Hendricks & Drombusch OLD Remain Undefeated in Wellington Freestyles

In what Janet Foy described as an “impressive start to the season,” the Adequan^® Global Dressage Festival kicked off its first night of freestyles with technical brilliance, musical flair, and captivating performances in the first CDI-W of the season in Wellington, Florida. 

Germany’s Felicitas Hendricks and her own Drombusch OLD, riding last in the lineup, clinched the win with a remarkable score of 78.200%. It was the pair's fifth Freestyle to Music in Wellington and they've won all five.

Hendricks’ disco-inspired dance routine opened with “Keep It Coming Love” by KC and the Sunshine Band as she and Drombusch passaged into their opening halt. The vibrant music carried through to the finale with “Need You Tonight” by INXS. Though the pair had one small bobble early in the test, when Drombusch broke to canter for a few strides, they regained their rhythm and nailed the rest of the test. Their hallmark high degree of difficulty—a striking average of 9.46 across all judges for this performance—featured highlights like 20 one-tempi changes down the centerline.

“The main work we’ve been doing at home is still the same and won’t change. It’s very basic work of improving self-carriage and gaining more strength behind. I think that is a process that won’t ever stop, but I can tell that it’s really benefiting both of us. We take all that basic work into the exercises like the pirouettes and changes,” Hendricks explained.

2024 Team USA rider Adrienne Lyle and Zen Elite Equestrian’s Helix took second place with a score of 77.280%, their second-best score as a pair. Lyle and Helix, who have been partnered for just under a year, performed to a nostalgic mix featuring “Stand by Me,” “The Way You Move,” and “Sweet Child O’ Mine.” A technical glitch with the music interrupted their test, but once resolved, the Paris duo went on to deliver a strong test showcasing resilience, focus, and power.

“Considering the unconventional start to the test, I was really happy with him. He got a little excited at the beginning, so it maybe wasn’t our most polished ride, but he still didn’t have any big mistakes. It’s his first time under the lights anyway. So this is all a new experience for us,” Lyle said.

In third, Sweden’s Tinne Vilhelmson Silfvén rode longtime partner Devanto, a 16-year-old Holsteiner gelding, to a score of 75.515%. Their familiar “Puttin’ on the Ritz” freestyle included a particularly outstanding piaffe that earned a 9 from the judge at E. The duo’s jazzy, Broadway-inspired performance was a crowd favorite, with spectators rating it the night’s best freestyle.

While the top three performances drew much of the spotlight, another standout was Devon Kane, who piloted Vamos to a personal best score of 75.305%, finishing in fourth place.

The U.S. Open of Dressage qualifiers continue next weekend at Gold Coast Dressage Association’s 2025 Opener at Jim Brandon Equestrian Center in West Palm Beach, Florida. Here are the current Series standings after the two completed qualifiers:

Series standings are continually updated here.

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