Ocala, FL – World Equestrian Center – Ocala (WEC) hosted its third international dressage competition of the year, the WEC March Dressage CDI4* presented by Hampton Green Farms, with opening competition on Thursday, March 6, 2025. Hometown hero Anna Marek of Dunnellon, FL, piloted Cynthia Davila’s Fayvel to victory in the Grand Prix CDI4* presented by Dover Saddlery.
Marek and Fayvel topped the class with a score of 70.522%. This is their third competition since June 2024 when they ended their year with a show in Germany. They had a strong outing last month, and their momentum continued this week with a harmonious test.
“I love WEC. I feel like it’s my home base,” said Marek, who trains with Anne Gribbons. “It works schedule-wise for the horses, plus they have the US Equestrian Open for Dressage qualifiers. Any chance that I can show here, I do.
“I really wanted to go in and have a clean test, which is what Anne always tells me,” she continued. “She’s coming from a judge’s perspective. Even with the World Cup and the US Equestrian Open where it’s the freestyle that matters, you have to lay down a clean, relaxed Grand Prix and prove yourself to the judges, so they know what to expect. That’s what he did today, so I was really happy.”
With two horses at the grand prix championship level, Fayvel and Fire Fly, Marek feels that their differences have helped her improve as a rider. “Having two horses that are so different at this level and focusing on riding them in such precise tests has made me be able to mold myself to what I’m riding,” she explained. “At this level, the tiniest details matter so much. I’ve been able to carry that into my other horses and work on making the horse that’s only done Prix St. Georges a few times more focused on the small things and the relaxation. When people tell me that the horse looks nice and relaxed, and that it was a fluid test, those compliments mean so much to me. That’s what I want to showcase and what I want people to think of when they see me ride.”
Marek and Fayvel will return to the ring on Friday evening for the Grand Prix Freestyle CDI4* presented by Dover Saddlery. While their plan will remain virtually the same, Marek has made a few small adjustments to hopefully earn a few more points from the judges.
“He’s such a cool horse in that he’s very willing, and nothing is really that hard for him,” she said of the 15-year-old KWPN gelding by Zizi Top x Houston. “I’ve tweaked just a little bit to show off how well he piaffes to where the judges are sitting so they can see it better. Then we added in one little piaffe to a tricky exercise.”
Friday’s result will contribute to Marek’s goal of qualifying Fayvel for the US Equestrian Open for Dressage, as it is one of 23 qualifiers across the country ahead of the final in California this November. Marek also plans to compete at WEC’s April and May dressage shows.
Second place in the Grand Prix CDI4* with 69.587% went to Julio Mendoza Loor (ECU) and Jewel’s Goldstrike, a 14-year-old KWPN gelding (Bretton Woods x Scandic) he owns with Jessica and Justin Mendoza. The pair has had an incredible past two years, with two individual gold medals at the 2023 Pan American Games, victory in the Grand Prix Freestyle CDI4* at the 2024 CHIO Aachen in Germany, and competing at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Following Paris, Mendoza gave “Goldie” three months off from training and seven months off from competition.
Mendoza and Goldie spent their time trail riding and taking one- and two-hour hacks a few times a week. Goldie, who is known for loving his 24/7 turnout life, reveled in his downtime by living outside and snoozing under a pile of shavings in his run-in shed despite the cold temperatures at his North Carolina farm.
“We let him be a horse. I decided to give him the time off so he could go and relax and calm down his brain,” said Mendoza. “We respected his time a lot, and if he was sleeping in the field, I wasn’t waking him up to ride. Before the Olympics was the European tour and everything, and it was a lot for the horse, for any horse.”
Mendoza acknowledged that while they had mistakes in their grand prix test, it was merely a starting point in their journey back to the show ring. He praised their trot half-passes, as well as the lines of one- and two-tempis.
“Today was our first show back, and he was very hot,” he said. “This is what he is, and I love the spirit that he has. For the horse to love the job, they have to have the personality. He has that. He is 14 now, and he has plenty more energy to go. Every mistake is an opportunity, and it’s important that we come back and that we’re enjoying each other.
“I love him no matter what,” he went on to say. “If he had mistakes today, he did them more for fun, not being naughty. His character is what drives me to ride him every day and wake up every morning with one point in mind. He’s not only a horse, he’s my best friend. I’m so grateful for him.”
Mendoza plans to stay in North America to compete this year and will work toward competing on a European tour and qualifying for the World Championships in Aachen, Germany, in 2026.
Third place in Thursday’s Grand Prix CDI4* went to Denielle Gallagher (CAN) and Come Back De Massa, a 13-year-old Lusitano gelding by Galopin de la Font x Quixote SDS she owns with Ellen Lazarus. They scored 67.065%.
Earlier in the morning, Sylvia Gugler (USA) and Vulkano 14, a 10-year-old Danish Sporthorse gelding by Van Vivaldi I x Sir Donnerhall I owned by Gugler Sporthorses GmbH and Co.KG, won the Grand Prix CDI3* with a score of 65.717%.
CDI competition continues on Friday, March 7, with classes for Children’s, Junior, and Young Riders, followed by the Prix St. Georges CDI1* class. The highlight of the week, the Grand Prix Freestyle CDI4* presented by Dover Saddlery, begins at 6:50pm.