March 1, 2025 
It all came down to the Friday night freestyle performance for two American riders looking to cash their ticket to the 2025 FEI World Cup Final in Switzerland.
American Kevin Kohmann would ultimately lay down a performance of his career in the FEI World Cup Grand Prix Freestyle at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival in Wellington, to score a personal best score of 79.24% with his partner, Dünensee, sealing his spot in the Final in April.
Anna Marek, who was also in contention for that final qualifying spot, rode Fire Fly to a 77.64% and second place, leaving her in fourth place on the FEI Dressage World Cup North American League standings. The top three riders in the standings—Kohmann, Adrienne Lyle and Geñay Vaughn—will go on to compete in Basel, Switzerland.
Canadian Camille Carier Bergeron was third in the freestyle on a 75.325% score with the Oldenburg mare Finnländerin.
Kohmann rode a complex test to music set by his favorite DJ, Avicii, including pieces of ‘Wake Me Up’ by Hinterland. He rode confidently from a halt to canter and into a double pirouette right at the start. His test also included flying changes on curving lines and a full piaffe pirouette in the middle of the walk section.
After the final halt, Kohmann erupted in celebration, clearly elated with how their performance went. The judge at B, Portugal’s Miguel Gonçalves, rewarded them with the high score of 80.175%
“That’s twice now that we’ve ridden a personal best,” said the 36-year-old Kohmann, referring to the pair’s 77.575% in Friday Night Stars during AGDF 3—their previous high score. “It’s coming together more and he’s helping me every time in the ring. I cannot thank the horse enough. I trust him and he trusts me. This arena is not so easy, but we know our freestyle, we like the music, and it flows nicely.”
Kohmann credits the 16-year-old gelding Dünensee with the upward trajectory of his career in recent years.
“He really brought me into the international grand prix ring; I’ve shown it before, but never like this,” he said. “This horse keeps getting better and we’re peaking at the right time. Although this is very bittersweet because me and Anna are good friends and that was not an easy competition today.”
Marek said she had “nothing to lose” following Kohmann, and gave it her all with Fire Fly.
“I decided to go for it and take some risks I might not normally on Firefly,” she said. “But today it all worked out. He was really good and I was proud of him.
“He already showed Grand Prix before I got him, but he was scared in the piaffe and he couldn’t always do the ones—I still can’t always get them—but overall he’s the horse that has taught me probably more than any other in terms of learning patience and building a relationship. He has the biggest heart.”
Friday night’s class doubled as a qualifier for the U.S. Equestrian Open for Dressage before the final in California in November. AGDF features seven of a total 23 qualifying events for the final this year. Germany’s Evelyn Eger and American Karen Lipp are tied at the top of the standings with 60 points.
The Adequan Global Dressage Festival hosts seven weeks of CDI competition through March 30.
Stay tuned for more coverage from Wellington this season at horsenetwork.com.
