Ashley Holzer and Pop Art faced stiff competition under the lights at Dressage At Devon on Sept. 28, but the cheerful chestnut rose to the top with his accurate and elegant test (71.25%).

The Grand Prix field was so accomplished that every one of the top six combinations featured a horse or rider that had represented his or her country in an international championship.  Courtney King placed a close second to Holzer aboard Idocus (71.04%), and Lars Petersen wasn’t far behind with Succes in third place (69.70%).

Holzer’s test stood out though, as “Poppy” glided through the Grand Prix movements easily.  While the 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood did get a bit electric in the intense atmosphere, he stayed with his rider throughout the test.

“He was a bit tired at the end, I think because I rode him for a long time in the warm-up.  I was afraid he was going to get in here and be very hot, which he can be sometimes.  So I just said, ‘Listen, you’ve got to keep going,’ ” said Holzer.  “There were a few little mistakes at the end, but they were honestly just ‘I’m a young horse, and I’m tired,’ mistakes.”

Leslie Morse traveled from California with Tip Top to take fourth place, and Karin Offield rode into fifth place aboard Lingh, demonstrating that her partnership with the former Dutch team horse has improved dramatically.  She rode a clean test and showed off the Dutch Warmblood stallion’s impressive passage work.

While King had to settle for second in the Grand Prix for the freestyle, she easily earned the blue in the Grand Prix test for the Special.  She and Mythilus beat the competition hands down with their powerful ride (68.37%).

“It’s always a struggle getting real control,” admitted King.  “But he came out in the warm-up really light in the bridle and really on the seat.  I felt, for the first time since I’ve been showing the Grand Prix, that I could trust him a little bit in the extensions.”

They did have a mistake in the one-tempis, but King said it was because she’d been working hard to teach “Myth” not to take over in the extended canter, and he was thinking about extended canter instead of tempi-changes.

Elisabeth Austin grabbed second place in the Grand Prix for the Special with Olivier (65.29%).  The two-time Brentina Cup winner looked comfortable and confident in the Grand Prix ring, although at times “Fizzy” appeared a bit underpowered.

The battle for the small tour win was even tougher, as 45 pairs duked it out in the Prix St. Georges.  Melissa Taylor emerged on top with the electric Dacardo, although she and King were actually tied, but Taylor’s collective marks put her ahead in the end (68.66%).

“I’m so proud of my horse,” said Taylor.  “He won last year with Lars, so we kind of had a joke going, but everyone knows Dacardo. He’s not the easiest.”

Taylor blamed herself for small mistakes in the pirouettes and changes.  “I’m finally getting a relationship with him,” she said.  “My trot tour was super, but in my walk work he gets a little hot and a little backed off.  I don’t ride him from behind enough, and that’s where my mistakes are personally.”

King couldn’t complain too much about taking second place with Jubilant though, and she also placed third in the Prix St. Georges with Rendezvous 3 (67.25%).

The huge Intermediaire I field will fight it out again tomorrow, starting at 8 A.M., while the Grand Prix freestyle, which is Dressage At Devon’s claim to fame, takes place tomorrow evening.  The riders in the Grand Prix Special will compete on Sunday.

Results
Grand Prix for the freestyle
1. Pop Art, Ashley Holzer, 71.25%
2. Idocus, Courtney King, 71.04
3. Succes, Lars Petersen, 69.70
4. Tip Top, Leslie Morse, 67.33
5. Lingh, Karin Offield, 66.20
6. Rainier, Katherine Bateson-Chandler, 66.16
7. Neruda, Michael Barisone, 65.75
8. Gran Gesto, Jacqueline Brooks, 65.66
9. Proton, Cindy Ishoy, 65.41
10. BeSe, Catherine Morelli, 64.62

Grand Prix for the Special
1. Mythilus, Courtney King, 68.37
2. Olivier, Elisabeth Austin, 65.29
3. New Tango, Tara Stegen, 64.50
4. More Magic, Bethany Peslar, 62.12
5. Goubergh’s Kasper, Suzanne Dansby Phelps, 62.08
6. Dread Response, Cindy Ishoy, 58.83
7. Conchita, Jan Williams, 58.58
8. Cosaco, Pati Pierucci, 58.50
9. Marquis, Milo Mott, 57.91
10. Donatelli 2, James Koford, 57.54

Prix St. Georges
1. Dacardo, Melissa Taylor, 68.66
2. Jubilant, Courtney King, 68.66
3. Rendezvous 3, Courtney King, 67.25
4. Control, Shannon Dueck, 67.00
5. Balmoral, Jacqueline Brooks, 66.91
6. Lone Star, Neil Ishoy, 65.83
7. Don Principe, James Koford, 65.50
8. Pip, Amanda Johnson, 65.16
9. Great Tyme, Gillian Sutherland, 65.16
10. Raphaela, Mary Ann Grant, 65.00

FEI Young Rider Team Test
1. Lamborghini, Jocelyn Wiese, 69.25
2. Molinari, Emily Wagner, 68.29
3. Cinbad, Brittany McCarthy, 67.77
4. Furio, Brittany Fraser, 65.85
5. Ballywhim Ardan Mor, Micaela Mabragana, 65.33
6. Downtown, Cecile Von Martels, 65.25
7. Granada, Micaela Mabragana, 64.96
8. Westside Lady, Leah Wilson, 64.74
9. Gismo, Danielle Vallandingham, 63.55
10. Ivan, Sarah Cunningham, 63.40

FEI Junior Team Test
1. Mastermind, Jade Deter, 66.25
2. Nelzon, Jillian Kemenosh, 64.58
3. Maarten, Alexa Rice, 64.08
4. Coriall, Stephanie Nowak, 61.66
5. Cachet, Meagan Davis, 61.33
6. Pavalina, Emily Berenstain, 60.41
7. Lascar, Nicole DelGiorno, 59.16
8. Sally Diane, Ellie Sharpe, 58.83
9. Palomos, Elizabeth Kelemen, 58.25
10. Nova, Shannon Hanrahan, 55.83