Vilhelmson and Williams Win Under the Lights at 2026 Palm Beach Derby CDI

Shows

2026 Palm Beach Dressage Derby

-- GDF press release

Two classes highlighted the ‘Friday Night Stars’ evening at the Palm Beach Derby CDI during week 8 at the 2026 Global Dressage Festival (GDF) in Wellington, FL. Tinne Vilhelmson Silfvén (SWE) led the 4* Grand Prix Freestyle, while Jennifer Williams came out on top of an all-female 4* Grand Prix Special riding Joppe K.

Jennifer Williams Claims Special

The evening under the lights started with the Grand Prix Special in which five female American riders battled it out. Jennifer Williams and Joppe K logged the winning score of 70.128% to take the blue ribbon—their first four-star victory. The judges could not decide between Ashley Holzer’s test on Hawtins San Floriana and Meagan Davis’s ride on Toronto Lightfoot, awarding both an overall score of 69.192%. The placings were decided on the collective marks, with Holzer garnering a higher harmony average to bag second place with her own and Diane Fellows’s 14-year-old mare by San Amour. Davis and Scott Durkin’s 13-year-old Totilas gelding were awarded the yellow ribbon.

The 2026 GDF is Joppe K’s seventh straight season competing in Wellington, so it comes as no surprise that he is relaxed in the ring. The 12-year-old gelding by Rousseau has been competing at international grand prix for four years, and this was his highest Special score since April 2024.

“It was a great night,” enthused Williams, who trains with Oded Shimoni and Christophe Theallet. “The atmosphere was helpful for us, and the weather was cooler, with a bit of a feeling of a storm brewing, and he felt that energy. I really wanted the harmony and the joy to come out in the ride. I felt like we were united and well connected.

“I felt blessed that they put the special into tonight’s program [rather than during the day], because that’s where Joppe really shines. Sometimes the 80-degree weather can be a lot, and I want to keep him motivated. With Joppe, it’s important that we keep things fresh and fun, so we do a lot of hacking. He obviously knows the movements now, so fitness is the key, along with keeping things light.”

Williams plans to compete in one of the two remaining CDIs at GDF 2026. She would also like to show at the U.S. Grand Prix National Championship in May, and be considered for the European tour squad in the summer.

Three in the Kur

For multi-Olympian Tinne Vilhelmson Silfven it was an easy win the 4* Freestyle with just three riders in the class. Tinne passaged one-handed down the final centerline of her charming freestyle test on Lövsta Stuteri’s 14-year-old Hyatt, whoops and cheers rang out. Their final score of 78% was their second highest to date. Germany’s Michael Klimke rode the youngest horse in the class, 12-year-old Fado (by Fairytale x Sir Donnerhall), into second place in the horse’s second-ever CDI freestyle, with a new personal best of 74.77%. U.S. athlete Susan Dutta rounded out the podium representing a third nation with her 72.895% ride on her own 16-year-old Don Design DC (by Der Designer x Sir Donnerhall).

Vilhelmson Silfvén has been riding Hyatt (by Apache x Sandreo) since March 2023 and has always maintained her belief in the compact, willing mare’s talent for the higher scores. Her prediction is proving well-founded.

“Last year, I didn’t dare to compete Hyatt in the Friday night class because she is really motivated and very awake,” said the seven-time Olympian. “Over the past year, I started to think it could work. I took her in the five-star and she got really excited, but today she was super. I’m always searching for the balance between power and relaxation, and I don’t always succeed. What horses need is to have trust in you and to like their work. You need a smart setup for every horse, which is different for every animal, so you figure out what’s good for them. For sure, the chance to ride here in the winter, at this show with perfect atmosphere, is a super opportunity to teach the horses how to go.”

Vilhelmson Silfvén rode to a Beach Boys medley put together for her London and Rio Olympics mount Don Auriello 12 years ago by Cees Slings, who died in October 2025, making this performance especially poignant. “I’ve been resting this freestyle and it’s dear to me,” said Tinne. “I realized that some of the judges haven’t heard it either. My goal tonight was that Hyatt would trust me and go. She was ‘on it’ and yet could still walk out on a long rein and be a happy horse, and I’m very pleased about that.”

Hyatt’s schedule includes one more CDI show at AGDF before returning to Europe and embarking on the selection process for the Swedish team for the FEI World Championships in Aachen, Germany, in August.