As if winning yesterday’s FEI Grand Prix weren’t enough to prove Proton’s back, the big black gelding returned on Sunday, May 13, with Cindy Ishoy to capture the FEI Grand Prix Freestyle win at Paxton Farm, Batavia, Ohio, with a very satisfying 70.90 percent.

His dramatic entrance caught everybody’s attention with the powerful, action-packed score of Pirates of the Caribbean (composed by Klaus Badelt).

The precision and fluency Proton presented throughout the complicated test choreographed by Ishoy would have demanded applause from Captain Jack Sparrow himself. And it was somewhat of an adventure even taking on this particular freestyle this weekend.

“I was a little concerned to do this freestyle in his first time back. It takes a lot of collection,” Ishoy said of Proton’s first competition back after his injury last summer just before the World Equestrian Games. “He was actually a little bit tough in the warm up.”

While Proton tried to get the best of Ishoy with his surplus energy in the chilly morning wind, she decided to take advantage of his friskiness instead of fighting it. “So I just let him go a little bit, but I also let him know that I was still in charge,” she said.

Once the music started, Proton was all business. Ishoy harnessed his energy, and the pair read each other without a stutter. “I actually liked the extra energy,” Ishoy said. “I just really wanted to trust him and really wanted him to trust me.”

As the music uniquely shifted from the sounds of cinematic adventure to the bass thumping rhythm of Fifty Cent, the pair’s one- and two-tempi circles became an impressive highlight as they flawlessly executed the movements.

“Some judges don’t like the music though,” Ishoy said of the compilation crafted with the help of her daughter, Kayla, and compiled and produced by Chalet Productions. “But I guess they liked it today.”

Only two other competitors challenged Ishoy and Proton in the FEI Grand Prix Freestyle after Sallie Spenard and Chamberlain, and Gail Tasch and Galant scratched. Dr. Cesar Parra rode ECU 8 to a spicy blend of Shakira and Latin pop music to earn 68.95 percent and second place, while Tina Irwin and Amicelli finished up third with 65.30 percent.

Katherine Poulin-Neff and Brilliant Too also pulled off a hat trick as they returned on Sunday to win the FEI Intermediaire I Freestyle.

With new trot music to compliment their happy, upbeat ragtime ensemble, Poulin-Neff and “Zuel” pulled out all the stops to command their victory with a 74.10 percent. She choreographed the test to highlight Zuel’s strong canter work and implemented a couple of difficult movements that impressed the judges.

“His canter work was really strong, and we did all of our tempi changes on a circle and went immediately into a full pirouette in both directions,” she explained. “The technical difficulty is extremely high, but we had no mistakes in the canter except for the extended canter when he switched leads at the end, but that was my fault.”

Regardless, the performance delighted Poulin-Neff overall. “I’m waiting to see what the judges say about the trot music,” she added. “If they like it, I’ll use it at Gladstone [N.J.].”

Terry Gallo from Klassic Kur designed the new music section for the pair. “This is actually the first time I’ve had professional freestyle music done for me. [For the new trot choreography], I wanted something to get the crowd going and to wake people up,” she said.

Poulin-Neff and Zuel were the second-to-last ride in the class, so Susan Jaccoma and Wadamur, yesterday’s FEI Intermediaire I second-placed combination, were the only pair left who could come between Poulin-Neff and victory.

Their test was clean, fluid and precise, and Wadamur even announced his satisfaction through their final extended canter with a whinney. But Poulin-Neff’s flawless execution of difficult choreography still prevailed. Jaccoma and Wadamur earned a 70.90 percent to finish in second place again.

Canada’s Andrea Bresee and Raffles snagged third place with 67.10 percent, Tom Dvorak and Fortissimo earned a 66.10 percent for fourth place, and Ute Busse and Lindor’s Finest rounded out the top five with 65.45 percent.

With this considerable double victory under Poulin-Neff’s belt, she and Brilliant Too are looking to the Pan American Games selection trials in Gladstone this June in hopes of securing a trip to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in July.

The FEI Grand Prix Special class performances didn’t seem as polished on the whole as the day’s other CDI classes. But despite many problems among other riders, George Williams rode Marnix to the win with a 62.68 percent.

Tami Crawford and Markant cantered into the ring after Williams but their score took a hit after losing track of the test near the end. They finished in fourth place on 58.76 percent.

Jessica Costello and Litmanen suffered the same fate after one of their passage movements but managed to recover enough to snag second place with 59.96 percent. Nancy MacLachlan and Ariston managed a clean test worth 58.92 percent for third place.

Kathy Priest and Shostakovich presented their last pirouette one letter too soon on the centerline, which docked their score to 55.36 percent and fifth place. And unfortunately for the eliminated Patrick Burssens, Siciliano 2 reared and refused to piaffe.