotness now, when he has the routine. In the beginning it was scary, but now I like it because I think he gets even more expressive. I hope that it will be the perfect combination.”
RESULTS GRAND PRIX SPECIAL
1 Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven, SWE, Don Auriello, 12-year-old Hanoverian gelding owned by Lövsta Stuteri, Wey o Mey x Don Davidoff: 78.333%, 77.647%, 76.863%, 77.745%, 78.431%, 77.804%
2 Caroline Roffman, USA, Her Highness O, 11-year-old Hanoverian mare owned by rider, Wild Lady O x Hohenstein: 68.235%, 71.961%, 70.882%, 69.706%, 71.078%, 70.373%
3 Lisa Wilcox, USA, Denzello, 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding owned by Betty Wells, Romina x De Niro: 70.196%, 68.922%, 70.980%, 70.490%, 69.510%, 70.020%
4 Heather Blitz, USA, Paragon, 11-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding owned by rider, Pari Lord x Don Schufro: 67.843%, 67.255%, 67.255%, 67.941%, 70.294%, 68.118%
5 Tom Dvorak, CAN, Viva's Salieri W, 13-year-old Hanoverian stallion owned by Augustin Walse, Salinja x Viva Voltaire: 65.882%, 67.549%, 67.353%, 65.196%, 68.725%, 66.941%
6 Kelly Layne, AUS, Von Primaire, 12-year-old KWPN gelding owned by rider, Noraline x Don Primaire: 66.078%, 67.451%, 66.667%, 67.451%, 65.980%, 66.725%
7 Christopher Hickey, USA, Douglas Hilltop, 14-year-old Württemberger owned by Hilltop Farm Inc, Weronie x Dr. Jackson D: 65.392%, 65.882%, 67.843%, 63.431%, 67.647%, 66.039%
8 Eliane Cordia-van Reesema, USA, Jewel's Adelante, 14-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding owned by rider, Tangent x Don Schufro: 67.549%, 64.902%, 65.294%, 65.000%, 67.255%, 66.000%