Asencio's Focus and Rockx' Gerda Nova: New Grand Prix Horses for Vivian Chang

Dressage

Taiwan

Taiwanese dressage rider Vivian Chang has recently got the ride on two internationally competed Grand Prix horses: Focus and Gerda Nova de la Fazenda.

Chang was based in Grashoek, The Netherlands, but recently relocated to Diepenbeek, Belgium. She represented Taiwan at the 2014, 2018 and 2023 Asian Games.

Focus

Focus is a 16-year old Hanoverian gelding by Fiorano out of World Lady (by Weltissimo x Wolkenstein I). He is bred by Hans-Carsten Kroencke.

The chestnut was first competed in Germany as a 3-year old by Juliane Kirch in 2013 before selling to Luis Quilis in Spain in 2014. As of 2016 American Marie Kathleen Shubin (née Harter), acquired the horse and allocated the ride to Alejandro Asencio

The pair made its show debut in May 2016 in the 6-year old classes. Their international debut followed in 2017 at the CDI Segovia, where they competed in the 7-year old tests. A year later the duo straight away jumped into international Grand Prix level competition when Focus turned 8 in 2018. Their first big tour CDI was in Seville in March 2018.

The next eight years the pair competed at CDI's across the world, including Madrid, Granada, Saumur, Nice, Crozet, Doha, Beloura, Jerez, Camarma de Esteruelas, London, and Deauville. At the Spanish Championships they were 7th in 2019, 8th in 2020, and 11th in 2022.

The 79-year old Shubin is reportedly ending her pursuits with horses in Spain and has sold Focus to Vivian Chang. She debuted the horse at the CDI Lier last weekend.

Gerda Nova

In November 2025 Johan Rockx' sold his home bred Dutch warmblood mare Gerda Nova de la Fazenda to Chang.

Gerda Nova is a 15-year old KWPN mare by Romanov out of Cenda de la Fazenda (by Don Schufro x Sandro Hit).

She made her international show debut as a junior rider's horse with Thalia Rockx at the 2018 CDI Compiegne, where they won the kur to music. They won silver at the 2018 Dutch Junior Riders Championships. In 2019 they moved to young riders level, while in 2022 the pair moved up to international Under 25 level. They showed at CDI's in Lier, Joosland, Exloo, Sint-Truiden, Le Mans, Geesteren, Herning and Tolbert.

In 2025 Dutch based Hungarian Benedek Pachl took over the ride and competed her in the senior big tour at CDI's in Lier, Exloo and Deauville to mixed results.

Gerda Nova sold and in November 2025 was competed by Chinese Huaiyu Rao in Belgium. This weekend, Chang will be showing Gerda Nova at the 2026 CDI Jerez de la Frontera.