Global Dressage Festival 2025 Ends with Competitive Showcase

The 2025 season of the Global Dressage Festival concluded with a highly competitive final class featuring excellent horses. Over 12 weeks, 72 horses participated in qualifying classes, showcasing a strong lineup of young equines with impressive potential for further development. Each horse demonstrated qualities essential for successful dressage, and the caliber of riding and training was noteworthy. Riders presented their horses with soft connections and confident carriage, emphasizing the series' growth since its inception.

Ashley Holzer achieved first place with her nine-year-old KWPN gelding, Liberty L (Glock’s Toto Jr x Charmeur). Competing in multiple qualifiers throughout the season, she executed a clean and accurate Prix St. Georges test, demonstrating excellent confidence in her horse. Although a storm approached, causing thunder during her ride, it held off until after her final salute. Callie O’Connell placed third with her nine-year-old Hanoverian gelding, Franky Di Fonteabeti (Franklin x Wynton), who performed in rain throughout their ride. Despite the weather, Franky maintained focus and showcased a harmonious, fluid test characterized by consistent balance and a soft connection.

The remaining competitors also delivered strong performances, though minor errors, such as missed changes and spooks from the rain, occurred. The walk tour notably influenced scoring, where solid pirouette scores were crucial, as lower scores dropped overall standings significantly. Judging discrepancies were observed, particularly in the walk pirouettes, where scores varied widely among horses for the same movements, leading to confusion among spectators.

The event concluded with Holzer showing Derek, another nine-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Morricone x Sandro Hit), who achieved the highest qualifying score. This horse, characterized by his elasticity and balance, faced minor issues during the walk pirouettes, ultimately placing second. With Holzer claiming both first and second places, the festival ended dramatically with heavy rain and a lightning strike, marking an impactful conclusion to AGDF 2025.