Laura Graves and Verdades, pictured here at the Rio Olympic Games.
© Eric Knoll
By Equestrian Life
Laura Graves and Verdades won the CDI-W Grand Prix and GP Freestyle over the weekend at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival in Wellington, Florida. In doing so, the pair qualified for the World Cup Final in Paris in April.
Laura and Verdades scored 78.022% in the Grand Prix and 84.975% in the GP Freestyle. The latter was a record Freestyle score in the 6-year history of the Global Dressage Festival. Second place in both classes went to the exciting combination of Adrienne Lyle and Salvino; it was the pair’s first year at Big Tour and first Freestyle for a fantastic result.
Isabell Werth and Weihegold OLD.
© FEI/Liz Gregg
Laura and Verdades have now claimed one of two slots available to North American competitors at the World Cup Final, with the other combination being Shelly Francis of Loxahatchee, Florida on Danilo.
The American pair were reserve champions behind Isabell Werth and Weihegold OLD at last year’s World Cup Final and this year they will be hoping to go one better. They will also face tough competition from Danish superstars Cathrine Dufour who are now ranked number three in the world; they are the highest ranked Danish combination in more than a decade.
Denmark’s Cathrine Dufour and Atterupgaards Cassidy.
© FEI/Everhorsephoto.com
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