For Immediate Release
Kim Beaudoin for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Wellington, FL – March 16, 2017 – Week ten continued on Thursday, March 16, at the 2017 Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) in Wellington, FL, with victories for Shelly Francis (USA) in the FEI Grand Prix CDI 3*, presented by The Dutta Corp, and Juan Matute Guimon (ESP) in the FEI Grand Prix CDI 4*, presented by Havensafe Farm.

AGDF 10 takes place from March 15-19 at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center and features the CDI 4* and FEI Grand Prix Freestyle, presented by Havensafe Farm; CDI 3*, presented by The Dutta Corporation; and CDI 1*, presented by CaptiveOne. The week also features a National Show and the 2017 Florida International Youth Dressage Championships.

Francis and Danilo, a 2004 Hanoverian gelding (De Niro x Annabella x Andiamo) owned by Patricia Stempel, took the winning spot earlier in the day in the FEI Grand Prix CDI 3*, presented by The Dutta Corp, earning a score of 70.020%.

Commenting on her ride, Francis said, “I’ve really been working with this horse because he’s always had so much talent, but always has these little bobbles in the ring where he gets a little behind the leg or he gets nervous. I’m trying to keep him calm, and reminding him to get a little in front of the leg has been tricky. He is kind of evening out now; I’ve been working him a lot so that he gets more comfortable with giving me a better piaffe. Last year, he would quit frequently; this year he feels much more honest, and even though the piaffe is not as expressive as what he can really do, he stayed there steadily. I want to be able to get him comfortable enough in the arena where I can press him a little more and ask him to be more expressive throughout the test.”

The pair have been making steady progress this season at AGDF, continuously working their way up the leaderboard.

“Overall I’m happy with how he is coming along,” continued Francis. “He’s been consistent so far this season with trying to stay more honest for me in the ring.”

Second place in the FEI Grand Prix CDI 3*, presented by The Dutta Corp, was awarded to P.J. Rizvi (USA) and her own Breaking Dawn, a 2001 KWPN gelding (Akribori x Eveline x L. Ronald), with 68.200%. Third place went to Anna Marek (USA) and Dee Clair, a 2008 KWPN mare (Sir Sinclair x Rolls Royce) owned by Diane Morrison, with a score of 68.020%.

Juan Matute Guimon (ESP) and Quantico Ymas, a 2006 Hanoverian gelding (Fighting Fit x Hauptstutbuch) owned by Juan F Matute, bested the competition in the FEI Grand Prix CDI 4*, presented by Havensafe Farm, with 68.660%. This is Matute’s first Grand Prix victory of the 2017 season.

Overall my horses feel fresh and happy,” said Matute of his rides today. “The temperature is lovely so we get the perfect weather with the combination of the coolness but we have the sun, so it’s not too cold. Quantico is a hot horse, so with the extra factor of the weather, sometimes the weather can create a little bit of chaos or it can create a great test with lots of energy, like today. I think that we had a couple of mistakes here and there and can of course continue improving, but overall the energy was there and the horse was really willing to work and give me his best. There were many times that I had great feelings.”

Quantico Ymas has been with Matute since he was two years old. “The philosophy in our house when it comes to this sport, is to buy the horses young and build them up. If they are good and have enough quality to stay with our team, we compete them, and if not, we sell them.”

He described of his horse, “Quantico was a very challenging horse. He has jumping bloodlines, but for some reason with him, I’ve always had a special connection. I love all of my horses and have a great connection with them all, but with this horse it’s different and it’s difficult to explain. Although he was challenging a couple of years ago, he eventually understood that the more we work together, the better and more fun it can be.”

The second-place award went to Arlene Page (USA) and Dr. House 2, a 2005 Oldenburg gelding (Don Schufro x Rinerfa JS x Krack C) owned by Page, with 67.600%. Capturing third place in the FEI Grand Prix CDI 4*, presented by Havensafe Farm, was Shelly Francis (USA) and Doktor, a 2003 Oldenburg gelding (Diamond Hit x Gurena x Renoir I) owned by Patricia Stempel, earning 67.220%.

Competition at AGDF will continue tomorrow with a full schedule of classes, including the FEI Junior Rider Team Test, presented by The Axel Johnson Group, the FEI Grand Prix Freestyle CDI 3*, presented by The Dutta Corp, and the FEI Grand Prix Freestyle CDI 4*, presented by Havensafe Farm. For more information and to see a full list of results, please visit www.globaldressagefestival.com.

