Last Updated on March 21, 2026 by adminahb
Frederic Wandres and Verrenberg. Photo ©Centre Line Media
Wellington, Fla. – March 20, 2026 — A new personal best of 77% for Germany’s Frederic Wandres and Verrenberg secured the gold medal in the Modon FEI Nations Cup CDIO3* Grand Prix Freestyle, the centerpiece of Week 11 at the 2026 Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) in Wellington, Fla. The result capped an unbeaten week for the Olympic gold medalist and Hof Kasselmann’s impressive 10-year-old Vilancio x Johnson gelding.
Ashley Holzer (USA) rode Hawtins San Floriana into the silver medal position with 74.35%, sandwiched between two Germans in the final “Friday Night Stars” gala evening of the 2026 AGDF. Freestyle bronze went to Nations Cup first-timer Emma Caecilia Lienert on her own Windermere J’Obei W with 73.105%.
“I didn’t feel much pressure, because I really enjoyed the last freestyle under the lights with Verrenberg,” said Wandres, who performed to an Ace of Base soundtrack originally made for his Olympic horse, Bluetooth. “The test tonight was super. He’s still a young horse, and he competed last week. It’s unusual to do two weeks in a row.
“In Europe, we wouldn’t do it because we have to travel long distances, but here we travel 10 minutes. Verrenberg is fit, and he shone bright this evening. I think he really likes the music, and it suits him,” continued Wandres.
“With the young ones, we always think about developing more strength, more power, and more self-carriage, but when it comes to the exercises, he’s already pretty secure,” he added. “He knows his job and he throws his heart into the arena — that’s what I really appreciate about him.”
Vilhelmson Silfvén Is Lövsta Future Challenge Final Champion
Now in its seventh year at AGDF, the Lövsta Future Challenge Developing Grand Prix Horse Final saw its champion’s blanket awarded — fittingly — to one of the series’ own architects. The ever-popular program drew a record 51 entries across its five qualifiers in 2026.
Swedish Olympian Tinne Vilhelmson Silfvén rode the nine-year-old gelding So Perfect (Sezuan x Sir Donnerhall) to the title with 71%. Canada’s Lindsay Kellock Duckworth stood reserve champion on Enterprise Farm Equestrian, LLC’s Kensington with 70.184%. Adding a third flag to the podium, Dawn White-O’Connor (USA) finished third with 68.974% on Leon.
The final, in which horses performed the FEI Young Horse Grand Prix test, took place in the main arena and offered a prize pot of $15,000. The series is open to horses from eight to 11 years old. The class encourages riders to bring their up-and-coming international quality horses out in an ornately dressed arena and championship-type atmosphere without the pressures of a CDI. All qualifying rounds held throughout AGDF 2025 used the FEI Intermediate II test, so the final was a step up.
“It was so great that I could ride in this, to participate in the series and also promote it,” said Vilhelmson Silfvén, who has only been riding the nine-year-old So Perfect since buying him from Helgstrand Dressage in June 2025. “Initially, we started the developing young horse classes in Sweden in 2011 because we saw how popular they were in Germany. Then we wanted to give something back to the place we live in the winter.”
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