Freestyle at the Global Dressage Festival in Wellington to Susan Pape and Giulilanta

Riding the 15-year-old Jazz daughter Giulilanta, Susan Pape won the freestyle of the CDI5* tour at the Global Dressage Festival in Wellington. What’s more, the pair set a new personal best with 81.745 percent. Tom Jones accompanied their freestyle with accentuated passage reprises and exceptionally beautiful pirouettes. The piaffe were a little hectic and at times one wished the contact was easier, but the longer the pair were in the arena, the more confident they seemed to become.

This was the first show of the season for the colorful KWPN mare, who also went Grand Prix in Europe for the first time last year. They even won the Grand Prix Special at Horses & Dreams and made their first World Cup appearances in Stuttgart and London, finishing sixth and fourth respectively. Last night they were able to enjoy an 80 percent rating for the first time. And that was after they had already won the Grand Prix with a personal best of 73.63 percent.

Special partnership with Giulilanta

This was not the only reason for Susan Pape’s tears of joy that day. The mare suffered a serious injury just as she was about to step up to Grand Prix level. The injury could have been the end of her career. But instead she is now in the form of her life. And the WEG in Aachen is getting closer …

Susan Pape said later: “I wasn’t quite sure how she would cope with the audience. But as soon as I started the test, I felt she was with me. We have an absolute partnership and that makes everything very special.”

What makes this partnership special: “This horse inspires me every day. Although she is already 15, she doesn’t have that much experience yet. But she seems to be getting better and better. I am so grateful to John and Leslie (Malone, her patrons at Harmony Sporthorses, editor’s note) for allowing me to ride this incredible horse.”

It wasn’t always easy with her, Pape continued. She got the mare under the saddle when she was six years old and had problems learning the flying changes. It took a very long time for them to make it to medium (M) level and St. Georges. And now they are at the top of the world.

The other winners

Anna Marek and her 16-year-old partner Fayvel ensured that second place remained with the hosts in the USA (76.435). Third place went to Sweden with Caroline Darcourt on her proven Lord Django by Stalypso (76.040).

The first CDI5* freestyle of his life went to Frederic Wandres’ ten-year-old Vilancio son Verrenberg. Last year, Wandres presented the Oldenburg gelding at Louisdor Prize competitions. Last night, he finished fourth out of the six competing pairs with a score of 75.855 percent.

You can find all the results here.