Geesteren, The Netherlands –The Dutta Corp. U.S. Dressage Team gained valuable experience at the FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ The Netherlands in Geesteren, the Netherlands, on June 22-23. Under the guidance of Chef d’Equipe Debbie McDonald, the U.S. team of Shelly Francis, Ashley Holzer, Charlotte Jorst, and Nick Wagman concluded their time in Geesteren with a team score of 61 points for a fourth-place finish.
“The Geesteren CDIO proved to be a learning experience for us,” said Chef d’Equipe Debbie McDonald. “We didn’t all have our best performances this week. However, we had some positive highlights throughout the team competition. We are looking forward to continuing to use future years of the FEI Nations Cup series as a means of building up our combinations in team environments.”
Shelly Francis (Loxahatchee, Fla.) and Danilo, Patricia Stempel’s 15-year-old Hanoverian gelding, had a conservative start to the competition earning a 68.043% in the Grand Prix. In their Freestyle, Francis and Danilo were the first combination of the day to crack 80.00% for their artistry but had an uncharacteristic mistake in their tempi changes. The dancing duo finished with a final score 75.710%, fourth place in the CDIO Freestyle class.
Charlotte Jorst (Reno, Nev.) and Kastel’s Nintendo, Kastel Denmark’s 16-year-old Dutch Warmblood stallion, earned a 71.717% in Saturday’s Grand Prix. Selected to ride in the Grand Prix Special, Jorst and Nintendo earned a 71.468%. Teammate Nick Wagman (San Diego, Calif.) and Don John, Beverly Gepfer’s 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, were consistent throughout the competition, earning a 70.478% in the Grand Prix and a 70.830 % in the Grand Prix Special.
Ashley Holzer (Wellington, Fla.) and Havanna 145, Diane Fellows’s 12-year-old Hanoverian mare, earned a 67.326% in the Grand Prix. Also riding in the Freestyle, the pair was the first combination for the U.S. and improved from Saturday’s Grand Prix test to earn a 70.625%.
The hosting country, The Netherlands, won with a final score of 17 points, Sweden placed second with 19 points, and Great Britain came in third with 48 points.
Final team results
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