German rider Isabell Werth claimed victory in the Zen Elite Equestrian FEI Dressage World Cup Grand Prix Freestyle at the 2026 Adequan Global Dressage Festival in Wellington, Florida, scoring 82.66% on Special Blend 3 in their debut. Canadian Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu finished second with a personal best of 79.25% on Jaccardo, while Ecuador's Julio Mendoza Loor took third at 78.165% on Jewel’s Goldstrike. The event featured riders from six nations in the top six places.
The competition took place on February 21, 2026, during the sold-out 'Friday Night Stars' evening showcase at the AGDF in Wellington, Florida. Isabell Werth and her horse Special Blend 3 delivered a strong performance, including a full piaffe pirouette right after the entry halt and 22 one-time changes on a curving line between canter pirouettes. Special Blend 3, recently sold to Werth's student Natalie Stickling-Morzynski but still registered to Helgstrand Dressage, performed to a classical compilation originally designed for Werth's Olympic horse Emilio. Werth substituted Special Blend after her intended mount, DSP Quantaz, developed a small swelling on one leg just days before the show.
"This freestyle is really, really difficult and I was not sure what Special would do because he’s not experienced in these kinds of atmospheres, but he was very focused," Werth said. She noted the supportive crowd of 2,000 spectators clapping along to her final centerline and expressed plans to return next year, praising the improved environment in Wellington.
Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu, aiming to top the North American League standings for World Cup qualification, rode a high-energy test to her Britney Spears-themed music. "I couldn’t leave anything hanging because I had a lot on the line," she said, relieved after last-minute tweaks to her floorplan. Her score secured second place and boosted her to 35 points in the US Equestrian Open of Dressage series standings.
Julio Mendoza Loor, the first Ecuadorian Olympian in 2024, finished third on Jewel’s Goldstrike, a horse he co-owns with his wife. "Riding ‘Goldie’ is a joy every time," he said, crediting the gelding for his achievements.
Werth earned the Leading Lady Freestyle Rider Award, sponsored by Frank & Eileen. The event also served as a qualifier for the World Cup Final in Texas in April and the US Equestrian Open series final in California in November.
