Charlotte Jorst and Kastel’s Nintendo
Wellington, Fla. – Feb. 10, 2017 – Charlotte Jorst and Kastel’s Nintendo continued their winning streak during the fifth week of the Adequan Global Dressage Festival taking home the top spot in the FEI Grand Prix Freestyle CDI 3* presented by Diamante Farms with a score of 73.075 percent. The pair kicked off the week winning the Grand Prix CDI 3* on Wednesday.
Their freestyle performance on Friday afternoon was impressive given that they have not ridden it in competition since last year’s World Cup Finals in Gothenburg Sweden.
“I was really excited to be back out here,” Jorst said. “I haven’t ridden this freestyle since the World Cup. It felt great to get back out there. He loves his freestyle and his music and so do I, it’s always a highlight and he felt wonderful.”
Charlotte Jorst and Kastel’s Nintendo
After much searching for musical inspiration, the music for this freestyle came to Jorst in Las Vegas of all places.
“I was searching and searching to find something I Ioved,” Jorst explained. “I was in Las Vegas, walking by the Bellagio fountains and they were playing ‘Time to Say Gooodbye’ and I thought if the water can dance to this so can we. That was the beginning and the rest just came together. He’s a very grandiose horse in a lot of ways and he’s such a pal so I feel it really fits him with the beautiful opera music, its so touching and he touches me every day how he keeps on trying for me.”
The pair plan to try to qualify for this year’s World Cup Finals in Omaha, Nebraska.
“Im hoping for the World Cup,” said Jorst. “There are a lot of people trying this year but I’m always optimistic. It was so much fun last year to be in that big stadium in Gothenburg was a lot of fun.”
Olivia LaGoy-Weltz and Lonoir
Olivia LaGoy-Weltz and her own Lonoir, a 13-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding, placed second with a score of 72.950 percent.
LaGoy-Weltz was happy with her ride on Friday and was happy to be back in the ring after an accident while holding a young horse in the beginning of December resulted in 7 pins in her collarbone and sidelined her until recently.
“Just getting back in the ring after being sidelined was our goal,” LaGoy-Weltz said. “Getting back in and getting my feet on the ground. Our goal is to qualify for Gladstone and maybe the Nations Cup this March.”
She was happy with where they are and where they are headed.
“We just keep getting better,” she said. “As I said to Robert [Dover] we crossed the 70 percent mark, now we only have ten more to go. We have stuff we have to continue to strengthen of course, but this year already feels better than last. I’m really god all things considered.”
Dawn White-O‘Connor and Legolas 92
Rounding out the top three was Dawn White-O’Connor and Four Winds Farm’s Legolas 92, a 15-year-old Westphalian gelding who is best known as the Olympic mount of Steffen Peters, with a score of 72.850 percent. White-O’Connor is Peter’s’ longtime assistant trainer.
She was happy with their freestyle performance on Friday.
“He was really good,” White-O’Connor said. “Very relaxed today which is not always the case. I was happy with it. We had a few little miscommunications because he knows the freestyles really well, a few places he would start a little before or after me. We have to get to know each other.”
FEI Grand Prix Freestyle CDI 3* Results
Rider/Country/Horse/Total Score
1. Charlotte Jorst/USA/Kastel’s Nintendo/73.075
2. Olivia LaGoy-Weltz/USA/Lonoir/72.950
3. Dawn White-O’Connor/USA/Legolas 92/72.850
4. PJ Rizvi/USA/Breaking Dawn/71.425
5. Devon Kane/USA/Destiny/68.025
6. Anna Marek/USA/Dee Clair/67.625
7. Evi Strasser/CAN/Renaissance Tyme/67.475
8. Ellesse Tzinberg/PHI/Triviant 2/66.675
9. Barbara Bertschinger/SUI/Rubin Cortes OLD/65.075
10. Kathy Priest/USA/Wild Dancer/64.575
11. Franziska Seidl/SUI/Sigalia/62.325
Charlotte Jorst and Kastel’s Nintendo
Charlotte Jorst and Kastel’s Nintendo
Olivia LaGoy-Weltz and Lonoir
Dawn White-O’Connor and Legolas 92