Perry-Glass Closes AGDF with a Win on Heartbeat

Wellington’s winter circuit drew to a close this weekend, marking a turning point in the US Equestrian Open of Dressage. While the Series standings held mostly steady, the podium featured fresh faces and standout performances. Kasey Perry-Glass led an all-female top three with power and poise—each rider showcasing a partnership built on feel, finesse, and growing trust.

2016 Rio Olympian Kasey Perry-Glass sat atop the podium on Heartbeat W.P.—a mount she debuted at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival a year ago. Although their final score of 75.915% was not a PB, it was three points above their average, showing that the pair is starting to figure one another out. She and the 13-year-old KWPN gelding rode to a cinematic soundtrack featuring a heartbeat motif that nodded to the horse’s name. The heroic music fit Heartbeat’s powerful movement. At 17.1hh, he is a large horse for any rider, but especially for 5’4” Perry-Glass.

“To be able to make him a small woman’s ride has been a journey. There was a lot of power and a lot to contain, but I’m starting to be able to manage it,” explained Perry-Glass. “It’s about figuring out what works for him, but once I get in the ring, he’s a true showman.”

The idea of learning to speak a horse’s language—and figuring out what works for them—was a thread that connected all three riders on this week’s podium.

“[Hawtins San Floriana] is really the first trained horse I’ve taken over the ride on, and I found that a bit tricky,” said Ashley Holzer, a four-time Canadian Olympian who now rides for the United States. Despite riding to freestyle music they received just three days before the class, they earned on a combination-best score of 74.840%. Although Holzer initially struggled to find a bond with the mare, she felt they started to find their groove in recent weeks.

“I’ve started to feel that she’s speaking my language,” she said. “She really tries so hard, and it’s special when you feel a horse start to become your teammate.”

Camille Carier Bergeron and 15-year-old mare Finnländerin’s strengthening partnership came third on a score of 73.370%. The 25-year-old rider explained last month that after the Paris Olympics, this year has been all about fine-tuning the freestyles and having fun in the process. She’s been a steady presence in Wellington this season, consistently scoring well. She currently sits seventh on the US Equestrian Open of Dressage leaderboard with 54 points from four out of six possible qualifying results.

What’s Next

April kicks off its weekly qualifiers at TerraNova, an equestrian facility in Myakka City, Florida. The CDI3* follows last weekend’s US Equestrian Open of Eventing qualifier, also held at the venue.

With just three combinations entered in the freestyle, it’s a smaller field—but not an irrelevant one. A strong result could vault a lesser-known rider into the top five of the overall Series standings. And with Wellington now behind us, the second half of the season begins under a new set of conditions—shaped less by winter circuit regulars and more by who keeps showing up throughout the rest of the season.