LaPlaca and Nichols Capture Grand Prix Victories on Opening Day of WEC April Dressage CDI4*
24 APR 26 Ocala, FL
Ocala, FL – The World Equestrian Center (WEC) April Dressage CDI4* presented by Hampton Green Farms at WEC – Ocala opened on Thursday, April 23, 2026, with three international class winners. Jordan LaPlaca (USA) and Gold Play, owned by LaPlaca and Nancy Hutson, scored a personal best to win the Grand Prix CDI4*, presented by The Fix. Riding Premiere Sport Horses’ Elian Royale, Erin Nichols (USA) took the top spot in the Grand Prix CDI3*. In the Prix St. Georges CDI1*, Katie Duerrhammer (USA) and Kylee Lourie’s Rosebank VH were victorious.
LaPlaca and Gold Play have been together for six years and had their Small Tour debut in January 2023. Following that, they took two years off from the international ring to “make sure the time was put in for fitness and produce a good presentation,” said LaPlaca, before coming back with a bang this past winter in the Large Tour. This marks their eighth top-five finish at grand prix out of nine starts.
LaPlaca, of Ledyard, CT, and his sponsor, Nancy Hutson, found “GP” at Hof Kasselmann in Germany, and it was an electric partnership from the start. “Our bond is really strong. He trusts me implicitly,” he said of the 11-year-old Oldenburg gelding by Grey Flanell x Sir Donnerhall II.
“We’ve had the privilege of time together. I have the luxury of not being pressured by an owner to produce, but rather to be in like-mindedness of sustainable riding for the future,” said LaPlaca, who competed at FEI level in driving and had a diverse equestrian background in jumpers, eventing, and reining as well. “I hope to be doing this with GP for many more years. I don’t want to be a one-hit wonder.”
This marked the pair’s fourth win, and it came with a personal best score of 69.935%.
“It was a really good test for him but also a really good test of a new venue,” said LaPlaca, who was competing at WEC – Ocala for the first time in preparation for next month’s USEF Grand Prix Dressage National Championships, which is also an observation event for riders aiming to be on the U.S. dressage team for the FEI World Championships in Aachen, Germany, in August.
“The fact that it is so different from what he has been doing and that he stayed his normal self – and even improved a little bit more – for that alone I’m over the moon. He stayed very much with me. Our mistakes were unfortunate, but I’m a human. It was fantastic that he didn’t get unsettled and stayed on the money the whole ride.”
LaPlaca described WEC – Ocala as “a sight to behold.” He continued, “You can’t replicate this atmosphere. It’s very special.” LaPlaca and Gold Play will compete in their first Grand Prix Freestyle on Friday night. The freestyle is a qualifier for the US Open of Dressage, which is in its second season. The final takes place in November in California.
Kasey Perry-Glass (USA) and Heartbeat W.P., a 14-year-old KWPN gelding by Charmeur x Ferro owned by Diane Perry, scored 69.674% for second place. Riding her and Dr. Diane Fellows’s 14-year-old Hanoverian mare, Hawtins San Floriana (San Amour x Floriana Elite), Ashley Holzer (USA) placed third with a score of 69.152%.
Nichols Enjoys the Journey
Erin Nichols, who is based in Wellington, FL, in the winter and Bahama, NC, in the summer, and Elian Royale also notched a personal best score of 69.870% to win the Grand Prix CDI3*.
“My horse was with me, so happy, and ready to do his job, and that made me so proud,” she said of the 17-year-old KWPN gelding by Johnson x Amidou, a horse she has ridden through the young rider and Under 25 divisions to represent the U.S. in senior Nations Cup competitions. “Our trot half-passes and extensions were really good today; we have been working on those. The pirouettes were also good, and the transitions were really nice, so I’m happy about that.”
Nichols appreciated that show management set up the dressage arena in a positive and welcoming way. “It was amazing,” she said of her experience in the WEC Grand Arena. “Going into that arena for the first time here was so, so cool. I had chills!”
Nichols and Elian Royale will return to the ring on Saturday for the Grand Prix Special CDI3*. “It’s our favorite test,” noted Nichols. “We always seem to enjoy ourselves and it’s really technical with transitions, so we will focus on making those clean. He’s 17, so I’m trying to enjoy the journey with him.”
Second place went to Meagan Davis (USA) and Toronto Lightfoot, a 13-year-old Oldenburg gelding by Totilas x Onassis owned by Scott Durkin. They scored 69.043%. With a score of 68.804%, Katherine Bateson Chandler (USA) and Haute Couture, a 14-year-old KWPN mare by Connaisseur x Krack C owned by Bateson Chandler and Jennifer Huber, finished third.
Katie Duerrhammer (USA) and Rosebank VH, owned by Kylee Lourie, scored 72.383% to take the win by nearly four points in the Prix St. Georges CDI1*.
The WEC April Dressage show is also host to the Florida Youth Dressage Championships(FYDC) presented by Discover Dressage, which offers young riders the opportunity to compete in one of the most iconic arenas in the sport. Competition began in FEI Pony, Children, Junior, Young Rider, and Under-25 Grand Prix divisions with the Team Test on Thursday and continues through Saturday, with award presentations on Sunday. Championship titles will be awarded in each division, along with an overall champion.
Full Show Results and Ride Times
The WEC April Dressage CDI4* continues on Friday, April 24, with classes for Juniors, Young Riders, Children, Under 25, amateurs, and young horses, followed by the Intermediate I CDI1* at 2pm and the highlight Grand Prix Freestyle CDI4* at 6:30pm.