Last Updated on March 1, 2025 by adminahb
Kevin Kohmann & Dünensee. Photo ©susanjstickle.com
Kevin Kohmann (USA) pulled off the performance of a lifetime in the FEI World Cup™ Grand Prix Freestyle, sponsored by 3 Graces Dressage, on Friday, February 28, during “Friday Night Stars” at the 2025 Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) in Wellington, FL. Riding Dünensee to a new personal best of 79.24%, Kohmann sealed his place in the 2025 FEI World Cup™ Final — which will be his second final.
From last draw, Anna Marek (USA) gave it her best shot, riding Fire Fly to 77.64% and second place, leaving her in fourth on the FEI Dressage World Cup™ North American League standings with just three spots up for grabs. Kohmann will join Adrienne Lyle and Geñay Vaughn in Basel, Switzerland (April 2-6).
Canada’s Camille Carier Bergeron rode her parents’ 15-year-old Fidertanz x Donnerhall Oldenburg mare Finnländerin to 75.325% and third place.
The class also doubled as a qualifier for the new US Equestrian Open of Dressage, which features 23 qualifiers — seven of which are at AGDF — before the final in California in November. Germany’s Evelyn Eger and Karen Lipp (USA) are currently tied at the top of the standings with 60 points.
Kohmann rode a complex floorplan to upbeat music by Avicii — his favorite DJ — which includes ‘Wake Me Up’ by Hinterland. There was a high degree of difficulty right from the outset: halt to canter and straight into a double pirouette to start. The test also included changes on curving lines and a full piaffe pirouette in the middle of the walk section. Kohmann punched the air as he nailed the final halt right on cue. Judge at B, Portugal’s Miguel Gonçalves, rewarded their uphill, well-balanced test with the high score of 80.175%.
“That’s twice now that we’ve ridden a personal best,” said the 36-year-old Kohmann, referring to the pair’s 77.575% in Friday Night Stars during AGDF 3 — their previous high score. “It’s coming together more and he’s helping me every time in the ring. I cannot thank the horse enough. I trust him and he trusts me. This arena is not so easy, but we know our freestyle, we like the music, and it flows nicely.”
Eger Wins on Derby Debut
The popular Palm Beach Derby returned for its 42nd anniversary edition on Friday. The exciting knock-out contest pits riders head-to-head to ride a Prix St. Georges on an unfamiliar horse with just five minutes to warm up before tackling the test in the main arena.
This year, the ever-popular class — sponsored by Buffalo Wild Wings — culminated in a tussle between Spain’s Paula Matute Guimón and Evelyn Eger (GER). Both athletes emerged victorious from the semi-final knock-out rounds earlier in the evening.
Matute Guimón rode a sympathetic test on Karen Pavicic and Thomas Baur’s 13-year-old Hanoverian Totilas x Donnerhall gelding Totem for 71.654%. The test is marked by three CDI judges, and the spectator judging score makes up 25% of the final mark.
Stepping into the stirrups second and making her Derby debut, the 27-year-old Eger coaxed a 74.89% test from Totem. It was bolstered by high marks for the walk and canter pirouettes, as well as a final spectator judging score of 77.353%.
“I’m super honored to do my first Derby experience here in Wellington at my first season here; it’s super special,” said Eger, who works for Hof Kasselmann. “To prepare myself, actually I just did my job because I’m used to riding so many different horses in a day. Of course, it was a big challenge to go directly into the test, but we had such nice horses today — thanks to the owners — that it was a pleasure to ride them.”
by Alice Collins
Wellington International
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