REEM ACRA FEI WORLD CUP™ DRESSAGE 2014/2015: Gal And Undercover Reign Supreme On Home Ground At ‘S-Hertogenbosch

REEM ACRA FEI WORLD CUP™ DRESSAGE 2014/2015 – Round 9

The Netherlands’ Edward Gal and Glock’s Undercover clinched victory at the last qualifying leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 Western European League on home ground at ‘s-Hertogenbosch today. Always favourites to take maximum points after their convincing win in yesterday’s Grand Prix, the pair didn’t disappoint this afternoon when producing some spectacular work when third-last into the arena. But Gal’s masterful riding skills were fully tested by moments of tension from the 14-year-old gelding with which he finished third at the Reem Acra Final in Lyon, France last season.

Runner-up today was Germany’s Isabell Werth who nailed a great performance with Don Johnson FRH, and it was an excellent result for the host nation contingent as Hans Peter Minderhoud and Glock’s Flirt lined up third ahead of fellow-Dutchman Diederik van Silfhout and Arlando NH in fourth spot.

Up for grabs

With last-minute points still up for grabs it was always going to be an interesting contest, and Sweden’s Paulinda Friberg took full advantage of one more opportunity to add to her scoreline when posting 76.750 with her black mare, di Lapponia T, just after the judging break. This would eventually leave her in eighth place in today’s competition and in overall eleventh spot on the series leaderboard. And, as it turned out, it was plenty good enough to book her ticket to the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 Final in Las Vegas, USA next month.

Patrick van der Meer posted an impressive 77.750 with Uzzo to take the lead just before Werth set off with Don Johnson who really turned it on today as he set a significantly higher target score of 81.650. The double FEI World Cup™ Dressage champion decided some time ago that El Santo would be her choice for Las Vegas, but she also wanted to demonstrate the improvements “Johnny” has made. And her decision to return to the music she used when campaigning her former star Warum Nicht, or Hannes as he was also known, turned out to be something of a triumph.

Continues to sparkle

Spain’s Morgan Barbancon Mestre didn’t present any real threat when scoring 78.900 with Painted Black, but at 18 years of age this stallion, who was so successful earlier in his career for Dutch legend Anky van Grunsven from The Netherlands, continues to sparkle. And his mark would eventually leave the pair in fifth spot and earn another of those much-sought-after berths in Las Vegas.

However all eyes were on Gal and Glock’s Undercover as they set off with just three left to run, and it was clear from the outset that the Dutchman was not going to have an easy time. Gal knows how to create enormous energy and power in his horses, but containing it is another thing entirely and the 45-year-old ace had to call on all his extensive experience to complete a test that swung from brilliant to extremely tense. Such was the quality of the good work however that the scoreboard showed 84.925 after they left the arena.

Diederik van Silfhout produced a happy, balanced and compliant performance from Arlando NH for a mark of 79.925 when second-last to go while Dutch compatriot, Hans Peter Minderhoud, also had plenty of reason to be pleased with Glock’s Flirt when last to go. The chestnut stallion was confident and rhythmic throughout his test, and Dutch coach, Wim Ernes, was smiling broadly when a mark of 80.425 went up on the board for this pair.

Winning test

Gal talked afterwards about his winning test during which he ran into trouble during both of his tempi changes.

“He (Glock’s Undercover) felt very good at the start but then we made a little mistake, and at the start of the changes there was another mistake and we lost a little bit there, but for most of it he felt quite good” he said.

He said he was expecting a strong test because Undercover did a good warm-up, “but when he came in to the big arena with all those people he was very aware of them. When we started I thought “OK, this is really nice!”, but the mistakes cost us a lot of points even though the percentage marks we got were good”. So now he’s thinking ahead to how his horse will cope with the buzz and excitement of the Thomas & Mack Arena in Las Vegas.

“It is the way he is to get a little excited, so for me it’s better not to think too much about it!” he said this evening. “I just hope he will grow into it, it felt easier for him today but you never know. The difference for me now is that I feel I have enough control and I’m enjoying riding him like this, but I will have to ride my very best there. I know he will be a little bit tense, but when he goes well he is so brilliant, and I will just have to try very hard to help him!” he insisted.

The top three in today’s last leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 Western European League at ‘s-Hertogenbosch (NED): Left to right – third-placed Hans Peter Minderhoud/Glock’s Flirt from The Netherlands, runners-up Isabell Werth/Don Johnson FRH from Germany and winners Edward Gal/Glock’s Undercover from The Netherlands. (FEI/Arnd Bronkhorst)

Made the cut

Today’s result has now decided the top nine riders who have made the cut to the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final 2014/2015, but it is not the first nine names on the Western European League leaderboard.

