Julio Mendoza Loor. Picture © SusanJStickle.com.
Ecuador’s Julio Mendoza Loor capped an epic week of private bests to shut out the Stillpoint Farm CDIO3* Nations Cup™ throughout Week 7 of the Adequan® International Dressage Competition (AGDF) in Wellington, FL. Mendoza Loor claimed the gold medal within the CDIO3* Grand Prix Freestyle with an virtually 80% check on his personal 12-year-old gelding, Jewel’s Goldstrike. The son of Bretton Woods x Watermill Scandic scored three nines for his halts on the way in which to 79.325%, with three of the 5 judges awarding the pair over 80%.
The 26-year-old Anna-Cristina Abbelen (GER) continued her glowing type at her first ever Wellington present season. She recorded one other profession excessive rating, of 77.16%, on her personal and Silke Abbelen-Mooren’s 16-year-old Samarant gelding Sam Donnerhall to complete in silver. Caroline Darcourt (SWE) snuck into third with Lord Django, simply 0.28 proportion factors forward of compatriot Tinne Vilhelmson Silfvén (Devanto).
Mendoza Loor, who’s 43, additionally gained the CDIO3* Grand Prix Particular on a brand new private finest earlier within the week. The pair had large small tour success on the Bolivarian Video games in 2022 — successful all three checks and main Ecuador to group gold — however that is solely the horse’s fourth huge tour CDI.
He mentioned of his AGDF 7 freestyle, “It was the sensation of a lifetime; the experience was unbelievable. He’s a horse who needs to carry out; he needs to be there and to at all times attempt more durable. He’s prepared to do all the things and greater than what I’m asking. I’m so pleased with him for the way younger he’s — he’s an unbelievable horse. Final 12 months was the primary time I competed him right here in Wellington, and he gained the CDI, and this time he actually confirmed me what he can do and made me so proud.”
He’s a sizzling tamale to experience
The gold and silver medalists — each from the USA — within the Stillpoint Farm FEI Nations Cup™ Intermediate I Freestyle laid down new private bests. The 20-year-old Christian Simonson, who relies in Wellington and trains with Adrienne Lyle, took prime honors driving Son of a Woman to a stonking 78.445%, with a excessive rating from choose at H Christof Umbach of 80.775%.
Simonson rode to a freestyle composed for an additional of his small tour horses, Zeaball Diawind. He has had Son of a Woman for a 12 months after shopping for him from Severo Jurado Lopez and competed him very efficiently in Younger Riders, and this was their second senior small tour worldwide present.
“‘Sonny’ really felt superb for the entire check,” he mentioned. “The trot work was so elastic and he actually carried himself all through the entire check, so I couldn’t be extra pleased with him. He’s a sizzling tamale to experience, and it amazes me how a lot vitality he has.”
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