WELLINGTON, FL – February 19, 2006 – The traditional “Musical Freestyle Sunday” at the Winter Equestrian Festival brought out the crowds and the dancing beats for the final day of the Zada Enterprises, LLC Florida Dressage Classic in Wellington, Florida. Freestyles were presented in five divisions. Topping the FEI Grand Prix Freestyle was two-time Canadian Olympic Team member Ashley Holzer of New York, New York, riding Gambol, the 11-year-old Dutch stallion she owns with Dr. Diane Fellows of Palm Beach. The duo earned a score of 74.875% to best a field of eight horses.

Claiming the second place slot was George Williams of Richwood, Ohio, aboard Marnix for owner Joann Smith, who was awarded 73. 917%. In third place, Canadian Cheryl Meisner Linssen riding Paganini, an eight-year-old Dutch stallion owned by John Risley, received a score of 70.333%.

Officiating were judges Brenda Minor at E, Jessica Ransehousen at C, and Jeanne McDonald at M.

The biggest crowd of the season surrounded the ring for this competition, adding to the excitement level of the arena, which is located close to the bermed seating. “I loved the fact that given any circumstance, once he gets into his test he really settles down,” said Holzer of the impressive-looking 11-year-old black stallion by Gabor out of Arella.

Holzer choreographed the dynamic freestyle ride herself and described it as “technically very difficult.” She named some of the movements she considers particularly hard to exhibit, “I do a collected canter to piaffe to piaffe pirouette. I do ones and twos on a bending line into double pirouettes in both directions. I do a trot zigzag into a piaffe pirouette into an extended trot.”

Holzer describes Gambol as a “handy horse” that’s easy to navigate, but needs “lots to do” in order to keep him concentrating. Working with that element, Holzer said that the choreography she developed was originally a bit “over his head in the beginning” but it now “shows the judges what he can do.”

Karen Robinson of Applause Dressage worked with Holzer to select the music. They discovered that Gambol became nervous if the music was too loud or the beat too strong. Holzer also insisted that the music be complementary to the horse and not distract from him. “I wanted the technical difficulty and the horse himself to be what stands out,” she explained. Holzer’s final track is comprised of beautiful piano music by Ronan Hardinan, the Irish composer who wrote the music for “Lord of the Dance.”

“The most important thing to me about this freestyle is that the audience remembers the pattern, not the music,” Holzer stated.

Coming a close second, Williams and Marnix performed to a medley of Cher tunes without vocals. “I was very, very happy with him in the piaffe tour,” said Williams. He noted that he has been adjusting his entrance, which is performed to “The Beat Goes On” and traveled too far down the centerline today, which affected his first transition into passage. “But then overall I was happy with how I recovered. I got more in time with the music. I was very happy with the pirouettes.” Williams also noted he had a bobble in the ones, but once again was able to quickly get back on track with the music.

Terri Gallo worked with Williams to create the soundtrack, which also includes some of Cher’s greatest hits such as “The Shoop Shoop Song” and “Walking in Memphis.” “It’s a joint effort,” said Williams. “I have ideas, but she makes them all possible. Miraculously she can make it work because I’m not that musical and my ideas are sometimes a little bit unorthodox.”

Williams designed his own choreography. “I like to base it on what’s good for the horse. I’m not interested in over-facing Marnix at this point with choreography. I want to emphasize what he can do well,” Williams explained. “For me, it’s music that’s really fun to ride to. In a lot of ways, that’s what the freestyle is all about – if the rider and horse are having fun, the audience will have fun.”

In other freestyle competition today, Janne Rumbough riding Gorron won the USDF Freestyle Test of Choice with a score of 67.083%. Marco Bernal and Halbgott claimed victory in the FEI Intermediaire Freestyle, scoring 74.125%. Ashley Peterson and Augustus won the FEI Young Rider Freestyle, earning 67.333%. And Julia Warstler aboard Integrity won the FEI Junior Freestyle with a score of 68.417%.

Wrapping up this year’s Zada Enterprises, LLC Florida Dressage Classic, Champion and Reserve Champion High Score Awards were presented to the top two horse/rider combinations in divisions First through Fourth Level as follows:

First Level Champion: Christopher Hickey and Tango, Test 4, 77.222%
First Level Res. Champion: Jessica Jo Tate and Donnermuth, Test 1, 76.667%

Second Level Champion: Teresa Butta-Stanton and Bacardi, Test 1, 70.000%
Second Level Res. Champion: Alison Sader Larson and Palini, Test 4, 67.647%

Third Level Champion: Lauren Sammis and Sagacious HF, Test 3, 71.778%
Third Level Res. Champion: Karen Lipp and Cooper, Test 3, 70.444%

Fourth Level Champion: Bill Warren and Romantic, Test 1, 69.767%
Fourth Level Res. Champion: Melissa Jackson and Wellington, Test 2, 69.302%