Italy’s Sara Morganti has been voted the International Paralympic Committee’s best female Allianz Athlete of the Month for August following her incredible performance at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy (FRA).
The Tuscany-born Para-Equestrian Dressage rider scored an outstanding Freestyle Grade 1a gold medal with her mare Royal Delight ahead of British Paralympic and reigning world champion Sophie Christiansen and Singapore’s most-decorated Paralympic athlete Laurentia Tan.
Morganti, who also won Individual Grade 1a silver at the Games in Normandy, beat five champions to the top spot in the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) poll from the worlds of canoeing, athletics, swimming and sailing following a bumper month of global para-sport.
Italy’s Sara Morganti has been voted the International Paralympic Committee’s best female Allianz Athlete of the Month for August following her incredible performance at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy (FRA) – she is pictured at these Games with her mare Royal Delight. (FEI/David Sinclair)
Since her international début at the first FEI European Para-Dressage Championships in 2009 in Kristiansand (NOR), where she won Freestyle bronze with chestnut stallion Dollaro de Villanova, Morganti has gone on with Royal Delight to secure Freestyle bronze at both the 2011 Championships in Moorsele (BEL) and the JYSK FEI European Para-Dressage Championships 2013 in Herning (DEN). Since coming fourth at the London 2012 Paralympic Games in Greenwich Park, where her cherished nine-year-old mare was the youngest horse to compete, she has been trying to edge past her highly experienced rivals.
With over 40 per cent of the votes, Morganti said: “I’m so happy that so many have voted for me – it’s incredible. The support of all these people will be an additional reason to focus on doing the best I can every single day. Before the Games in Normandy my dream was to qualify for Rio 2016, but after winning two medals there my dream is now to win a Paralympic medal. Obviously Royal Delight will have an extra portion of carrots for this new fantastic achievement!”
Pole position
Great Britain’s Jeannette Chippington (GBR), second in the IPC poll, was crowned a seven-time para-canoe world champion with two more titles at the 2014 ICF Canoe World Championships in Moscow (RUS), despite only taking up canoeing in 2012.
Teresa Perales (ESP), voted third, won a staggering four gold medals at the 2014 IPC Swimming Championships in Eindhoven (NED), with Manuela Schaer (SUI) and Margarita Goncharova (RUS), coming fourth and fifth after each achieving four golds at the 2014 IPC Athletics European Championships in Swansea (GBR). Liesl Tesch (AUS) placed sixth in the IPC poll after scoring her first-ever world title with her partner Daniel Fitzgibbon at the 2014 IFDS Combined Sailing World Championships in Halifax (CAN).
Lee Pearson, the ten-time Paralympic Games gold medallist in Grade 1b, who scored triple gold at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy (FRA), and helped to secure Great Britain’s team spot at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, was shortlisted for the best male Allianz Athlete of the Month for August, but was pipped to the post by the Ukraine’s Yevheniy Bohodayko who won seven gold medals at the 2014 IPC Swimming European Championships.
The nominations for the Allianz Athlete of the Month are compiled from submissions by National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) and International Federations (IFs), with voting open to the public. The Best Youngster category for the Allianz Athlete of the Month for August will soon be live at http://www.paralympic.org.
Chester Weber and Dutch team are unsurpassed in driven dressage
Chester Weber (USA) and the Dutch team have made a convincing first step on their way to Driving gold at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy. Weber won the dressage competition with a wonderful test scoring 32.21 penalties, 3.3 points ahead of reigning world champion Boyd Exell (AUS) who finished on 35.51. Reigning European champion Theo Timmerman (NED) was third on 37.28 penalties, followed by compatriots IJsbrand Chardon and Koos de Ronde, which puts the Orange team in the lead of the nations competition.
No less than 6,000 spectators enjoyed the dressage tests of the 46 competitors representing 17 nations, who performed at the La Prairie racecourse in downtown Caen on Thursday and Friday during the first phase of the combined driving competition.
Four-time individual world champion IJsbrand Chardon (NED) was the first starter on the first dressage day and, driving his team of KWPN-geldings, became the overnight leader after 23 combinations.
Double world champion Boyd Exell drove a solid test this morning, beating Chardon’s score by nearly seven points.
“My horses were just right,” the Australian driver said. “I just had to sit back and let them do the job. The preparation was perfect.”
