The Zada Enterprises, LLC, Florida Dressage Classic ended on a high note on Sunday, February 20, as spectators were treated to more than 20 musical freestyles performances. The $2,000 Grand Prix Musical Freestyle class drew a huge crowd and Leslie Morse’s winning ride on Kingston garnered almost unprecedented enthusiasm from the spectators. The dynamic ride to the Pirates of the Caribbean tune, "The Curse of the Black Pearl" was perfectly suited to Kingston, who seemed as pumped up as the crowd. A mistake in the one tempi sequence could not take away from the ride’s overall impact, and the judges rewarded the effort with a score of 77.166%. It was a fitting finale for Morse, who dominated the Grand Prix throughout the show. She and Kingston also won the FEI Grand Prix on Friday with a score of 72.014%. And she and her Swedish stallion, Tip Top 962, won Saturday’s Grand Prix Special with a score of 69.133%.
Second in the spectacular Grand Prix Musical Freestyle class was Dr. Cesar Parra, who rode a beautifully executed freestyle on Galant du Serein for a score of 73.125%. It took the crowd a few movements to settle into Dr. Parra’s lighter and more refined music as he rode directly after Morse’s performance on Kingston. But Dr. Parra was also rewarded by thunderous applause. Another crowd-pleaser in the Grand Prix Freestyle was Shannon Dueck riding Korona to new music that won the approval of the crowd and the judges alike. Dueck placed third with a score of 73.083% in the field of nine competitors.
In the $1,500 FEI Intermediaire Musical Freestyle, the victor was Heather Bender riding her 10-year-old Hanovarian gelding, Winwood. Bender rode to an upbeat jazz medley that earned her the winning score of 73.792%. Coincidentally, Bender, a former Californian, grew up with Leslie Morse. Just recently, Bender purchased Windridge Farm in Palm City and is now permanently settled in Florida. Despite this, her music is produced in Hollywood, CA. “I do my own chorography with help from Carol Lavell and Michael Poulin, but Eric Birkales, a friend and professional musician from Hollywood, scores all my freestyles,” she said. Second in the Intermediaire Freestyle went to Karen Lipp, who matched her music stride-for-stride riding Kayce Redmond’s Danish gelding, Lipton, for a score of 71.333%. Third place again went to Shannon Dueck, this time riding her eye-catching Dutch gelding, KRS Pegasus, to a score of 68.583%.
The USDF Freestyle winner was Olympian Bent Jensen riding his stallion, Rockefeller, to a 73.333% in a very fun and forward fourth level freestyle. Jensen and Rockefeller had the judges nodding their heads to their lively music, and it is easy to see why this pair has been cleaning up all season with their musical freestyle. Janne Rumbough and Gorron earned second place with a score of 65.208 %, followed by Hadley Tolliver and Daveed who finished third with a score of 64.722%.
FEI level standouts in the very intense four day competition included Silke Rembacz who rode Winterage Stables’ Millenium to an impressive win in the Prix St. Georges with a score of 69.750% and came back to top her score with a win in the Intermediaire-I with a score of 71.750%.
Olympian Michelle Gibson also had a great show with Elite European Sport Horse Inc.’s big gelding, Lex Barker. The pair won their Prix St. Georges class with a 69.000% and returned as victors in the Intermediaire-I with a score of 69.250%.
Fourth Level High Score went to Michael Shondel and his exciting new partner, Silver Label. Their score of 71.395% in the Fourth Level Test One cinched the tri-colored ribbon for them. Reserve High Score at fourth level went to Kayce Remond and Cheval with a score of 70.465%.
Meanwhile, Jane Savoie’s big score of 76.905% in the Third Level Test Two class earned them the Third Level High