"I just have to ride the wave while I have it! He's been super. The last couple of classes, he's just gotten better and better. He's gotten much more confident," Engle says after her win.
The pair traveled to Traverse City, Michigan, straight from Aachen, Germany, after competing at the prestigious CHIO Aachen World Equestrian Festival where they won the SAP-Prize CSI5* speed class, and arrived at GLEF this week to reclaim their spot in the winner's circle in Thursday's $35,000 East Wind Farms Welcome Stake CSI3*.
Engle and Dicas returned to the Grand Prix Ring on Sunday to once again take home the top prize, besting 35 other international horses and athletes with only tenths of a second separating the top three finishers.
Eight rode clear over course designer Manuel Esparza's first round track to ensure an exciting jump-off for the crowd of spectators in attendance as well as those watching the class live on GLEF TV.
Out of five double-clear efforts, Mattias Tromp (USA) was the early clear pathfinder as second in the jump-off order-of-go with Quinta 106, owned by Swede Ventures LLC. They completed the short course in 40.25 seconds.
Canada's Jim Ifko and Rachel Cornacchia's Un Diamant Des Forets, winners of Week IV's $35,000 Devoucoux Welcome Stake CSI2*, were next to finish the jump-off fault-free, taking over Tromp's lead by three seconds in 37.38 seconds.
Yet only one round later, Olympic veteran Engle piloted Dicas to another blazing fast performance, crossing the finish line in a solid 37 seconds, which would prove to be unbeatable for the final two challengers thus garnering them the win.
Engle also competed with Dicas at the 2017 Great Lakes Equestrian Festival, where the 9-year-old Rheinlander gelding launched his career with his first grand prix win in the $50,000 Grand Traverse Grand Prix CSI2* during Week V.
Concluding the first of two weeks of CSI3* competition at GLEF on Sunday, Ifko was awarded second place honors, while Ali Wolff (USA) rounded out the top three with Blacklick Bend Farm's Casall in 37.65 seconds.
In addition, for the first time at GLEF, the M. Michael Meller Style of Riding Award, presented to an international equestrian who demonstrates the best style of riding, while maintaining a sportsmanlike composure, was awarded to Canada's Erynn Ballard during Sunday's grand prix. The award, created by M. Michael Meller of Gallagher/Meller Sport Horses in 2011, began as a way to honor the memory of his dear friend Kate Nash Boone, who died from cancer, and her support and love of all things equestrian. Now, Meller presents the highly coveted award to exemplary athletes at competitions throughout the world, including GLEF.
The sixth and final week of GLEF (Aug. 8-12) kicks off on Wednesday and will feature more international show jumping competition such as the $6,000 Staller 1.40m Jumper CSI3* class on Wednesday, the $35,000 CWD Welcome Speed Stake CSI3* on Thursday, the $35,000 Great Lakes Classic CSI3* on Friday and the finale, the $100,000 Grand Prix of Traverse City CSI3*, on Sunday at 2 p.m.