Ocala, FL – Canada’s Denielle Gallagher and Come Back De Massa were the unanimous winning choice for all five judges in the FEI Grand Prix for Freestyle CDI3* on Friday, February 14, at the World Equestrian Center (WEC) February Dressage show presented by Hampton Green Farms, at WEC – Ocala. The pair scored 68.326%, with a high of 70.217% from the judge at C, Thomas Lang.
Athletes from the United States filled the remaining two podium places. Eline Eckroth posted a new personal best of 65.609% on Connie Duff Wise’s 14-year-old Diamond Stud daughter Daphne for the runner-up spot. Another mare finished third: Caroline Stevenson rode Diane Morrison’s 17-year-old Dee Clair (by Sir Sinclair) to 65.196%.
Come Back De Massa is a 13-year-old Lusitano by Galopin De La Font that Gallagher co-owns with Ellen Lazarus. She has been riding him for almost three years since discovering him at Massa Stables in France when she was scouting for sales horses to import to the U.S.
“I sat on him and thought, ‘Oh my god!’ He was so comfortable, forward, soft and responsive,” said Gallagher of the buckskin gelding. “I was so in love with him, but I wasn’t there for me, and I knew I couldn’t afford him. Back home, when I told my family and Ellen that I’d felt this weird bond with him that I’ve never felt with any other horse, she offered to buy him for me.”
Gallagher flew to Europe to personally accompany Come Back De Massa on the plane to the U.S., and their partnership has grown stronger ever since. She has continued to be attuned to the small details of what “Come Back” needs to flourish.
“He’s a very confident horse in many ways, but sometimes he’s insecure with environments,” she explained. “Yesterday we were schooling, and it was windy outside and he got nervous, so this morning at 7am I was in this arena standing on the letters feeding him treats. I just let him chill. I think that really helped, because he felt confident and relaxed today — he even laid down in the middle of me braiding him. Nobody realizes those details are so important; all those little things can come through in your test.
“Today his canter work stood out,” she continued. “I tried to ride my two tempis really big to take up the whole diagonal and I finished almost on top of H, so I was pleased with that. I was happy with his rideability, and it was very satisfying to feel that he was really listening to me. This year I’m not just trying to do a clean test; I’m trying to ask for more suppleness, relaxation, and harmony to help us get over that 70% hump.”
Gallagher has been a regular at WEC – Ocala since relocating to nearby Morriston in 2024 from Loxahatchee in South Florida. She has help from her long-time coach Ashley Holzer, as well as locally based trainer Tina Konyot. Come Back enjoys his new in-and-out living quarters, and Gallagher often finds him asleep outside during night check. This is the pair’s second year at international grand prix, and Gallagher hopes to make her European competition debut with Come Back this summer.
Down to the Wire
It was exceptionally close in the Prix St. Georges CDI1*, with the top three combinations finishing within 0.2 percentage points of each other. Dutch rider Jaron Verheij bested his two U.S. rivals, nabbing the win with 66.353% on Myra Flanagan’s nine-year-old Sixtus MK. Benjamin Albright rode The DSPD Group’s 13-year-old Diamond Hit stallion DSP Dominy to 66.265% and second, while Jessica Howington claimed third with her own eight-year-old MW Marcario (by Morricone) on 66.147%.
This was just the second international start for Verheij and the Silberschmied x Quaterback gelding — the first being at WEC’s December CDI in 2024. The result marked the pair’s first win in international company.
CDI competition at the WEC February Dressage show continues on Saturday, February 15, with the day’s feature class, the Grand Prix Freestyle CDI3*, at 6.30pm. Gallagher and Come Back will be looking to repeat their double victory from WEC – Ocala’s January CDI. Full start lists and results can be found HERE.