January 25, 2025 
American rider and Pan American Games bronze medalist Anna Marek dazzled audiences on her way to winning the FEI World Cup Grand Prix Freestyle of Week 3 at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival Friday night.
Marek and Fire Fly, a 15-year-old gelding by Briar Junior, scored a 77.755% at the Friday Night Stars event while performing to the music from the Stranger Things soundtrack. Based in Ocala, FL. Marek has been riding Fire Fly, owned by Janet Simile, for three years. In 2023, they were among the gold medal winning American team at the Pan American Games and also won individual bronze.
Marek’s challenging freestyle included 13 two-time changes on a curve and metronomic, drumbeat passage.
“This freestyle is really fun to ride, and I love the dramatic music,” said Marek. “This is my favorite freestyle venue to ride at; you can feel the atmosphere, and the horses get excited in a really good way—I knew he’d get pumped up.”
Kevin Kohmann finished second with Dünensee on a score of 77.545%. After winning Thursday’s qualifying grand prix, Germany’s Felicitas Hendricks, placed third with 76.365% on Drombusch OLD.
“Fire Fly is a very sensitive, spooky horse,” Marek said of her Pan Ams mount. She trains with Anne Gribbons. “When I started riding him I told his owner it might take me a while for us to show Grand Prix together, but we keep getting better and better. It’s taken us a little while to get on the same page, but now I feel like he’d do anything for me. It’s really exciting.”
Friday’s class doubled as a qualifier for the U.S. Equestrian Open of Dressage, which features 23 qualifying events across the country, seven which are hosted by Wellington International at AGDF this season. The final event will happen in California in November. Hendricks is at the top of the qualifying scoreboard so far.
Hendricks and Drombusch OLD experienced a handful of uncharacteristic hiccups, which were seen in the scores.
“I think the cold got to us a little today,” said Hendricks. “There was some spiciness that I didn’t expect so I had to back off a bit which made me maybe a little too shy with my aids and led to a couple of mistakes. But I’d rather have a horse with too much energy than a horse with low energy. I know warmer days are coming and we’ll be back on track then. It’s all a learning experience that never ever stops.”
World Cup competition continues Feb 5–9 at ADGF.