Exell’s team of mixed black geldings included the 16-year-old Holsteiner Capone II, whose son Mister is part of Theo Timmerman’s four-in-hand team.
Timmerman’s start was somewhat hesitant but improved consistently throughout the test. His right leader horse showed extremely well and secured high notes for his extensions.
“I am very pleased with my horses, my wheeler horses were fantastic today,” he commented. “This four-in-hand is very experienced and lovely to drive. As soon as I enter the arena, they just do their job and are very easy to drive.”
Theo finished in third place less than two penalty points behind Exell.
All eyes were on young father Chester Weber whose wife My gave birth to a baby boy Douglas on 17 August. Weber, who has gone undefeated with this team of horses the entire season, was very proud and happy.
“I am very pleased with my horses, I could not ask for more from them today, they gave their all, they felt like they were dancing on clouds,” the World Number One said. “I had a lot of confidence today. I dared to take a little risk just before my test. We changed the bit on one of the leader horses to make it perform even better and the plan worked well,” the American pointed out.
With Timmerman, Chardon and De Ronde placed third, fourth, and fifth after dressage, the Dutch team is well in the lead of the nations competition on 79.40 points, ahead of the United States and Hungary.
Marathon
With 16.000 spectators expected for the marathon, which takes place tomorrow Saturday 6 September at La Prairie racecourse, the competition is sold out. After a 5.080m long A-section followed by a 940m Transfer-section, the competitors will enter the B-section covering nine kilometres and eight obstacles.
O-Course Designer Richard Nicoll (USA) is responsible for the design of the eight impressive marathon obstacles, which feature a clock, a farm house, and a well house.
“I designed the obstacles, but the actual building was done by the French course builder Benoit Marchand. The French course designers Jacques Tamalet and Philippe Blossier were very important in the laying out of the course and the sections,” Nicoll, who was also responsible for the course design at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2010 in Kentucky, explained. “All these people have done a wonderful job.”
When designing the obstacles, Nicoll had two major goals: safety for the horses and the competitors and an attractive sight for the public.
“This is why I have chosen not to build long entrances and exits, I want to prevent drivers from galloping out of the obstacles onto the racetrack and into the path of the other competitors,” he pointed out.
Nicoll has created a nice variety with more open and more technical obstacles. “I have tried to make the obstacles attractive for the spectators as well. They all include many different route options, so it will be exciting to see which routes the drivers will take,” he said.
To protect the footing in certain areas of the racecourse, three of the obstacles had to be built using portable components as inserting elements into the ground was not allowed. Some of the portable parts were therefore made heavier with sand bags to prevent them from moving.
Four-in hand driver Chester Weber (USA) has won the driven dressage competition at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy. (Marie de Ronde-Oudemans/FEI)
Chez Philip talk show launches at Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014
The FEI has launched its daily talk show, Chez Philip, direct from the planet’s most international equestrian event, the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy, France.
Phil Ghazala, the show’s presenter, award-winning commentator and face of the FEI’s official digital video platform FEI TV, is interviewing athletes, celebrities, coaches, course designers and medal winners in the Chez Philip studio for the next two weeks in Normandy, taking viewers behind the fascinating scenes of the Games.
The show’s roving reporter Sienna Myson-Davies, team and individual gold medallist at the FEI European Junior Eventing Championships 2008, will front the show’s daily social media news update, and be capturing all the excitement in Normandy from each of the six official competition venues, interviewing riders and fans.
Tune in to the Chez Philip daily talk show with presenter Phil Ghazala and roving reporter Sienna Myson-Davies for all the latest news from the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy. (FEI)
The Chez Philip talk show, which will also treat viewers to Normandy competition previews and reviews, and flashbacks to golden moments of past Games, will be available free on FEI TV, on FEI YouTube, and by video on demand on 40 media sites in over 20 countries, including:
Germany claimed the Dressage team title in convincing style at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy, France today. Already out in front after their first two riders completed their tests yesterday, they nailed it with two more superb performances to finish well clear of Great Britain in silver medal spot, while the defending champions from The Netherlands took bronze.
The morning began with a superb performance from the third to go for Germany, Isabell Werth and Bella Rose whose score of 81.529 signalled the definitive return of Team Germany to the top of the pecking order in this sport in which they have always played such a dominant role. They never looked in any danger after that, and Helen Langehanenberg’s 81.357 with Damon Hill NRW was just the icing on the cake because, even without her brilliant effort, her country would be victorious.
