Aachen, Germany – It was a hotly contested race for a podium finish at the FEI Dressage Nations Cup Germany at the World Equestrian Festival CHIO Aachen on Saturday. When the dust settled, The Dutta Corp. U.S. Dressage Team earned the bronze medal under the leadership of Chef d’Equipe Debbie McDonald. The U.S. team of Katherine Bateson-Chandler, Shelly Francis, Adrienne Lyle, and Steffen Peters produced a final score of 450.775 for a podium finish. Host country Germany won the title in the seven-nation competition with a final score of 489.477, with Denmark earning the silver on a team result of 457.515.
“I am very pleased with our team result,” said McDonald. “It was great sport today and our athletes and horses rose to the occasion. We look forward to the CHIO Aachen – it’s always one of the highlights of the competition year.”
Riding as anchor for the U.S. on the final day of team competition, Adrienne Lyle (Wellington, Fla.) and Salvino, Betsy Juliano LLC’s 12-year-old Hanoverian stallion, posted a 76.870 percent in the Grand Prix CDIO5*, placing eighth. Saturday’s Grand Prix Special proved to be another successful and consistent ride for them, cementing the teams third place finish with a final score of 76.745 percent.
Teammate Steffen Peters (San Diego, Calif.) and Suppenkasper, Four Winds Farm and Akiko Yamazaki’s 11-year-old KWPN gelding, were right on the heels of Lyle in the Grand Prix, earning a final score of 75.848 percent. They followed with a 74.872 percent in the Grand Prix Special.
Katherine Bateson-Chandler (Wellington, Fla.) and Alcazar, Jane Clark’s 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, commenced their time in Aachen with a strong test in the Grand Prix, earning a 72.674 percent. They earned a 73.766 percent in the Grand Prix Special.
Shelly Francis (Loxahatchee, Fla.) and Danilo, Patricia Stempel’s 15-year-old Hanoverian gelding, produced a Grand Prix score of 70.826 percent and a Grand Prix Special score of 65.532 percent.
Lyle and Harmony’s Duval Earn Top 10 Placings in the CHIO Aachen CDI4*
Lyle kick-started her successful week in Aachen riding in the CDI4* with U.S. bred Harmony's Duval owned by the Duval Partners LLC. The 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding and Lyle’s performance earned them a personal best of 75.391, placing sixth. Their success continued in Friday’s CDI4* Grand Prix Special, where the combination concluded with a 74.234, placing fourth.
“I am beyond thrilled with the performance from Harmony’s Duval. Duval has been in my life since before he was saddle broke, and it’s been an amazing and rewarding journey with him," said Lyle. "I can’t thank Debbie McDonald enough for all her wonderful coaching and guidance she has given Duval and I over the years. I am very excited for his future!”
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