By Alice Collins for Wellington International
Wellington, Fla. – February 21, 2026—In Gold Play’s second-ever CDI Special, Jordan LaPlaca (USA) coaxed an unhurried, harmonious and assured performance from the inexperienced 11-year-old gelding to post their first plus-70% CDI score in Saturday’s Dutta Corp CDI3* Grand Prix Special. The duo made their international big tour debut in February 2026 and, just a month later, they topped the podium twice during the seventh week of the 12-week Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) in Wellington, FL.
Jordan LaPlaca & Gold Play. Photo ©Centre Line Media
It was a U.S. one-two-three, with local rider Kevin Kohmann—who was born in Germany but switched countries in 2021 to ride under the same flag as his wife Devon Kane—finishing second. He rode Equine Law Group’s 15-year-old Floriscount gelding, Famous, to 68.34%. Second to go in the class of eight starters, Bianka Berktold and her own 13-year-old Charmeur mare, Imperial, held onto the third spot with 66.298%.
LaPlaca and Gold Play’s score was trending around 72%, but mistakes in both lines of one-time changes garnered marks as low as 3.5, pegging the score back. His high score of 72.447% came from the seasoned German judge Katrina Wüst, hinting at the Grey Flanell x Sir Donnerhall II gelding’s substantial future scoring potential. Their final score of 70.425% eclipsed their only other CDI Grand Prix Special result by more than two percentage points.
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“Breaking 70% was so exciting!” enthused the Connecticut-based trainer, who is also an FEI driving competitor and whose horses also benefit from an all-around education. “You always strive to be better and better, and as that starts to unfold, it’s that much more rewarding. This is just the beginning of what I believe this horse can do.
“He trusts me implicitly, and I trust him,” he continued. “This season, I’ve gained more and more trust in the ring with him. I’ve had him since he was a baby [after finding him at Hof Kasselmann in Germany as a four-year-old], but being in the big ring is a totally different pool. I’ve never had a bond with a horse like I have with him. When he kicks into the piaffe/passage and realizes it’s game on, I feel like time is stopping. That’s something special with a horse.”
LaPlaca has help from his mentor Albrecht Heidemann, and also trains with U.S. Dressage Team Chef d’Equipe, Christine Traurig. He splits his time between Ledyard, Conn., and Loxahatchee, Fla. Gold Play’s younger years were spent hacking, galloping and hauling to various facilities to acclimate to working anywhere. That groundwork has paid off, as the cauldron-like atmosphere at AGDF did not intimidate him.
Jordan LaPlaca & Gold Play are presented as winners of the Dutta Corp CDI3* Grand Prix Special by (left to right) Judge at C Dr. Evi Eisenhardt and Tim Dutta. Photo ©Centre Line Media
LaPlaca placed the blame for the mistakes in the changes squarely on his own shoulders, saying, “That was all me. I got complacent and stopped riding because I was thinking, ‘Oh, he’s going so nice!’ I’m still trying to find the balance of how to keep the harmony alongside the corrections and the education in the test. It’s all a process, and I take my hat off to ‘GP’ for putting up with me with it.”
Gold Play will now have a couple of weeks off while LaPlaca formulates a plan for the rest of the year. He hopes it will include the USEF Dressage National Championship in Ocala in May. With his scores trending upward, LaPlaca has put himself on the selectors’ radar for the squad of U.S. riders who travel to Europe each summer. Would he take that opportunity if it arises?
“Heck yeah, why not?” laughed the 37-year-old, who credits his wife Caitlin’s dedication and organization, as well as his assistant trainer Kathleen Cronk for facilitating this dream. “I’ve waited my whole life to get here, so I’m not stopping now. The world’s my oyster and I’m just waiting to figure out where it’s taking me.”
Click here for results from the Dutta Corp CDI3* FEI Grand Prix Special.
AGDF 7 concludes on Sunday, February 22, a day that features the next qualifier in the Buffalo Wild Wings Prix St. Georges Future Challenge for emerging small tour horses, and young horse classes. AGDF, which hosts seven weeks of international competition and weekly national shows over the first three months of the year, runs through March 29. For more information, results, and to watch the free live stream from the International Arena, visit www.wellingtoninternational.com.
