Leipzig, Germany – Seventeen of the world’s best athlete-and-horse dressage combinations put on a show on one of the sport’s biggest stages in front of an appreciative crowd, to conclude the 2022 FEI Dressage World Cup Final with the FEI Grand Prix Freestyle. Ashley Holzer (New York, N.Y.) and Havanna 145, a 2007 Hanoverian mare owned by Diane Fellows, and Anna Buffini (San Diego, Calif.) and her 2007 Hanoverian mare, FRH Davinia La Douce, both produced strong freestyle rides. Holzer and Havanna 145 finished ninth overall, while Buffini and FRH Davinia La Douce earned twelfth.

The 2022 FEI Dressage World Cup Finals marked Holzer and Havannah 145’s first international championship appearance together, with the pair producing a solid, mistake-free test in their FEI Grand Prix Freestyle to follow up on their personal best in the FEI Short Grand Prix on Thursday. The duo received a 75.532 percent in today’s class, concluding a successful and rewarding week for Holzer.

“Honestly, I’m thrilled with this mare. She doesn’t owe me anything and to go into this big crowd and do what she did, I’m just so proud of her,” said Holzer. “I feel so lucky at this stage in my life to come out here and compete with these other athletes and have a horse who has never seen anything like this and work like that for me.”

Holzer finished in the top ten amongst a tremendously talented start list and acknowledged the atmosphere in Leipzig Messe was intense for both her and Havanna, with a sold-out crowd cheering on each combination throughout their ride.

“To have a horse that is a bit fearful of the atmosphere to choose trusting you over going with their instinct of fear is very special, so I think that was the highlight for me tonight. It’s really touching, and I’m really blessed and lucky. She’s an incredible horse and I have a great team. It’s a great way to end an amazing week,” she concluded.

Buffini was the trailblazer, kicking off the evening’s event with her lively freestyle set to a selection of BTS pop music. Buffini has been competing “Diva” since late 2020, and this year marks her first appearance at an FEI World Cup Final. The pair earned a 74.011 percent from the judging panel to conclude their first international championship experience together.

“I was so happy with her today. The atmosphere was massive and it’s the biggest stage we’ve ever been on together and she was definitely feeling it, but for her to go in there and trust me shows the hard work we’ve put in and the harmony we have, and I couldn’t have asked anything more from her today,” said Buffini.

Results

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