WELLINGTON, Fla.--Swedish Olympian Tinne Vilhelmson Silfvén on So Perfect won the championship of the Future Challenge Developing Grand Prix Horse after winning the Final with 71%.
Tinne Vilhelmson Silfven on So Perfect (Photo by Centre Line Media)Canada’s Lindsay Kellock Duckworth was reserve champion on Kensington with 70.184%, and Dawn White-O’Connor finished third with 68.974% on Leon.
Now in its seventh year at AGDF, the Future Challenge Developing Grand Prix Horse Final drew a record 51 entries across its five qualifiers in 2026.
The final, in which horses performed the FEI Young Horse Grand Prix test, took place in the main arena and offered a prize of $15,000.
“It was so great that I could ride in this, to participate in the series and also promote it,” said Vilhelmson Silfvén, who has only been riding the 9-year-old So Perfect since buying him from Helgstrand Dressage in June 2025. “Initially, we started the developing young horse classes in Sweden in 2011 because we saw how popular they were in Germany. Then we wanted to give something back to the place we live in the winter."
“A LOT OF very good horses came out this year," she said. "You can see that they’re young, they’re green, but they’re supposed to be. They’re getting to learn the atmosphere and the routine. I’m so pleased with So Perfect this season. He’s very green, and he’s never done these classes before. Being able to ride in the big ring, he gets more secure every week."
“I’m just enjoying the ride with him,” said Vilhelmson Silfvén. “I want to be careful with him. I want to do the right things to get him the right experiences. How he was tonight, especially in the prize-giving, saying, ‘Look at me!’, that feeling is wonderful.”
Reserve champion Kellock Duckworth gave birth to her second child just five months ago, but still felt that the 11-year-old Kensington was on top form in the final, even though she had a break from riding him.
“It was his second time in the stadium, and he brought his A-game for me,” she said. “He’s the best partner I could ask for. He’s kind of picking me up as we go along, so I’m super proud of him. It’s great to be able to go in there with a developing grand prix horse and not feel the pressure but still be able to check in with everything like the piaffe and the one-times and see where they’re at in this environment.”
“It’s a great class to get him in there with more atmosphere than just showing in the national rings," said White O'Connor."It’s a good bridge into the bigger classes.”
The series is open to horses from 8 to 11 years old.
The class encourages riders to bring their up-and-coming international quality horses out in an ornately dressed arena and championship-type atmosphere without the pressures of a CDI.
All qualifying rounds held throughout AGDF 2025 used the FEI Intermediate II test, so the final was a step up.
