Adrienne Lyle and Helix competed in the World Cup Grand Prix Freestyle in Basel, Switzerland, scoring 71.255% and placing 16th out of 17 combinations. The duo struggled with the electric atmosphere of the event, resulting in a performance that did not meet their expectations. Despite the disappointing outcome, Adrienne expressed pride in Helix’s efforts and thanked her support team.
Helix, a 13-year-old KWPN gelding, had previously scored over 80% in freestyles at the Global dressage Festival in Wellington, Florida. The horse, purchased by Zen Equestrian Center in 2023, was intended to be a successor to Adrienne’s retired mount, Salvino. The pair’s performance in Basel did not showcase the relaxation and harmony they had achieved in recent shows, but Adrienne remains committed to learning and improving with each experience.
Adrienne acknowledged the challenges of working with a hot and sensitive horse like Helix, noting that sometimes his energy can be difficult to contain. Despite the setbacks, she expressed gratitude to her team for their support and praised the quality of competition at the event. The rider remains focused on continuing to improve her relationship with Helix and hopes to emerge as better horse people from every situation that doesn’t go as planned.
