February 10, 2023 
Germany’s Frederic Wandres is a tough man to impress.
Despite riding away with a dominant victory in the Havensafe Farm FEI World Cup™ Grand Prix at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) in Wellington, Florida on Thursday, February 9, Wandres already has his eye on the next performance.
“I thought today went much better than the last time CDI here. [Bluetooth OLD] was a little more fresh and forward, even though the weather is a little bit warmer than last time,” the world’s #23-ranked dressage rider reflected. “There are still many things to develop but, overall, it was good.”
His humble assessment aside, Wandres’ score of 74.913% virtually blew away the field, with Morgan Babançon (FRA) and Bolero scoring a 71.782% to take second, and the U.S.A.’s Ashley Holzer and the aptly-named Valentine finishing third with 71.782%.
“Sometimes in the arena, [Bluetooth OLD] can become a little bit shy, and you have to figure out how much pressure you can give him that doesn’t turn in the other direction,” Wandres, 35, said.
“It’s about getting self-confidence for him, so that he gets a good feeling. In the end, he has to come out of himself more and more, so that is something we are working on.”
A shrinking violet no more, Wandres and the 13-year-old Oldenburg gelding—who was briefly campaigned by Germany’s Ingrid Klimke—have been paired together for nearly two years. With the big pieces now in place this season, they are concentrating on fine-tuning their AGDF performances while adding a little bit of polish to their tests. It’s a strategy they’ll surely employ on February 10 during the Havensafe Farm FEI World Cup™ Grand Prix Freestyle during ‘Friday Night Stars’.
“He showed consistency in a test like this, and I thought this World Cup qualification here was probably the strongest so far,” Wandres added. “I’m very happy.”
