By Alice Collins for Wellington International
Wellington, Fla. – February 7, 2026—Christian Simonson had never ridden a CDI special on Fleau De Baian, and made his debut a winning one in the Modon CDI3* Grand Prix Special. Aboard the 16-year-old Jazz x Ulft stallion, Simonson led the field of 14 with a 70% score on a sunny Saturday during Week 5 of the 12-week 2026 Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) in Wellington, FL.
Christian Simonson & Fleau De Baian are presented as winners of the Modon CDI3* Grand Prix Special by Sabrina Bovay of Wellington International and Judge at C Ulrike Nivelle. Photo ©Centre Line Media
Ashley Holzer joined Simonson on the all-American podium, slotting into second with 69.447% on her own and Diane Fellows’ 14-year-old San Amour mare, Hawtins San Floriana. Jennifer Williams and the 12-year-old Rousseau gelding Joppe K’s 68.872% earned them the yellow ribbon.
Simonson and Fleau De Baian earned plenty of eights, mitigating the dip in marks for mistakes in both lines of changes on the diagonal, though the one-times down the centerline were lovely. This result marked the first CDI win for the duo since Simonson took over the reins in late 2023 from Adelinde Cornelissen, who also rode Fleau De Baian’s full brother Parzival at two Olympic Games.
Watch The Winning Test
The win was particularly sweet for Simonson as he and Fleau De Baian were eliminated for a blood speck in the horse’s mouth at the conclusion of his grand prix test during AGDF 3.
“Horses are always a learning process, and with ‘Felix’ I’ve learned an immense amount about them already,” said the 23-year-old rider. “It’s a testament to my trainer Adrienne [Lyle] and the team that we can deconstruct what happened and look at how we can best understand it and move forward. Today was a good reflection of our mentality to always try to do right by our horses, understand them better and present them better.
Christian Simonson & Fleau De Baian. Photo ©Centre Line Media
“Felix has so much strength and just wants to go, go, go—especially in the last extended trot today. I was thinking, ‘Oh man, don’t break—if we break, Adrienne will be upset with me!’,” continued the Wellington, FL-based Simonson. “We had mistakes in the changes, but that’s just him and me learning how to compete in the stadium. I was able to do the piaffe transitions really well, though. He has such a good heart and really tries his hardest.
“This was our first special and I’ve only done a couple of them total, so it’s been really fun,” he added. “It’s very different than the grand prix or freestyle because there are so many transitions. Last season, we were only focusing on the U25 with Felix, so it’s been kind of a refinement. At home, we’re focusing on suppleness and elasticity with him. Around the barn, he loves showing off and yelling at the other horses, but he is never wild and is good-natured. He’ll scream, but doesn’t actually do anything, which is cute. We call him a little lion because he loves roaring at everyone.”
Click here for results from the Modon CDI3* Grand Prix Special
Vilhelmson Silfvén Makes Winning Lövsta Debut
In week 5’s Lövsta Future Challenge qualifier, Sweden’s Tinne Vilhelmson Silfvén brought out the high-profile former licensed stallion So Perfect, who is now a gelding. The Sezuan x Sir Donnerhall nine-year-old produced the best of the 10 tests, with his 70.941% sealing the blue ribbon. Ashley Holzer (USA) finished second on her own 10-year-old Liberty L (by Toto Jr.) with 69.235%. Sarah Tubman (USA) and Gorklintgards Smarties rounded out the top three with 67.677%.
Tinne Vilhelmson Silfvén & So Perfect. Photo ©Centre Line Media
The Lövsta Future Challenge is open to horses between eight and 11 years old and aims to encourage riders to show their up-and-coming international quality horses in a championship-type environment without the pressures of a CDI, such as having to stable away from home. All qualifying rounds held throughout AGDF 2026 use the FEI Intermediate II test, with the final being the FEI Young Horse Grand Prix test.
Despite Vilhelmson Silfvén’s long-time connection to and enthusiastic support of the series, this was her first time competing in it.
“The chance to get the young horses in the international arena and meet the international judges is super,” said the seven-time Olympian who has been riding So Perfect for just over six months. “To be able to do this with him every second or third week is the perfect thing to build up our partnership. It’s a unique chance to get these horses in a big atmosphere.
“I absolutely love So Perfect,” she continued. “He’s great to ride and to train and to have around. He’s such an ambitious, sensitive, big horse and also green. He’s young, and I’m really careful with that, so this Intermediate II is perfect for him. It’s exactly what he should do and it’s exactly why we have this class; it’s made for him. I don’t think he’s had this show experience before, but I enjoy giving him that, and we are doing it together.”
Vilhelmson Silfvén believes So Perfect has all the ingredients for top sport, but given his age, she is in no hurry to jump into the grand prix ring.
“For sure he’s going to do it, but it’s more that I want to keep it simple and we have trust in the arena first,” she added. “I don’t want to rush it because I want him to stay healthy and with me for a lot of years. I’m being careful and pampering him a little bit.”
AGDF 5 concludes on Sunday, February 8, a day that features the next Buffalo Wild Wings Prix St. Georges Future Challenge for emerging small tour horses. AGDF, which hosts seven weeks of CDI competition, runs through March 29. For more information, results, and to live stream the classes in the International Arena free of charge, visit www.wellingtoninternational.com.
