Wellington, Fla. – March 29, 2018 – Teams representing five different nations battled it out for their place on the podium on the second day of the FEI Nations Cup in Wellington, Florida. Team USA maintained their lead from the opening day following solid performances by their team riders and ultimately claimed the team gold medal. The team, comprised of Adrienne Lyle, Olivia LaGoy-Weltz, Ashley Holzer and Sabine Schut-Kery, earned a total score of 452.327.
Competing in the afternoon’s CDI Grand Prix Special, Lyle earned a personal best score for the Special with a 76.894 percent aboard Salvino, putting them first place in the class. Fellow American Schut-Kery and Sanceo, a 12-year-old Hanoverian stallion, earned a score of 72.872 percent, putting them in second place individually in Special. LaGoy-Weltz and Lonoir, a 14-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding, received a score of 71.17 percent to take third place, and Holzer and the 11-year-old Hanoverian mare Havanna 145 were awarded a score of 67.66 percent.
Maintaining their position in second place, Team Canada put in solid performances in the Special to take the silver medal with a total score of 424.855. Team rider Jill Irving earned a score of 67.234 percent with her gelding Degas 12, a 16-year-old Hanoverian gelding, and Brittany Fraser earned a score of 71.149 percent with her gelding All In, a 13-year-old KWPN.. Megan Lane and Caravella, a 17-year-old KWPN mare, were awarded 69.234 percent, and Diane Creech and Chrevis Christo, a 10-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding, were awarded 65.979 percent.
Team Australia earned the bronze medal in this year’s Nations Cup, making history by medaling in the prestigious competition. Kim Gentry competed in the Special with her 11-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding, Leonardo, finishing with a score of 60.919 percent. Both Kelly Layne with Furst Amante a 12-year-old Rhinelander gelding and Nicholas Fyffe with Hitchcock, a 14-year-old Hanoverian gelding, competed in the Intermediate I class on the final day of competition. They earned scores of 67.598 percent and 66.373 percent respectively. Together, the team earned a score of 396.743.
FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE
Team USA – First Place
Adrienne Lyle
On Salvino:
“I’m so proud of my boy and the way he handled it. He went in and put two really solid, clean and powerful tests in for our team and that’s exactly what you want, even on the second day. Today he was a little more tired, and he still came out fighting and put his all into it. This is an incredible event to be a part of and we have an awesome team and great organizers here.”
Olivia LaGoy-Weltz
On Lonoir:
“I was pretty happy with Lonoir. Yesterday was a better test for us and we are still having some bobbles. It’s still a work in progress. Today he was more powerful and sometimes that causes other things to happen, but you don’t work things out until you take risks, and right now that’s what we’re working on. We’ll just keep working on it, and I really believe in him that we’ll get it all put together. I’m super happy with him.
“We’d all really like to thank the Dutta Corporation for sponsoring Team USA, we are really appreciative to have that.”
Ashley Holzer
On Riding for Team USA:
“My lovely Canadian friends told me that I looked old in blue! I’m so grateful, these girls were just amazing. To watch them all ride was unbelievable. Of course they’ve been so welcoming to me. Everyone is amazing. My mare was unfortunately a little green this weekend and we had silly green problems.”
Sabine Schut-Kery
On Sanceo:
“I’d also like to thank the sponsors and the organizers of this amazing event. It was really great to come all the way out here and be part of this. I couldn’t be more happy with my horse. It’s his first season at Grand Prix and we started in January. I’m extremely happy. It’s good practice for me too to ride in a different climate and see what I have. I’m super happy and I look forward to the future and what we have.”
Robert Dover – Chef D’Equipe
On The Adequan Global Dressage Festival and The Nations Cup:
“The Global Dressage Festival since its inception has not only been a personal dream come true but I’ve also watched the state of the sport rise up because of this amazing venue, with the help of the founders and sponsors. We are very appreciative to Vinceremos for this particular show. It’s amazing what its done for American sport.”
Team Canada – Second Place
Jill Irving
On Her Rides:
“I had a good couple of days, today I went off course, sorry team. Tomorrow will be great, my horse feels great. And we do miss Ashley, you girls are lucky to have her!”
Brittany Fraser
On Her Rides:
“I had a personal best today in the Special. The Grand Prix I had a few unfortunate tiny mistakes, but today I was just extremely proud of him. He’s tired and it’s been a really long season, and he really pushed through.”
Megan Lane:
On Her Rides:
“There’s a team behind each team and each team member, and I think we can all be really grateful for everyone behind us. I was really happy with both of my rides. Some silly little pilot errors both days unfortunately, but I was really happy with her.”
