Fourth Edition of Mid-Atlantic Dressage Festival & Lexington CDI3* Ends on a High Note with Top Sport and Stunning Atmosphere

May 18, 2025

Lexington, VA – May 18, 2025 – The final day of the Mid-Atlantic Dressage Festival & Lexington CDI3* (MADFest) presented by Täkt Saddlery saw international and national show competitors ride down centerline in three rings of the Virginia Horse Center.

The Isabel de Szinay Complex hosted all of the festival’s CDI divisions and the six remaining classes wrapped up on Sunday. The majority of the Grand Prix division opted for Saturday’s Grand Prix Freestyle for the chance to earn points for the new US Equestrian Open for Dressage, but Elizabeth Bortuzzo entered Kobus into the CDI3* Grand Prix Special, sponsored by Triple Crown. Her 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding won the class with a 63.957%.

“He was a little tired in today’s test, but usually his highlights are the piaffe and passage,” Bortuzzo said. “He’s coming along beautifully in his training. He’s only 10-years-old and he was actually here at MADFest last year in the small tour, so it’s a big step up to Grand Prix and today was his first time competing in an international Grand Prix Special. Mark [Paul] and I recently bought him for a personal horse and we are super excited to see where he can go. Mark actually completed his USDF Gold Medal on him!”

Making the trip from New Jersey, Bortuzzo and her student and horse owner, Mark Paul, certainly made the drive well worth it, entering six horses into the CDI divisions and taking home multiple prizes.

“My first year competing at MADFest was last year. What more could you want in a horse show?” Bortuzzo laughed. “It’s a phenomenal venue, a well-organized competition and great judging.”

In addition to leading the victory gallop for the Grand Prix Special Sunday morning, Bortuzzo returned to the CDI ring with two horses in the CDIYH FEI Dressage Test for 6-Year-Olds, sponsored by Colchester Farm. Her second horse in the class, Paul’s Oldenburg gelding, Vital Hit Calendonia OLD, took home the win with a 78.9%.

“I absolutely love producing my own horses and building the basics with their balance and swing in their gaits,” Bortuzzo continued. “The young horse classes are great tools to see where they are in their development. Hearing feedback from international judges about what they are looking for or seeing where we are lacking in our training is important so we can make improvements as we aim for the small tour.

For the amateur competitors, two classes took place on Sunday: the CDIAm Intermediate II for Amateur and the CDIAm Intermediate I Freestyle for Amateur, both sponsored by Barbie Asplundh. By offering amateur CDI classes, MADFest provides amateur riders with the opportunity to compete at an international level while balancing careers, families, and personal commitments. The classes help bridge the gap between national and FEI competition, ensuring that riders have access to top-tier judging, world-class facilities, and the chance to develop their skills alongside professionals.

Denise Steele and Bon Chance 8, Ken Steele’s 15-year-old Hanoverian mare dominated the CDIAm small tour division the entire weekend, scooping up all three class wins and finishing the weekend with a 70.655% in the CDIAm Intermediate I Freestyle with their ABBA-themed performance.

“This is my second year at MADFest and I love the entire atmosphere. We had super rides this weekend,” Denise Steele said. “We are so lucky we found her a few years ago. She’s a steady eddie, sweet mare and nothing phases her. She hacks through the woods on the buckle and is such a fun horse to have around.”

“It’s nice to have an amateur division offered so people can move up and not be as intimidated,” Ken Steele explained. “The CDIs feel like there is a lot of pressure when you first start competing in them and to have a division where you are competing against other riders whose vocation is not riding professionally is helpful. There is great camaraderie and it’s fun to see each other at the various shows.”

Another amateur, Phyllis Sumner also found success at MADFest, winning all four of her international classes, including the CDI2* Intermediate II on Jonanta M, her 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare, with a 63.5% and Sunday’s CDIAm Intermediate II for Amateur on Soprano 9, her 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding.

“It’s been a fantastic weekend! We had such a great time at MADFest last year I knew I had to return this year and give it another shot,” Sumner said. “The whole experience is very positive, even when you don’t have the best ride, you can walk away and feel great about being here. I’m going to be thinking about what I learned from my rides this weekend, training hard throughout the summer and aiming for regional championships.

“[The amateur classes are] fantastic for the sport because there are so many amateurs, like myself, who don’t ride full time, but still put a lot of effort, passion and time into it,” she concluded. “My day job is a lawyer, so I don’t have as much time to dedicate and prepare compared to the professionals.”

In addition to the CDI class winners, MADFest also presented additional awards:

George Williams received the Champion Shavings Leader Trainer for bringing the most horses, clients and students to the festival’s national and CDI divisions
Kathryn Fleming-Kuhn received the Leadline Wellness Award, which recognized the overall highest CDI score (not including Freestyle or Young Horse scores).
Lauren Chumley’s Belafonte MF won High Performance Equine’s Best Turned Out Horse Award during the jog.
At the jog, Quentin Sloan won Best Dressed Male and Adriane Alvord won Best Dressed Female, both sponsored by Back On Track.

As the fourth edition of MADFest concludes this week, the organizers would like to thank all the volunteers who have helped to make this event possible. Each day, more than 25 volunteers supported the show from scribing to test scoring.

“As volunteer coordinator, my job is to wrangle everyone and make sure everybody is where they are supposed to be, understand their role and ensure they are fed and happy,” Heather Escobar laughed. “We have some of the best volunteers in the state and I’m always so excited to have this team on board with us at MADFest.

“My family and I volunteer at most shows because we know how important it is to give back to the horse community,” she continued. “It’s also such a great learning opportunity – whether you’re a ring steward learning the new USEF/USDF rules from the TD or scribing for the judges and asking them questions.”

Another round of thank you to MADFest’s presenting sponsor Täkt Saddlery, bespoke hand-crafted saddlery for dressage, eventing, show jumping and the hunt field. The founders of Täkt recognized the need for a customer-focused approach to the saddle buying experience. From the beginning, their corporate mission was simple; support their customers before, during and after each sale, deliver the highest quality products and services, and appreciate the investment their clients make in their products.

Sunday CDI Results
Rider / Horse / Owner / Final Score

CDI3* Grand Prix Special
1. Elizabeth Bortuzzo / Kobus / Elizabeth Bortuzzo / 63.957%

CDIAm Intermediate II for Amateur
1. Phyllis Sumner / Soprano 9 / Phyllis Sumner / 56.725%

CDI1* Intermediate I Freestyle
1. Lauren Sprieser / C. Cadeau / Elvis Syndicate LLC / 70.905%
2. Stephanie Lowery / Amadeus Mozart / Stephanie Lowery / 68.02%

CDIAm Intermediate I Freestyle for Amateur
1. Denise Steele / Bon Chance 8 / Kenneth Steele / 70.655%
2. Mark Paul / Degenhardt 5 / Mark Paul / 67.4%
3. Gardy Bloemers / Mio FS / Gardy Bloemers / 67.375%

CDIYH FEI Dressage Test for 7-Year-Olds
1. Silva Martin / Farouche / Christine Capano / 73.014
2. Elizabeth Bortuzzo / Next Pleasure / Mark Paul / 72%

CDIYR FEI Dressage Test for 6-Year-Olds

1. Elizabeth Bortuzzo / Vital Hit Calendonia OLD / Mark Paul / 78.9%
2. Elizabeth Bortuzzo / Feinstar / Mark Paul / 75.5%

Posted in 2025, VHC