-- TerraNova press release
It was an extremely close-fought tussle in the 3* Grand Prix at the CDI Myakka City held at TerraNova Equestrian Center on Friday 2May 2025. Just 0.8 percentage points separated the top six combinations in the class, which was topped by Canada’s Naïma Moreira Laliberté on KML Inc’s 12-year-old gelding Inspire with a 68.891%. Second-placed Charlotte Jorst (USA) was just 0.15 percentage points adrift, riding Kastel Denmark’s Zonik x Stedinger son Zhaplin Langholt — another 12-year-old gelding — to 68.739%.
Ben Ebeling (USA), double winner at TerraNova’s April CDI, rounded out the podium, riding Ann Romney’s 15-year-old Belissimo M mare Bellena to 68.239%. Ebeling edged out his trainer Christoph Koschel (GER), whose 68.174% on his own 10-year-old Dancier gelding Destare earned fourth place. There was a tie for fifth spot, with two U.S. female athletes scoring 68.087%: Katherine Bateson Chandler on Haute Couture and Kasey Perry-Glass on Heartbeat WP.
The win marked Moreira Laliberté and Inspire’s first international grand prix victory since stepping up to the level at TerraNova’s April CDI a year ago. Inspire’s test featured many sevens and 7.5s, with an eight given for the extended canter, the two-time changes, the flying change between the pirouettes, and the final halt. The only glitch came in one of the piaffes, which was costly as the movement carries a double coefficient.
“He really tried hard in there,” said the 28-year-old. “Of course, there are so many things I want to improve, and I always try and go mistake free. It is going to be achievable; I just need to run him. I consider him still a green horse and he still needs to learn the routine and get confidence and experience in there — he hasn’t done much at this level yet.
“I’ve had him since he was three and I’m very proud that he became a grand prix horse and there is so much more in there for the future. I’ve been training with Ashley Holzer, who was here today to support us, which I am grateful for, as well as Jordi Domingo in Europe,” continued Moreira Laliberté, who was excited to return to TerraNova to compete. “It’s a great venue. The facility is amazing, the footing is beautiful, and the stables are brand new. I love the mats in the stalls, and I think the horses like it too. It’s always nice to come back here.”
Moreira Laliberté often spends summers on the other side of the Atlantic, in Spain with Jordi Domingo, but has opted to stay in Canada this time round.
“This year, I’m going to go back to my hometown Montreal,” she said. “This is a bit of an off year [with no major championship shows], so we’re going to enjoy spending a bit more time at home.”
Before Moreira Laliberté heads north, she will contest the Grand Prix Freestyle on Saturday, May 3. It will be Inspire’s first freestyle at the level, and he will perform to his stablemate Statesman’s music, as he does not yet have his own.
Moreira Laliberté added another ribbon to her collection on Friday in the 1* Prix St. Georges, finishing runner-up with 68.971% on the 11-year-old All At Once mare, Jaliska LD. The blue ribbon was awarded to Andrea Woodard (USA) for her 69.471% ride on Enter At A LLC’s eight-year-old mare Roxette (by Revolution x Quite Easy).
Related Link
Scores: 2025 CDI Myakka City