Diane Creech:
On Her Rides:
“Thank you to all of our sponsors as well as Danielle Gallagher who sponsored our beautiful stock ties. I love my horse. I’m on the journey to the Wizard of Oz to get him some courage. I think that’s the one thing he’s still lacking. We’re struggling a little bit with those conditions and flower pots, but what can I say. Thank goodness my teammates didn’t have the same problems I did. He’s a really nice horse, and one day I know we’ll reach the Wizard of Oz.”
Christine Peters – Chef D’Equipe
On Team Canada:
“They’re a great team, really supportive of each other and I couldn’t be more happy with how they’re coming together as we move forward. Each athlete expressed how they had little mistakes, but I always want to encourage them to not beat themselves. This is good preparation as we move forward towards WEG and I’m very proud of how they performed here, and in a few months time they’ll be even more prepared.”
Team Australia – Third Place
Kim Gentry
On Competing in the Nations Cup:
“I really look forward to coming here each year – this is my third time riding in the Nations Cup, and I’m so proud to be a part of this history making team.
“I’m still figuring this out in the Grand Prix, but we get better and we learn when we go home and work on it. This is my goal each year to come and compete in the Nations Cup.”
Nicholas Fyffe
On Team Australia:
“I’m thrilled! It’s a bronze medal, but I think we actually made some history today – I think it’s the first time Australia has ever won a medal in a Nations Cup. I couldn’t be happier about that. I’ve ridden in five or six Nations Cups here and each one keeps getting better – it’s a great event to participate in.”
On Hitchcock:
“He’s a multinational collaboration – a German horse, owned by a French-Canadian, ridden by an Australian and shown in the US. I really could not be happier with him this weekend – it’s been a really positive experience.”
Kelly Layne
On Team Australia:
“Australia is a very, very long way from here, and for us to put a team together is very difficult for us to do, so I’m so happy we were able to do it this year and put ourselves in a position to medal! It’s not easy being so far away from home — we don’t have a big team behind us, we have ourselves. We get our inspiration from watching the other teams and I think it helps us become better athletes.”
On Her Rides:
“I was very happy with my rides the last two days. My horse is very green, but he’s really fancy. He was with me for the entire ride and the little mistakes were completely mine not his. I couldn’t be happier that he tried so hard for me and is so new at this level.”
Ilse Schwarz- Chef D’Equipe
On Team Australia:
“We are so far from home, and we very rarely get a chance to do anything as a team over here, so I think this is wonderful for our Federation to see that we can do this. It’s a great way to finish the season, and I think it’s a great way to encourage people to do it next year. It really shows that you’ve got to be in it to win it – no one would have predicted we would win a medal and here we are!”
CDIO 3* Nations Cup Team Results
Team United States:
Adrienne Lyle / Salvino / (76.894 + 1.5%) 78.394
Sabine Schut-Kery / Sanceo / (72.872 + 1.5%) 74.372
Olivia LaGoy-Weltz / Lonoir / (71.170 + 1.5%) 72.670
Ashley Holzer / Havanna 145 / (67.660 + 1.5%) 69.160
Total Score From Day One: 226.891
Total Score From Day Two: 225.436
Final Score: 452.327
Team Canada:
Brittany Fraser / All In / (71.149 + 1.5%) 72.649
Megan Lane / Caravella / (69.234 + 1.5%) 70.734
Jill Irving / Degas 12 / (67.234 + 1.5%) 68.734
Diane Creech / Chrevis Christo / (65.979 + 1.5%) 67.479
Total Score From Day One: 212.738
Total Score From Day Two: 212.117
Final Score: 424.855
Team Australia:
Kim Gentry / Leonardo / (60.919 + 1.5%) 62.479
Kelly Layne / Furst Amante / 67.598
Nicholas Fyffe / Hitchcock / 66.373
Total Score From Day One: 200.293
Total Score From Day Two: 196.45
Final Score: 396.743
Team Spain:
Pablo Gomez Molina / Furst Fiorano Ymas / 69.608
Marta Renilla / Rhustler / 65.637
Natalia Bacariza Danguillecourt / Rhianna Ymas / 65.392
Total Score From Day One:195.912
Total Score From Day Two: 200.637
Final Score: 396.549
Team Columbia (Individual)
Raul Corchuelo / Senorita 43 / 65.588
Marco Bernal / Germany / 60.539
CDIO 3* Grand Prix Special Results
Place / Rider / Country / Horse / Total Score
1. Adrienne Lyle / USA / Salvino / 76.894
2. Sabine Schut-Kery / USA / Sanceo / 72.872
3. Olivia LaGoy-Weltz / USA / Lonoir / 71.170
4. Brittany Fraser / CAN / All In / 71.149
5. Megan Lane / CAN / Caravella / 69.234
6. Ashley Holzer / USA / Havanna 145 / 67.660
7. Jill Irving / CAN / Degas 12 / 67.234
8. Diane Creech / CAN / Chrevis Christo / 65.979
9. Kim Gentry / AUS / Leonardo / 60.919