By Alice Collins for Wellington International 

Marcus Orlob (USA) made it two for two when he won the Prestige Italia USA Grand Prix Special CDI3* on Saturday, March 15, during week 10 of the 2025 Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) in Wellington, FL. He rode Alice Tarjan’s 11-year-old Desperado x Metall mare Jane to 72.043% and the unanimous win from the five judges out of a starting line-up of 15 combinations. They also won the qualifying grand prix on Thursday with over 72%. 

Orlob’s compatriot Anna Marek scored 68.085% for second place in the Special aboard Janet Simile’s Briar Junior x OO Seven 15-year-old gelding, Fire Fly. Australian athlete Jemma Heran rode her own Total Recall, a 13-year-old gelding by Totilas x Sandro Hit into third with 67.957%. 

Five-star week offers a total prize purse of $150,000 and attracts riders from all around the world as well as thousands of spectators, bringing a bustling atmosphere to all the classes in the main stadium. 

For Orlob and Jane, a disorganized strike-off to canter from passage on the serpentine was the only blip in an otherwise smooth and pleasing test, which was rewarded with a peppering of eights. Their high score of 74.468% came from the judge at M, Germany’s Tina Viebahn.

Orlob picked up the ride on Jane at the beginning of 2024 after owner Alice Tarjan—an international grand prix rider herself—found her too strong. The pair quickly gelled, and travelled to the 2024 Paris Olympics as part of the US team. They were, however, eliminated moments into their test when the judge spotted a speck of blood on the mare’s leg.

They have overcome Olympic heartbreak, and Orlob is assiduously working to build up the powerful and sensitive mare’s trust and confidence. As a result, he rode the Special with relaxation and flow at the forefront of his mind, rather than maximum expression and marks.  

“Today she felt a touch more relaxed than in the grand prix and I was really happy because she was breathing, so I could soften my hands,” said Orlob, who was born in Germany and now rides for the U.S. “It’s baby steps, but this was a good confidence-building round for her. I didn’t put any pressure on her; I just let her do the job and tried to keep the relaxation as the priority. She’s a good horse and now it’s just about [giving her] time.”

Orlob feels that the one-on-one months he spent with Jane last summer in the run-up to the Games improved their connection. 

“Being in Europe helped me to build the relationship because I was grooming her, riding her, turning her out—everything,” he explained. “There were so many hours and just one horse. It was great to build a bond with her. Now, in the morning when I come to the barn she immediately kicks the door, whinnies at me and puts her neck forward for me to scratch her. I love this horse; she’s so cute and responsive.”

Orlob will make a plan for Jane for the rest of the season in consultation with Tarjan, though the CDI4* in AGDF 12—the final week of the season—may well be on the cards. As for how Orlob will continue to build Jane’s confidence in the ring, he plans to invest time and effort into it. 

“We will travel over to WEF [home of the winter show jumping circuit at Wellington International] to hack around with the jumpers, and ride around White Fences to different barns; probably go once over to Kevin Kohmann’s barn, and keep giving Jane more opportunities to see different rings. I think that’s important for her,” he concluded. 

Click for full start lists and results from AGDF 10.

Dressage competition in AGDF 10, hosted by Wellington International, concludes on Sunday, March 16. Sunday’s classes include the final qualification opportunity to qualify for the Buffalo Wild Wings FEI Prix St. Georges Future Challenge final, held in AGDF 12. There is also competition across the divisions, including Amateurs, Children, an Under-25 Grand Prix Freestyle, and the CDI1* Intermediate I Freestyle. AGDF runs seven weeks of CDI competition and weekly national shows over three months, finishing March 30. For more information, results, and to watch the free live stream, visit www.globaldressagefestival.com.