Loxahatchee, Fla., March 5

Blue must be Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven’s favorite color, as every ribbon she’s collected in her Grand Prix rides during her time in Florida has been that shade. The Swedish Olympic veteran added another first place to the pile when she took a commanding lead in the Grand Prix for the freestyle in the Palm Beach Dressage Derby CDI-W, winning on 74.46 percent over Shawna Harding and Come On III (68.74%). She also won yesterday aboard Don Auriello.

The weather conditions didn’t make for easy riding today, as riders were faced with rapid switches between hot sun, gusting wind and pouring rain. Third-placed rider Elisabeth Austin even lost her top hat to the wind, which left her rather wet at the end of her ride aboard Olivier (65.66%).

“You didn’t know what to expect, and you didn’t know how you should keep your horse, how much you should do, of if he’d be fresh or tired. It was kind of a difficult show, so I’m even more happy,” said Vilhelmson-Silfven. “It rained quite a lot when I was riding, and I was quite happy that it did because the next time it happens, I know he’ll go anyway.”

Vilhelmson-Silfven has struggled with Favourit’s tendency to get tense, so she was thrilled that her time in Florida has given her the opportunity to show him repeatedly in all types of conditions.

“Now I’ve been showing and showing. Today I had a super feeling in there riding. I was really pleased,” she said. “He was relaxed, but I could still get power and ride, not relaxed and being careful. I was really happy with him, and that was my aim.”

However, Vilhelmson-Silfven will not aim the 12-year-old Rhinelander gelding (Fidermark—Wapita, Worldchamp) at the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Final in Leipzig, Germany.

“To go home now, when he’s going so well, and do one indoor before the outdoors starts; I don’t think I want to do that,” she said. “You want to be on the highest level to do a World Cup Final. We’ve been talking back and forth, back and forth, and so I decided I will start the outdoors season instead.”

Paragon Delivers Once Again

Paragon has nothing left to prove in the small tour after winning every time out this year, so Heather Blitz got a little extra confidence boost when Robert Dover told her to treat her Intermediaire I ride like an exhibition with the 8-year-old Danish Warmblood (Blue Hors Don Schufro—Pari Lord, Loran).

“That gave me a notch down in stress and a notch up in feeling as if I could go for it a bit more. I could do that, and I got even more power in him. I could do a few more little tweaks that I might have been more conservative on yesterday. I think it resulted in a super steady test,” she said.

That ride was good enough for another big win—76.75 percent over Tom Noone and Delphino (70.70%). Yesterday’s second-placed finisher—Harding and Rigo—added a few two-tempis in the three-tempi line, which relegated them to third by a small margin (70.17%).

“We maybe had a tiny glitch in my right pirouette, but the left one was good,” continued Blitz. “He had great extensions as well as really forward half-passes for him. And my halts, which are my toughest thing, are getting better too. He likes to move. He doesn’t like to stop! For him, it’s getting his body all contained and small and organized into the halt. He’s a big horse with a lot of legs and movement. With a little more time it will be fine too, and it will be up to par with everything else.”

Shook Makes A Triumphant Return

Hannah Holland Shook took a two-year break from showing Cape Town in the young rider ranks, but she was back and looking stronger than ever in her first CDI since their return to the show ring. The pair won the Young Rider Team test on Friday and took the Young Rider Individual test today (63.15%).

The 17-year-old Dutch Warmblood (Michelangelo—Frianca, Purioso) first sustained a broken coffin bone and then needed knee surgery, which meant he spent half of 2007 and all of 2008 on the sidelines after winning bronze in the North American Junior and Young Rider Championships.

“It’s been really fun coming back and having this opportunity again. He felt good this weekend; a little strong but getting back into the swing of things,” said Shook, 19. “This horse has my heart. I love riding him. He’s fit and he feels great. He doesn’t feel like he’s 17. I thought, “Why not? Let’s give it another shot and just have fun.’ ”

Shook attends college at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte and trains with George Williams.

For full results, visit the Palm Beach Dressage Derby website.

Read about the first day of CDI-W competition.