Canadian Danielle Gallagher booked a double victory at the CDI Ocala on 31 January - 2 February 2025. It was the first CDI of 2025 at the megalopolis World Equestrian Center.
A CDI with Nine Riders
The World Equestrian Center booked a CDI in the midst of the Global Dressage Festival in Wellington, FL, checking to see if it could entice competitors from the south of Florida to venture north during the busy season.
Their gamble did not pay off. Just nine riders in total were entered for the CDI which ended up covering medium tour and Grand Prix classes, making one wonder about the financial viability and sense of hosting a CDI.
Gallagher in Front in Grand Prix
The Intermediaire II, Amateur big tour and Grand Prix Special Tour only had one rider in each class, for the Grand Prix freestyle tour six riders lined up. Four of them moved on to the Grand Prix Special.
Canadian Denielle Gallagher of Morriston, FL, and the Lusitano bred Come Back de Massa (by Galopin de la Font x Quixote) scored 65.739% for the win in the Grand Prix. This was their first CDI since May 2024 when they were campaigning for a spot on the Canadian dressage team for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. While Paris was not in the cards, they had an easy summer and competed at the national level to get back into the ring before this week.
"He got nervous in the first piaffe, so I let him travel a little, and he got better as he went,” said Gallagher of her Grand Prix test. “I was really pleased with him today.”
Gallagher started riding Come Back nearly three years ago and started in the Intermediate I classes while building a relationship and “getting more strength, balance, engagement.” They moved up to Grand Prix in the fall of 2023, and 2024 was about training and development.
“We didn’t do the freestyle last year because we needed special scores. It was an intense year,” admitted Gallagher. “This year, I’m looking forward to playing with the freestyle and getting everything feeling easy in the ring and fun, no pressure, no stress. I want to have fun with my horse, and I’m really excited about this year. Whatever he does is fine with me!”
The second place went to Nora Batchelder on Carol Glover's 2024 U.S. Developing Grand Prix horse champion Nova (by Grand Galaxy Win x Romanov). They scored 64.131% and edged out Anna Merritt aboard the 12-year old German riding pony Fox Creek's Censational (by Caramel x FS Don't Worry) on 64.087%.
Gallagher Makes it a Double
Repeating their win from the day before were Denielle Gallagher (CAN) and Come Back de Massa in the Grand Prix freestyle.
“He was a beast, and it was great,” said Gallagher with a smile. “It feels like everything I’ve done and all of the training has led up to this point. There is so much more there I can keep going for. It’s what I’ve always dreamed of, that he felt happy, safe, not nervous, and looking to me for support. That’s what I’m so happy about. He felt confident.”
With Come Back feeling more at ease in the ring the second day, Gallagher mentioned that his piaffes improved and their canter half-pass to pirouette “felt really seamless.” She continued, “I was in the middle of my test thinking, ‘Wow, it feels really easy.’ I felt like I could have done the whole thing with one hand. At the end, I had to decide if I would do one-handed passage up centerline to finish. I had to take the risk and have some fun. The judge was smiling at me, and I was smiling at her. I think they enjoyed it as much as me.”
Gallagher, who moved to nearby Morriston, FL, from South Florida and built a farm in 2024, worked with longtime trainer Ashley Holzer on her freestyle choreography.
With another personal best in the class, Eline Eckroth (USA) and Daphne, a 14-year-old Oldenburg mare by Diamond Stud x De Niro owned by Connie Duff Wise, placed second on a score of 69.325%. Anna Merritt (USA) and Fox Creek’s Censational placed third with 66.710%.
Related Links
Scores: 2025 CDI Ocala