Final Results: FEI Grand Prix CDI 3*, presented by The Dutta Corp
Place, Rider, Nationality, Horse, Horse Information: Judge E%, Judge H%, Judge C%, Judge M%, Judge B%, Total %

1. Shelly Francis (USA), Danilo, 2004 Hanoverian gelding by De Niro x Annabella x Andiamo, owned by Patricia Stempel: 71.600%, 70.700%, 70.200%, 68.700%, 68.900%, 70.020%

2. P.J. Rizvi (USA), Breaking Dawn, 2001 KWPN gelding by Akribori x Eveline x L. Ronald, owned by P.J. Rizvi: 69.800%, 69.000%, 68.200%, 67.600%, 66.400%, 68.200%

3. Anna Marek (USA), Dee Clair, 2008 KWPN mare by Sir Sinclair x Rolls Royce, owned by Diane Morrison: 69.900%, 67.300%, 67.500%, 67.000%, 68.400%, 68.020%

4. Yvonne Losos De Muniz (DOM), Aquamarijn, 2005 KWPN mare by United x Toermalijn x Gribaldi, owned by Yvonne Losos De Muniz: 67.100%, 66.800%, 66.100%, 65.300%, 66.700%, 66.400%

5. Karen Lipp (USA), Whitney, 2005 Hanoverian mare by White Star x Hauptstutbuch Grace x Grand Cru, owned by Kathleen Oldford: 67.100%, 66.200%, 64.400%, 64.800%, 63.700%, 65.240%

6. Ellesse Tzinberg (PHI), Triviant 2, 2000 Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Ellesse Tzinberg:

66.500%, 64.900%, 65.100%, 62.900%, 66.500%, 65.180%

7. Christopher Hickey (USA), Ronaldo, 2006 Danish Warmblood by Blue Hors Romanov x Trostruplunds Scarlet x Blue Hors Don Schufro, owned by Cecelia Stewart: 66.400%, 63.400%, 65.200%, 65.400%, 65.000%, 65.080%

8. Susan Dutta (USA), Currency DC, 2000 Oldenburg gelding by Clintino x Cinderella x Classiker, owned by Susan Dutta: 63.700%, 63.400%, 62.600%, 63.100%, 66.200%, 63.800%

Final Results: FEI Grand Prix CDI 4*, presented by Havensafe Farm
Place, Rider, Nationality, Horse, Horse Information: Judge E%, Judge H%, Judge C%, Judge M%, Judge B%, Total %

1. Juan Matute Guimon (ESP), Quantico Ymas, 2006 Hanoverian gelding by Fighting Fit x Hauptstutbuch, owned by Juan F Matute: 70.900%, 68.800%, 68.100%, 68.700%, 66.800%, 68.660%

2. Arlene Page (USA), Dr. House 2, 2005 Oldenburg gelding by Don Schufro x Rinerfa JS x Krack C, owned by Arlene Page: 67.700%, 65.700%, 68.300%, 67.400%, 68.900%, 67.600%

3. Shelly Francis (USA), Doktor, 2003 Oldenburg gelding by Diamond Hit x Gurena x Renoir I, owned by Patricia Stempel: 68.000%, 65.900%, 65.400%, 67.900%, 68.900%, 67.220%

4. Katherine Bateson (USA), Alcazar, 2005 KWPN gelding by Cantango x Polina, owned by Jane Forbes Clark: 70.200%, 65.400%, 65.900%, 66.700%, 66.700%, 66.980%

5. Jill Irving (CAN), Degas 12, 2002 Warmblood gelding by De Niro x Rosana M x Regazonni, owned by Jill Irving: 69.400%, 67.700%, 65.200%, 64.800%, 66.500%, 66.720%

6. Jacqueline Brooks (CAN), D Niro, 1998 Swedish Warmblood gelding by D day x Alitalia x Napoleon 625, owned by Brookhaven Dressage Inc.: 66.600%, 66.600%, 66.700%, 66.900%, 65.200%, 66.400%

7. Katie Poag (USA), Zonnekoning, Dutch Warmblood stallion by Florett As x Maraba, owned by Katie Poag: 66.600%, 65.700%, 66.900%, 66.800%, 65.300%, 66.260%

8. Maria Florencia Manfredi (ARG), Bandurria Kacero, 2005 SA gelding by Wonderboy Sdtal Ghyuan x Bandurria Farola, owned by Enrique Sztyrle: 66.000%, 67.000%, 65.700%, 66.300%, 65.000%, 66.000%

Photo Credit: ©SusanJStickle. These photos may only be used once in relation to this press release with credit.