Last Updated on January 27, 2026 by adminahb
Neve Myburgh & Firiet. Photo ©Centre Line Media
Wellington, Fla. – January 25, 2026 — The concluding day of the third week at the 12-week 2026 Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) in Wellington, FL hosted the first qualifiers in two developing horse tours as well as the freestyle classes in the para international held alongside the CDI5* show.
Locally based rider Kate Shoemaker (USA) took the overall para championship for her three performances on her own 10-year-old Vianne (by Vitalis), culminating in a 78.892% in the CPEDI3* Grand Prix Grade IV Freestyle, giving them a total of 222.975 points, and the title.
Marie Vonderheyden (USA) logged three plus-70% scores on Karin Flint’s nine-year-old Fürstenball gelding Fan Tastico H in the Grade I ranks to take the reserve champion’s sash with 221.339.
Both third-placed Grade V athlete Cynthia Screnci riding For Memory 4 and fourth-placed Grade I competitor Roxanne Trunnell aboard Rumour Has It also put down a trio of plus-70% tests, underscoring the depth of U.S. para dressage talent. Shoemaker, Screnci, and Vonderheyden were joined by Grade III rider Hannah Kingsley to make up the U.S. Para Dressage Team at this CPEDI3*.
Developing Horse Classes
In the first of five qualifying classes in the Buffalo Wild Wings Prix St. Georges Future Challenge for developing small tour horses aged seven to nine years old, a group of five nine-year-olds lined up to vie for one of the two qualifying spots on offer in the week 11 final.
The first rider down the centerline, Germany’s Neve Myburgh, took top honors, riding her own Franklin x Ehrentanz I mare, Firiet, to 69.412% and the first qualifying ticket of the season. Second-placed Hope Cooper (USA) snagged the second ticket on Jane Karol’s Quartz 7 gelding, Quintus G, with 68.029%. Hope Beerling (AUS) sealed third on Sarah Colson’s Esquire WS (by Escolar) with 65.706%.
Firiet, a State Premium mare and full sister to the licensed stallion Fusionist, has been competing at national Prix St. Georges level with Myburgh for almost a year.
“She’s a sweetheart and an absolute trier,” said the rider who is based in Loxahatchee, FL. “She’s got three great gaits and can really use her hind end. This morning, she knew something was up and was tearing around her paddock bucking and I thought, ‘Oh my goodness. I hope I have enough horse left for the test this afternoon in 86-degree heat.’”
Wellington International
news@wellingtoninternational.com
www.wellingtoninternational.com