Ben Ebeling scored a personal best with Bellena to win the Grand Prix Freestyle Saturday night at the inaugural US Open of Dressage. He came oh-so-close to the treasured 80 percent mark with a score of 79.930 percent. Two judges actually gave him more than 80 percent, but that wasn’t enough to make the 80 percent mark with the entire panel.
Ben Ebeling and Bellena (Terri Miller/Desert International Horse Park)
His ride to music that offered a take-off on the famous Fiddler on the Roof song, redone as “If I Were a Wealthy Girl,” was executed with style and some daring, as in his canter pirouette to a piaffe fan.
“This freestyle really highlights [Bellena] as a sort of a diva mare and really a strong, powerful woman with artists such as Beyonce, Gwen Stefani and Rihanna,” Ebeling said.
“Honestly, I don’t think that anybody does it better than a mare…I do feel like it’s a new freestyle for Bellena, but it feels like home for me.”
Ben was emotional after his victory at the Desert International Horse Park in Thermal, Calif.
“It’s just been incredible,” the American said.
“I really do feel that this series has opened dressage…to a wider audience that can appreciate horse dancing. Who the heck doesn’t like that? I’m just so happy to be here at this final,” said the rider, who relocated from California to Florida, where he is based now.
Ben Ebeling takes his victory lap. (US Equestrian/Devon Trethewey)
“I’m really happy to be back in my home state. The first 5-star on the West Coast. It means a lot.”
Speaking about his Hanoverian mare, Ben said that to him, she means, “Everything. There’s not a lot of words; she’s spectacular. Every time I’ve asked her to come into the clutch, she always comes through for me. She’s a special mare.”
Ben Ebeling and US Open trophy. (Terri Miller photo/Desert International Horse Park)
He got eight marks of 9 or more for choreography, degree of difficulty and music and interpretation of the music.
It was a big night for the Ebeling family, as Ben’s father, Jan, finished fifth on Jubi’s Tenacity. Jan rode Bellena until Ben took over the mare this year.
German rider Felicitas Hendricks was the runner-up on Drombusch OLD, with 78.260 percent.
“He gave his all today,” she said of her mount.
“Drombusch was on fire in the most positive way he could have been. The crowd was amazing. For the final piaffe/passage, where they all started clapping and cheering, that’s what it’s all about, right?
“I love when the crowd gets going and likes the music we picked. I know Drombusch loves it,” said Hendricks, who, like Ben, is trained by Germany’s Christoph Koschel.
The USA’s Anna Marek, who won the qualifying series and Friday night’s Grand Prix on Fayvel, finished third on 77.830 percent. Her horse stepped in perfect rhythm to the X Ambassadors’ “Boom Boom Boom,” a song seemingly made for doing a freestyle.
Some big names were missing from the final. Marcus Orlob, the top-ranked U.S. dressage rider in thirtieth place in the world, has been taking his time working on training with Jane. Olympic medalist Adrienne Lyle and her student, Christian Simonson, had other priorities. Kevin Kohmann, a perennial representative for the U.S. at the World Cup finals, decided to focus on last weekend’s World Cup qualifier in Mexico where he was fourth on Dunensee.
The final wrapped up the first year for the US Open concept of championships in the Olympic disciplines, put together under the auspices of the U.S. Equestrian Federation. Germany’s individual Olympic gold medalist Christian Kukuk won the first leg in show jumping on Checker 47 last March, while the USA’s Boyd Martin took the eventing competition on Miks Master C in October.
Click here for US Open results
