News

Petersen and Mariett collect second win at Palm Beach

Mar 4, 2013

Lars Petersen of Denmark scored a personal best for the season aboard Mariett to win the Grand Prix Freestyle at the Palm Beach Dressage Derby CDI-W against a field of tough competition on a chilly and windy South Florida day. Petersen and Mariett earned a 76.400%. The victory capped an impressive weekend for the pair at the 30th anniversary of the Palm Beach Dressage Derby, set at the International Horse Sport (IHS) Champions Park at Equestrian Estates in Loxahatchee, FL. They won the opening day Grand Prix with a score of 72.745%.

Their freestyle success made it four wins in a row for Petersen and Mariett, who captured the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special in their last outing at the Wellington Classic Dressage Spring Challenge CDI3* (Feb. 7-10). The duo performed today's freestyle with gusto to a routine set to energetic circus music. Although they went slightly off the prescribed choreography, their poise and precision made up for any change of course.

USA's Shelly Francis and Doktor came in second with a 73.625%, mirroring their No. 2 spot from Friday's Grand Prix when they scored a 69.391%. Mikala Gundersen, also from Denmark, came away with the third place spot aboard My Lady with a 72.775%. They moved up the ranks from Friday's fifth place finish in the Grand Prix with a freestyle featuring well-timed canter half-pass zig-zags to "Always On My Mind."

Results:

1 Lars Petersen Mariett DEN 76.40%
2 Shelly Francis Doktor USA 73.63%
3 Mikala Gundersen My Lady DEN 72.78%
4 Diana Creech Devon L CAN 70.95%
5 Jaimey Irwin Lindor's Finest CAN 70.73%
6 Jacqueline Brooks D-Niro CAN 70.33%
7 James Koford Rhett USA 69.95%
8 David Marcus Don Kontes CAN 69.10%
9 Jodie Stevens Kelly Manhattan USA 66.80%

Source Phelps Media Group, Inc. International