Paula Matute Guimon and Michael Klimke Freestyle to Victory 2022 CDI Wellington

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2022 CDI Wellington - Global Dressage Festival / Week 3

Spanish rider Paula Matute Guimón pulled off the biggest win of her career, piloting her own and Julie McAllister’s 14-year-old Delagronge to the blue ribbon in the Grand Prix Freestyle 4*, presented by U.S. P.R.E. Association, on Friday night 28 January 2022.

The second “Friday Night Stars” evening freestyle of the 2022 Global Dressage Festival (GDF) in Wellington, Florida, also provided a personal best for Matute Guimón and the De Niro stallion of 74.480%.

**Paula Matute Guimon Dances to 4* Freestyle Victory**

It was an international podium, with Germany’s Christoph Koschel finishing runner-up on the striking, grey Lusitano Favorito (71.670%) and Mikala Münter (USA) filling third on Salsa Hit with 71.425%. The 4* freestyle class featured four combinations in total.

“I honestly didn’t expect those results,” said the 26-year-old Matute Guimón. “The victory is amazing, but I want to keep improving. Winning is a very nice reward, and it means a lot. Of course we all like the color blue, but I wasn’t expecting it. I have great competitors next to me, who work very hard. I’m super happy, and I’m going to remember this week forever.”

This was Matute Guimón’s first four-star freestyle win.

“This freestyle [music] used to belong to my brother with Don Diego and I took over, and I think now I can say that it’s mine,” she added. “The horse was a little bit challenging today, but we still made it happen.

“This win means a lot to me,” continued Matute Guimón. “It’s been many years watching from the outside trying to figure out what it takes to come back, so I really am enjoying every second of this. I’m so happy, so grateful to the team behind me, the owners for believing in me, for believing in us, and for making this dream come true.”

Judge Janet Foy said: “Paula and I spoke last month at a CDI, and she had a little issue with some of her choreography. I was thrilled that tonight she came back after a big disappointment there and fixed it, rode beautifully, and did a great job. The quality of the horses keeps getting more and more amazing at this circuit. I’m really looking forward to judging the five-star and seeing how these horses are progressing through the season. There are world-class horses, and we have world-class riders here as well. To have the Friday nights again is very, very special.”

Matute's Oldenburg bred Delagronge (by De Niro x Delphi) was previously owned by Uruguay dressage rider Carolin Mallmann F. Facht, who bought him in 2019 from Dagmar and Johannes Rueben in Germany. She initially had the horse with her in Argentina, before spending the summer in Wellington, Florida, at Paula's stable, where McAllister and Paula recognized his talent and secured the horse for them.

Koschel and Lusitano Favorito Runner Up

Runner-up Christoph Koschel found his horse, Favorito 11, during a clinic in Portugal.

“I train a few team riders from Portugal, and I found him there,” explained Koschel, who rode to music from “Peter and the Wolf.” “The guys said his head is a little too big, so they didn’t want to have him. I said I’d always wanted a Lusitano. It was just for fun, and I wanted to see where I can get to, and so I bought him when he was five, and now we’re in the international ring.

“He was a little scared under the lights in the canter tonight,” added Koschel, who explained that the horse was due to make his CDI debut last year but it was delayed due to white line disease in his hoof which took a year to clear up. “It’s really his first time away from home, but I was really happy with my ride.”

“It’s just amazing to be back; it’s been many years,” said Münter, referring to the stellar career of her former top ride, My Lady. “I got Salsa Hit in training, and nobody ever thought he was going to make it to this level. He was very spicy. A lot of people have seen me fly around the show grounds with this horse over the years, so I’m thrilled that he can keep it all together and he’s made it to this level. And I’m sure he’s going to get even better once I get everything cleaned up.”

Münter rode to music put together by Gary Patterson, who also did My Lady’s music.

“I always knew that if I was ever going to ride a freestyle with this horse, it had to be Frank Sinatra because it just fits him so well,” she added.

USPRE Association, Loyal Sponsor of Week 3 at GDF

Janne Rumbough of class sponsor U.S. P.R.E. Association said: “It’s been amazing how the P.R.E. horses have developed in this country because U.S. P.R.E. Association has promoted them. We have programs all over the country.”

Jane Bistline, the new President of the Association, added: “If you look at the national and international shows in the U.S., about 10% of the horses are P.R.E. horses, and it used to be almost none. We’re here for all of the Iberian horses. We’re really excited and grateful to be sponsoring.”

**Michael Klimke Wins 3* Freestyle**

Germany’s Michael Klimke laid down 74.110% to claim the Grand Prix Freestyle 3*, which had a field of six riders.

Partnered with Domino 957, Uwe Kappel’s mare by Den Haag, Klimke was untouchable, edging out the previous day’s grand prix winners Benjamin Ebeling (USA) and Indeed. Ben’s father Jan Ebeling (USA) finished third with 73.14% on Bellena.

At 10 years old, Klimke’s ride Domino was the youngest horse in the class and competing at her first CDI at big your level. She contested small tour classes at GDF in 2021, but today marked her first international win. The pair was awarded a high score of 75.875%.

“Yesterday in the grand prix she wasn’t too hot in the piaffe, which is normally her highlight,” said Klimke. “I’ve been long enough in the sport of the training of young horses up to grand prix that I don’t get completely crazy tonight because my horse won the freestyle. I’m super happy about the whole circuit, and thankful to the organizers, to everybody, that makes it happen.

“We have no shows at the moment in Europe and still the discussion whether the World Cup Final will take place,” he added. “We are really lucky as riders from America, from Europe, to compete here. It’s the only show circuit that goes on. That for me is very important, and I think for all the horses.”

Pape and Potasky Win at Small Tour Level

Susan Pape (GBR) continued her week three winning streak, topping the Prix St. Georges CDI1* riding her own and Harmony Amateur Sports Foundation’s Giulilanta to 71.500%. Pape topped the Grand Prix for Special 4* the previous day riding Eclectisch.

Janne Rumbough representing the USPRE Association

Giulilanta, an 11-year-old daughter of Jazz, remains unbeaten in her three small tour starts at the 2022 GDF, never scoring below 70% this season. Of 11 starters, second place went to the USA’s Ali Potasky riding her own nine-year-old Inxs, by Everdale, to 70.029%.

Potasky partnered another nine-year-old by Everdale, Kathy Priest’s Irintha, in the Intermediate I 3*, and went one better. Potasky and Irintha scored 68.088% for a unanimous victory from the five judges. The duo is unbeaten in all four of their international small tour starts, having only stepped into the CDI ring for the first time earlier this month.