May 3, 2026, Myakka City, Florida. Combination high scores were the flavor of the day in the Zen Elite Equestrian CDI3* FEI Grand Prix Special, with three of the six contestants logging new high scores. For the third time in as many days, U.S. rider Kevin Kohmann claimed the blue ribbon, spearheading the class on his new ride, the 11-year-old Sonata MF. They laid down 70.617%, with two judges awarding over 71%, on their Special debut on Sunday, May 3, 2026, at TerraNova Equestrian Center in Myakka City, Florida.
Runner-up Bianca Berktold (USA) piloted her own 13-year-old KWPN Charmeur x Vivaldi mare, Imperial, to 68.936%. It was a new personal best Special score for the pair, who have been competing internationally at the level for three years.
Third through fifth places were tightly grouped, with just 0.3 percentage points separating them. Canada’s Alexandra Duncan led this cluster, finishing third on 67.787% aboard Hitmaker, her own 14-year-old KWPN stallion by Wynton x Cabochon. First to go in the class, she set a strong early benchmark that held for a podium finish.
Kohmann is still getting to know Sonata, who was purchased by Diamante Farms in December 2025 and has been trained over the winter by his wife, Devon Kane. The Hanoverian mare by Sir Donnerhall I x Don Principe is full sister to the international grand prix mare Serenade MF, and was bred in the U.S. by Maryanna Haymon and trained to CDI small tour by Amanda Perkowski.
As the youngest horse in the class performing the test for the first time, there were understandably moments of energetic greenness. Sonata generously collects for her rider, though her inexperience was evident in places and Kohmann had to think quickly to regroup. Her basic high quality shone through, and the judges universally awarded strong marks across the board for all other moments.
“She was spectacular,” pronounced Kohmann, who is based at his wife’s family’s Diamante Farms in Wellington, Florida. “That was probably the easiest Special I’ve ever ridden in my life. Of course, there are a lot of things that we still have to clean up, it was our very first Special, but that is an incredible horse. The piaffe and passage felt so flawless.
“Obviously, we still have a lot of little kinks,” continued the triple World Cup finalist. “I came into my first line of one-tempis and collected, like I planned, and she over collected. Then I over collected a bit in my left pirouette, but overall, it’s a very suitable test for this horse and she amazed me. Now I know what people mean when they say they love a good mare. I love this horse.”
On taking over the ride from his wife, he added: “I rode Sonata once or twice at home, and we just clicked. Then Devon said, ‘You know what, Kevin? You need an up-and-coming horse, and you can have mine.’ She’s very generous like that. Apparently, it’s just Vamos that I’m not allowed to ride!”
Kohmann will keep polishing the Special with Sonata to best set them up for selection onto the U.S. squad that will travel to Europe to compete for the summer to vie for a place on the U.S. team at the FEI World Championships in Aachen, Germany, in August.
National Classes
Many of the CDI riders also brought horses to show in the USDF national show running alongside at TerraNova, giving the national rings a distinct international feel. Kohmann rode Equine Law Group’s nine-year-old Zonik gelding, Mr. Worldwide, to a pair of third place finishes in the USEF Developing Horse Grand Prix classes, which were won by Sarah Tubman, who had four horses in the national competition.
Tubman won both classes on The Barton Group’s 10-year-old Barton VDL (by Bordeaux x Sir Donnerhall I), with 69.412% and 71.041%. She also headed up Friday’s FEI Grand Prix, claiming top the spot on Donato Farms’ 12-year-old Blue Hors Zack gelding, Zack Zack Dree Boeken, with 68.696%.
Olympian Tina Konyot led two further classes at the level on her own and Earle I. Mack LLC’s 12-year-old Everdale gelding Grover. They scored 70% in the Grand Prix, then chalked up 74.225% in the Freestyle.
US Open Dressage reigning champion Ben Ebeling topped two Intermediate II classes riding ACR Enterprises Inc’s nine-year-old Frank Jacques, a Franklin gelding, with plus-68% scores.
Sunday’s classes wrapped up action in TerraNova’s May competition. International dressage returns to the Florida venue October 15-18 with a CDI3*. The show includes the final opportunity for riders to gain qualification points for the 2026 US Open Series Final. Words by Alice Collins for TerraNova Equestrian Center