Wellington, Fla. – March 19, 2017 – Great Britain’s 18-year-old Jade Ellery rode Diana Porsche’s 13-year-old Hanoverian gelding Porsche’s Eloy to victory in the Junior Rider Freestyle Sunday morning at the Florida International Youth Dressage Championships. The pair had swept both the Junior Team and Individual Tests earlier in the week, and they finished out the competition strong by clinching the win after earning a score of 73.375 percent in Sunday’s Freestyle.
“I was really pleased with how it went,” Ellery said. “I think today it was just being in my own zone and going with the music, just enjoying the different movements the horse has.
“He’s so amazing — he’s a great teacher and just gives me so much confidence in the ring,” Ellery continued “I’m so grateful to Diane Porsche that I’m able to ride him to have this experience of competing.”
“I’ve been riding him since January of this year,” Ellery continued. “This is my second CDI with him. I’m just gaining experience before we head back to Europe, where there will be a lot more international competition.”
“I’m really grateful for my team behind me, my family and everyone for support,” she concluded. “They make everything possible!”
For the rest of the year, Ellery’s main focus is to continue competing internationally and improving as a rider. Specifically, she aims to ride for Great Britain in the European Dressage Championships in August.
Riding into second place was Canadian rider Ava MacCoubrey on Nicholas Hansen’s Ritter Benno, a 16-year-old Westphalian gelding, with 70.650 percent. Spanish rider Natalia Bacariza Danguillecourt and Rihanna Ymas, a 9-year-old Brandenburger mare owned by Yeguada de Ymas S.L., rounded out the top three with a score of 70.5 percent.
FEI Junior Rider Freestyle Results
Rider/Country/Horse/Total Score
1. Jade Ellery/GBR/Porsche’s Eloy/73.375
2. Ava MacCoubrey/CAN/Ritter Benno/70.650
3. Natalia Bacariza Danguillecourt/ESP/Rihanna Ymas/70.5
4. Kayla Kadlubek/USA/Freewill/66.325
5. Cameron Manuli/USA/Salvador Dali/63.775
6. Sophia Schults/USA/Idolo Americano HGF/62.475
