U.S. Olympians Adrienne Lyle and Helix debuted a new freestyle—and added a second victory to their tally during the December Dressage week at the World Equestrian Center-Ocala (Florida)—when they won the Grand Prix freestyle CDI-W on Friday. It was a solid win for the pair in their first competition back from the 2024 Paris Olympic Games and in only their second freestyle performance together.
The judging panel—Maria Colliander (Finland), Juan Carlos Campos Escribano (Spain), Clive Halsall (Great Britain), William Warren (United States) and Cesar Torrente (Colombia)—awarded them a score of 77.61%. The pair also won Thursday’s Grand Prix for the freestyle with a score of 72.47%, topping a 15-horse field.
“I was absolutely thrilled with him,” Lyle said Friday of the 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Apache—Zeester T, Jazz) owned by Zen Elite Equestrian Center. “This is our first time riding a freestyle together that we created for him, and I thought the choreography flowed really well. He seemed to really be enjoying himself. He felt even more relaxed and focused than in the Grand Prix, and I’m just really excited for what that means for the future with this horse.”
Lyle’s freestyle was designed by Terri Gallo and featured the Ben E. King song “Stand By Me” to open and close the test and for trot work, “Sweet Child O’ Mine” by Guns ‘N’ Roses for the walk, and “Freedom” by George Michael for the canter tour.
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“They’re kind of personal songs for me,” Lyle said. “ ‘Stand By Me’ was one of my favorite songs growing up. We listened to the old tape on repeat all the time on my farm when I was a kid, so I’ve just always loved that song. I think it speaks a lot to the connection with the horses and kind of the whole journey with them.”
Watch their winning freestyle, courtesy of ClipMyHorse.tv:
Lyle also noted in a post-competition interview that the show was coming shortly before the one-year anniversary of her U.S. partnership with Helix, thanking her sponsors and owner Heidi Humphries of Zen Elite Equestrian Center for bringing them together.
“This time a year ago, I hadn’t even met Helix. Jan. 17 was our first ride together on U.S. soil, so to look back at what he’s accomplished in less than a year is really incredible, and I’m so grateful for their support,” she said.
See complete results here.
