International CDI action during Dressage Week at the 2025 HITS Del Mar National Horse Show got underway on Friday, April 18. Recognized as a USEF Heritage Show, the competition is one of the most anticipated equestrian events on the West Coast and welcomes athletes of all levels to the HITS Del Mar Horsepark in Del Mar, California, from developing riders to Olympians. In the final class of the day in the Evergate Stables Arena, it was northern California native Sarah Mason-Beaty that led the lap of honor for the Prix St. Georges CDI1*, presented by Compass Realty, aboard Liang, earning a score of 69.147%.
Mason-Beaty first began her relationship with Liang five years ago after importing the flashy nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Guardian S x Florencio I) from The Netherlands as a four-year-old. Since then, Liang has developed into a budding superstar. The pair completed their first CDI experience during the HITS Del Mar Dressage Affaire CDI3* on March 20-23. While it was an exciting milestone, Mason-Beaty was eager to build on their performance.
“We couldn’t quite achieve the relaxation that I had wanted to, and so there were some mistakes in our ride last month,” she explained. “This time, I felt like I was able to have him really relax, so to have that difference in just three and a half weeks, I was very proud. He really felt like he was with me today. We had one mistake in the threes, but he really showed up and stayed with me through the whole test, which is awesome. It has been fun to have such a longstanding road to development with him.”
Their consistent test earned a personal best from the judges, including at E Mariette Sanders-van Gansewinkel (NED), at H Debbie Rodriguez (USA), at C Federico Pinteus (POR), at M Heidi Berry (USA), and at B Sarah Geikie (USA), topping the field of 13 horse-and-rider combinations. Now, Mason-Beaty will continue to develop Liang in the Small Tour with eyes on the 2025 U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions at HITS Chicago’s Lamplight Equestrian Center, with the opportunities at HITS Del Mar playing a key part of their competition schedule.
“I’m so incredibly grateful that HITS Del Mar has offered these shows for us here,” enthused Mason-Beaty. “They’re so beautifully run. The grounds are stunning. We are having the best time. I can’t wait to keep coming back again and again!”
Finishing just behind Mason-Beaty with a score of 69.000% was Günter Seidel (USA) and Bogart, a nine-year-old Hanoverian gelding (Beltano x His Highness 2) owned by Loise Leatherdale. Nicki Grandia (USA) completed the top three with Don Erré, an 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding (Don Federico x Fürst Nymphenburg) owned by Sheila Buchanan, earning a score of 68.000%.
The 2025 HITS Del Mar National Horse Show Dressage Week continues through Sunday, April 20, highlighted by the Grand Prix Freestyle CDI3*, presented by DISC Surgery Center of Carlsbad, which serves as a qualifying opportunity for the new US Equestrian Open Dressage Final. HITS Del Mar is one of just a handful of venues to have been selected as part of the qualifying process for the prestigious Final, which aims to showcase Olympic equestrian disciplines to a broader audience. Full CDI results can be found HERE, while national results can be found HERE. For more information, please visit www.HITSShows.com.