This was the 11th German Dressage gold medal success since the team competition was introduced into the world championship programme in 1966 and German Chef d’Equipe, Klaus Roeser, said this evening: “it’s been very interesting, both yesterday and today, with brilliant and fantastic sport on a very high level. I want to say thanks to four young, nice and charming ladies who worked as a team together making us really strong!”
And there was even more to celebrate as there were three qualification spots for the 2016 Olympic Games on offer to the podium-placed teams today, so Germany, Great Britain and The Netherlands are already on the road to Rio de Janeiro (BRA) in two years’ time.
Team Germany clinched the Dressage team title at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Normandy, France today. L to R: Chef d’Equipe Klaus Roeser, Kristina Sprehe, Helen Langehanenberg, Isabell Werth and Fabienne Lutkemeier. (Dirk Caremans/FEI)
Impossible to predict
The destiny of the gold never looked in any great doubt, but it was impossible to predict the fate of the silver and bronze medals as fortunes fluctuated throughout the competition.
And until British stars Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro posted the highest individual score in the closing stages, it was Team USA who were lying in bronze medal spot behind the Dutch.
The Spanish also challenged in the early stages today when Morgan Barbancon steered Painted Black, the former ride of Dutch superstar Anky van Grunsven, to a score of 75.143, but they were overtaken by the Americans when Steffen Peters and Legolas finished eighth individually, and Laura Graves and Verdades slotted into 10th.
Graves has very definitely announced her presence at the top end of the sport.
The 27-year-old from Florida only competed in her first Grand Prix in February of this year with the horse she bought as a yearling from a Dutch sales video 12 years ago. She travelled to Kentucky for the last US National Championship qualifier this summer and there earned the chance of a place on the team for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Normandy.
And she showed such quality under fire in both Fritzens (AUT) and Aachen (GER) in recent months that she was awarded the spot on the team and today confirmed that she truly deserved it.
Battled bravely
The Dutch, meanwhile, battled bravely in their attempt to compensate for the loss of two of their best horses in the lead-up to this event, and it paid off. “We are really happy with the bronze” said Chef d’Equipe Wim Ernes. “We had to substitute, but we showed real team spirit and managed to get it together.”
Edward Gal’s replacement ride, Glock’s Voice, produced a score of 72.414. The 44-year-old rider who claimed double-gold at the last Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Kentucky, USA four years ago said his 12-year-old stallion was “a bit stressed and inconsistent, so I tried to stay relaxed”.
The horse struggled with piaffe and had a mistake in the one-time changes, but delivered some other spectacular work including fabulous extended trot.
And even though Adelinde Cornelissen and the 17-year-old Jerich Parzival would line up fourth individually at the end of the day after scoring 79.629, the Dutch total of 227.400 would only be good enough for third place on the final leaderboard.
The British had a fight on their hands too when Michael Eilberg and Half Moon Delphi posted 71.886.
The 27-year-old rider said “quite a few mistakes crept in; we’ve had some really good recent form, so the test today was a little below par. I’m a bit gutted because I wanted to get a good score for the team, but that’s the way it goes”.
He said his grey mare “warmed up really well. That can be a negative because she felt too good! Even around the outside of the arena she was really good, but on the first diagonal she was just a bit “looky” at the camera, and it made her hide just a bit. The piaffe came off well today I thought, and I collected a few marks there as the test went on.”
Most exciting partnerships
However the British had one of the most exciting partnerships in the history of the sport to fall back on in the multi-medalled Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro. And this pair more than lived up to expectations when sealing silver with the top score of the day. The 29-year-old rider admits that what was, by her standards and that of her extraordinarily talented horse, a poor performance at the premier fixture in Aachen, Germany last month acted as “a wake-up call”. Today she showed that all the hard work she has put in over the interim period was worth every minute.
The crowd went wild with delight when they entered the Stade D’Ornano and Valegro and his rider responded with a delightful performance that ensured the Dutch were pinned back into bronze medal spot. Apart from a hesitation coming down the centre line for the final time, the 12-year-old gelding and his rider were in perfect harmony.
“To go out there and get the welcome I got was fantastic. It’s such a great feeling to have that many people behind you” Dujardin said. “I had such fun! I went out there to do my very best and wanted to try to get us into a medal position. He did his best and I’m so lucky as he has just felt fantastic all week. He did try to stop on the centre line but apart from that I was really, really happy!”
