Ottawa, ON – Canadian Olympian, Megan Lane of Loretto, ON and her Rio 2016 partner, Caravella got off to an impressive start during the kick-off week of the prestigious Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) in Wellington, FL. 

Held annually, the AGDF attracts some of the world’s top dressage competitors for seven weeks of CDI-level competition at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC). The CDI-W AGDF 1, held Jan. 11-15, marked the opening of the 2017 series. 

Lane, who made her Olympic debut in Rio, started the week with a third place finish in the FEI Grand Prix on Jan. 12, after scoring 70.700% with her long-time partner, Caravella (Contango x Riverman), a 16-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare she co-owns with her mother, Cathy, and sister, Kelsey. 

The duo returned to the stadium the next day for the FEI Grand Prix Freestyle, where they claimed second place on a score of 75.967% to set a new personal best Freestyle record. 

“It feels great to have had such a strong start to the season,” said Lane, who was returning to the ring with Caravella for the first time since November 2016, when the pair earned back-to-back wins to sweep the Royal Invitational Dressage Cup at the Royal Horse Show in Toronto, ON. “The Freestyle was quite possibly the ride of my life; one of those rides I wished never had to end.” 

Lane continued, “This year, Caravella feels stronger, yet more relaxed, and extremely confident. She is such a fantastic partner because she loves getting it right. When we get it right, she is so happy, and she’s the best horse to celebrate those moments with. She’s funny that way and it makes our daily work so enjoyable and rewarding.” 

For Lane, the AGDF 1 marked the first step in her goal for the 2017 season, which is to represent Canada at the 2017 FEI Dressage World Cup Final, set for March 29 to April 2 in Omaha, NE. 

“It will be a challenge, to say the very least, but I am so grateful to have opportunities like this to test my capabilities,” Lane said of the World Cup Final. “And, of course, I wouldn’t be where I am without the incredible support I have behind me. I would like to thank Deer Ridge Equestrian, my coach, Christilot Boylen, my family and my sponsors, Albion Saddlery and Omega Alpha.” 

Also earning a top-three finish in the FEI Grand Prix division was 2015 Pan American Games Team Silver Medalist duo, Brittany Beaulieu of Ottawa, ON and All In (Tango x Damiro), a 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding she co-owns with her husband, Marc-Andre and father, Craig Fraser. Together they danced to a score of 72.608% in the Grand Prix Freestyle for third place. 

Canada was also well represented in the small tour, with six-time Canadian Olympian, Christilot Boylen, picking up the win in the FEI Prix St. Georges on Jan. 12. Partnered with Rockeylane (Rock Forever x Rica), her 11-year-old Westphalian mare, Boylen found herself in the winner’s circle on a score of 68.289%. 

Lindsay Kellock of Toronto, ON and Royal Prinz (Royal Diamond x Dream of Glory), a 16-year-old Oldenburg stallion owned by Teresa Simmons also contested the small tour, taking second place in the FEI Intermediate I with 68.789% on Jan. 14, followed by a third place finish (69.200%) in the FEI Intermediate I Freestyle on Jan. 15. 

Krystalann Shingler, a Canadian currently residing in Wellington, FL, also put a top-five finish on the board in the small tour, scoring 68.600% for fourth place in the FEI Intermediate I Freestyle aboard Fidelio (Fidertanz x Rousseau), her nine-year-old Oldenburg gelding. 

Competition continues at the AGDF until mid-march, with the next CDI competition taking place Jan. 25-29. For more information and results visit http://gdf.coth.com.