Erin Nichols Snaffles Second Win For a Clean Sweep at Adequan® Global Dressage Festival
By Alice Collins for Wellington International
Wellington, Fla. – March 14, 2026—The 22-year-old Erin Nichols (USA) and her 17-year-old Elian Royale rounded off a glorious clean sweep with a 70.617% victory in Saturday’s Adequan® CDI3* Grand Prix Special after also winning Thursday’s qualifying class. Riding the Glock’s Johnson x Amidou gelding owned by Premiere Sport Horses, Nichols clinched her second win in Week 10 of the 2026 Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) under the strong Florida sun in Wellington. The youngest rider in the class of 13 starters by some margin, Nichols displayed a harmonious, uphill, and technically correct test, once again opting to use a snaffle bridle.
In a reversal of Thursday’s all-American top three result, Jordan LaPlaca climbed to second place, riding his own and Nancy Hutson’s Gold Play (Grey Flanell x Sir Donnerhall II). The 11-year-old Oldenburg—the youngest horse in the class—was contesting his third CDI Special and was awarded 69.894%. Two judges had the duo as winners of the class with over 70% despite errors in the one-time changes on the diagonal, thanks to the quality of the piaffe/passage.
Endel Ots and Zen Elite’s Bohemian (Bordeaux x Samarant) slotted into third with 68.596% after breaking to canter in the trot work but exhibiting uphill and consistent canter work. The duo, who were traveling reserves for the U.S. team at the Paris 2024 Olympics, recently returned to the competition ring after an 18-month absence.
Although Nichols is still eligible for U25, she and her coach Christoph Koschel opted to make the step up to senior ranks with Elian Royale to give her more ring mileage, and the decision is paying off in spades.
“It was surreal out there; you could hear the entire crowd get quiet and I was so in the moment on the last centerline,” said Nichols, who is originally from California but now bases herself in Wellington for winters and Durham, N.C., in the summer.
“I was so proud of Elian,” continued Nichols, whose groom Max Anker was awarded The Horse of Course-sponsored grooms award and $500 prize. “This is our first CDI of 2026, so we weren’t sure what to expect. We were just going to see what Elian would give us, and I’m a little speechless about the amazing result.
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