The talking horse
For all the excitement over the return of the daring British duo however, it is Isabell Werth’s lovely mare, Bella Rose, who is the talking horse of these championships.
The inexperienced 10-year-old is very clearly still a horse in the making, but her lightness of movement, her grace and her relationship with her rider is a joy to see. Bella Rose works in a lovely frame and her natural self-carriage and athleticism makes little of difficult movements.
Talking about her horse this evening, Werth said “I got her when she was three and from the first moment I saw her I could sense her talent and her charisma.
She is special in her whole behaviour, in her attitude and her mind, and I hope we can grow together from here. It is a great pleasure to ride her” said the 45-year-old German veteran who has now added another world championship team gold to her already massive haul of medals.
Langehanenberg simply underlined the pure strength of one of the strongest sides Germany has ever fielded in the sport of Dressage.
Her test with Damon Hill NRW was smooth and confident, and earned her third place in the final individual line-up behind team-mate Werth and ahead of The Netherlands’ Adelinde Cornelissen with Dujardin at the top of the order.
However there was disappointing news later tonight when the German National Federation issued a press release announcing that Bella Rose will not compete for the remainder of the week due to a bruised sole.
That brings Frenchman, Marc Boblet, and his lovely mare Noble Dream Concept Sol into the top-30 who go through to tomorrow’s Grand Prix Special which starts at 09.30.
Germany claimed Team gold in Dressage at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy, France today.
Great Britain took silver and the defending champions from The Netherlands earned bronze.
This was the 11th German victory in the history of the Dressage Team World Championships which were first staged in 1966.
A total of 24 teams competed.
The highest score of the competition – 85.271 – was produced by Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro, last to go for Great Britain.
Team USA finished fourth ahead of Spain in fifth place.
The three medal-winning nations – Germany, Great Britain and The Netherlands – have now qualified for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Quotes:
Will Connell, Chef de Mission for Team Great Britain, talking about Olympic qualification after today’s silver medal result: “As a team they only have two occasions to qualify for the Rio Olympics. This is absolutely what we wanted and means that they have a two year run in to the Olympics, during which time they can bring on young horses and don’t have to worry about qualification. What Charlotte did today was truly outstanding, and along with her team mates, they have made the paving stones for the road to Rio.”
Carl Hester GBR: “As a team we’re really delighted, no one feels left out, we’re so lucky to have Charlotte who can take the pressure to get the scores to win medals”.
Victoria Max-Theurer AUT: “I’m really happy with my horse today. He was very concentrated despite the noise in the stadium. We have reached our goal, the piaffe/passage were good and so were the pirouettes and the two-time changes. All this in conditions that were quite difficult for the horse”.
Marcela Krinke Susmelj SUI: “My horse was impressed by the arena but I’ve been riding him for three years so he trusted me and gave his best. His walk was good and the passage and piaffe are also strong points”.
Valentina Truppa ITA: “It was a nice ride, with no mistakes. We could have given more but I wanted to quietly save him for tomorrow. The stadium is very nice but very loud too so he (Fixdesign Eremo del Castelgno) got a bit agitated at the beginning. We trained a lot at home and went to Aachen and other competitions where we could already see the same judges and train for the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special. Not for the Kur though. I’ll be just happy and lucky enough if I get to the Kur”.
Carlos Pinto POR: “I’m pretty happy with my test because the arena is very impressive for my horse. I made a few mistakes because of the stress, but it’s going to be better and better! My wife rides my horse four times a week and I do the work when I’m here. We tried to keep him mentally and physically ready for the competition”.
Jessica Michel FRA: “I have a really good feeling. It’s difficult when there are 100 competitors and the piaffe has a coefficient of two now so the cards are dealt differently this year. We are the World Equestrian Games and the judges are more demanding, that’s normal. But Rivera gave everything she had. We worked a lot on passage and piaffe but she still lacks regularity. Despite all of this, I’m really proud of the control and harmony I could achieve”.
Joao Oliva BRA whose horse bolted after his final halt: I’m fine! Just a bit nervous! This is my first big competition and my horse made some mistakes but I’m happy with him. We have a lot of improvement to make and there will be better to come. This event is like a warm-up for me”.
Megan Lane CAN: “It’s my first time in the senior team, before I was in the Junior one. I bought my horse five years ago to hunt and I finished up training all alone for the competitions. I’m satisfied with my result!”
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