There can only be three representatives from each nation, and since five of the top nine are from Germany, only Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, Fabienne Lutkemeier and Isabell Werth will fly their nation’s flag while Ulla Salzgeber and Sonke Rothenberger miss out. Gal, Danielle Heijkoop and Minderhoud will represent The Netherlands while Agnete Kirk Thinggaard will be the sole Danish competitor, and the door to the 30th FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final has opened up for Spain’s Morgan Barbancon Mestre and Denmark’s Paulinda Friberg.

For further information on the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 qualifier at ‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands visit website http://www.indoorbrabant.com or contact Press Officer Denise van der Net, Email denisene@xs4all.net, Tel +31 627 031 674.

The Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2015 Final will take place in Las Vegas, USA from 15 to 19 April. For details of the event visit http://www.worldcuplasvegas.com or contact Press Officer Marty Baumann, Email marty@classic-communications.com, Tel +1 508 698 6810.

Result:

1, Glock’s Undercover (Edward Gal) NED 84.925;

2, Don Johnson FRH (Isabell Werth) GER 81.650;

3, Glock’s Flirt (Hans Peter Minderhoud) NED 80.425;

4, Arlando NH (Diederik van Silfhout) NED 79.925;

5, Painted Black (Morgan Barbancon Mestre) ESP 78.900;

6, Uzzo (Patrick van der Meer) NED 77.500;

7, Eres DL (Jeroen Devroe) BEL 76.950;

8, di Lapponia D (Paulinda Friberg) SWE 76.750;

9, Mister X (Inessa Merkulova) RUS 76.675;

10, Qui Vincit Dynamis (Fabienne Lutkemeier) GER 76.000;

11, Favourit (Sonke Rothenberger) GER 75.375;

12, Smeyers Molberg (Marcela Krinke Susmelj) SUI 75.350;

13, Axis TSF (Terhi Stegars) FIN 74.325;

14, Ulysses la Haya (Laurens van Lieren) NED 72.500;

15, Westpoint (Kirsten Beckers) NED 72.400.

Facts and Figures:

The ninth and last leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 Western European League took place today at the Brabanthalle in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands.

The competition was won by Dutchman Edward Gal riding the 14-year-old gelding Glock’s Undercover.

Runner-up was Germany’s Isabell Werth with Don Johnson FRH while host nation riders filled four of the top six places.

The Ground Jury for today’s Freestyle was: at E, Magnus Ringmark SWE; at H, Francis Verbeek van Rooy NED; at C, Ghislain Fouarge NED; at M, Peter Holler GER; at B, Jacques van Daele BEL.

Today’s winning partnership finished third at the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2013/2014 Final in Lyon, France last April.

Gal previously claimed the FEI World Cup™ Dressage title in 2010 riding the black stallion Totilas and completes the 2014/2015 series at the top of the Western European League leader board.

The Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 Final will be held in Las Vegas, USA from 15 to 19 April.

Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 – Standings after round 9 at ‘s-Hertogenbosch NED:

1. Edward Gal NED – 75
2. Jessica von Bredow-Werndl GER – 74
3. Fabienne Lutkemeier GER – 64
3. Isabell Werth GER – 64
5. Danielle Heijkoop NED – 60
6. Hans Peter Minderhoud NED – 58
7. Agnete Kirk Thinggaard DEN – 49
8. Ulla Salzgeber GER – 48
9. Sonke Rothenberger GER – 47
10. Morgan Barbancon Mestre ESP – 42
11. Paulinda Friberg SWE – 39
12. Adelinde Cornelissen NED – 37
12. Marcela Krinke Susmelj SUI – 37
12. Tinne Vilhelmson Silfven SWE – 37

Louise Parkes

FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 – Pacific, North American and Central European League Updates

Russian riders dominate in Central Europe while Canada’s Pavicic heads North American League and Australia’s Ryan leads Pacific series, by Louise Parkes

Russian riders were absolutely dominant when taking the top three, as well as five of the top six placings in the FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 Central European League which drew to a close at Kaposvar, Hungary last October. Elena Sidneva pipped last year’s winner Tatiana Dorofeeva for the title, while Inessa Merkulova clinched third place for the second year in a row. Only Estonia’s Dina Ellermann managed to prevent a complete Russian whitewash of the top six when slotting into fourth ahead of Marina Aframeeva and Vera Khalikova in fifth and sixth spots.

Sidneva sealed the series victory when finishing fourth at the final leg, and finished a full five points ahead of runner-up Dorofeeva.

The 10-leg North American League meanwhile will reach its halfway stage this week in Wellington, Florida with Canada’s Karen Pavicic out in front, while Australia’s Heath Ryan leads the Pacific series with just one last event to run.

Central Europe

Competition in the Central European series was strong, and 50-year-old Sidneva made a good start when finishing fourth at the opening leg at Lipica, Slovenia last May. Her score of 73.425 with Romeo Star left her close behind third-placed Uwe Schanz and Di Sandro whose German counterparts, brother and sister Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and Benjamin Werndl, filled the top two places. Jessica went on to make another big impression in the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 Western European League with her horse, