Lisa Wilcox and Galant Dance to Justin Timberlake to Win AGDF Week 1 Grand Prix Freestyle

© Annan Hepner: Lisa Wilcox and Galant Lisa Wilcox and Galant

Wellington, Fla. – Jan. 13, 2017 – For Lisa Wilcox and Galant, taking the summer off from competition to focus on training paid off as the pair swept the CDI-W Grand Prix on Thursday and returned Friday night to win the first Grand Prix Freestyle of the 2017 Adequan Global Dressage Festival with a 77.209 percent.

“I am so proud of where we’ve come from last year to this year,” Wilcox said. “It was the summer of a million and one transitions and he is now so confident. It’s just fun to ride him out there because he’s having such a good time.”

The 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding made his Grand Prix debut in September 2015, and since then has been improving strength. With the help of his owner, Jacqueline Shear, his groom, Bibi Diaz, and Karen Robinson, Wilcox designed a new freestyle with an American theme since they are aiming for the World Cup Finals in Omaha, Nebraska in March. As soon as they listened to the soundtrack of the animated film Trolls with Justin Timberlake and rode Galant to the music, they knew it was a perfect fit.

© Annan Hepner: Lisa Wilcox and GalantLisa Wilcox and Galant

“I only had two times to practice it before I got here,” Wilcox explained. “Galant heard his music and got into it like ‘Hey, let me dance!’ He found the rhythm in the extension, and he totally focused on me and what we were doing.”

Canadian Megan Lane is coming off of a whirlwind summer representing Canada at the Rio Olympic Games on her 16-year-old KWPN mare, and the pair continued their momentum earning a second place finish with a 75.967 percent. Lane was also the only rider who earned a ‘10’ during her test, which she earned for her final halt.

“I was really pleased with her tonight,” Lane said. “She just keeps going better and better, and we keep learning and growing together. It’s been an amazing journey with this horse and I’m just really excited for the future.”

© Annan Hepner: Megan Lane and Caravella Megan Lane and Caravella 

Though her freestyle included many difficult movements including one and two tempis on a 20 meter circle, Lane recently added one handed double pirouettes. She hopes her degree of difficulty will help her qualify for a spot in the Omaha World Cup.

“All of my shows this season will be in preparation for that [World Cup],” Lane continued. “It’s an incredible experience to have all of these shows right at our fingertips.”

Rounding out the top three with a score of 72.608 percent was fellow Canadian Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu and her 12-year-old KWPN gelding All In.

“I was really proud of All In tonight,” Fraser-Beaulieu said. “It was a good start for us as it’s his second year at Grand Prix and he is still learning. He’s a hot horse but he seemed like he was getting more relaxed the more I went through my pattern. I wanted to have a clean test, which we did except for the last extension when he got a little bit excited.”

© Annan Hepner: Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu and All InBrittany Fraser-Beaulieu and All In

Friday night marked the debut of the new freestyle judging system in Wellington, which requires riders to submit their floorplan of choreography prior to their ride. The new implementation predetermines the degree of difficulty with the goal of improving objectivity.

“It is the first time riders have a catalog of the degree of difficulty,” FEI 5* judge Gary Rockwell explained. “Up until now we haven’t agreed if a passage half pass is difficult or if a piaffe pirouette is more difficult. The catalog tells the riders what the possibility is when they come in the ring if they execute the movements well.”

The Grand Prix Special will take place Saturday, Jan. 14, at 4:10 p.m.

Results: Adequan Global Dressage Festival Week 1

CDI-W Grand Prix Freestyle
Rider/Country/Horse/Total Score
1. Lisa Wilcox/USA/Galant/77.209
2. Megan Lane/CAN/Caravella/75.967
3. Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu/CAN/All In/72.608
4. PJ Rizvi/USA/Breaking Dawn/72.412
5. Juan Matute Guimon/ESP/Don Diego Ymas/70.835
6. Jill Irving/CAN/Degas 12/69.579
7. Jacqueline Brooks/CAN/D Niro/68.969
8. Suzan Pape/GBR/Harmony’s Fiorano/68.48
9. Maria Florencia Manfredi/ARG/Bandurria Kacero/68.221
10. Katie Poag/USA/Zonnekoning/66.396

© Annan Hepner: Lisa Wilcox and Galant Lisa Wilcox and Galant

© Annan Hepner: Lisa Wilcox and Galant
Lisa Wilcox and Galant

© Annan Hepner: Lisa Wilcox and Galant
Lisa Wilcox and Galant

© Annan Hepner: Megan Lane and Caravella
Megan Lane and Caravella

Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu and All In

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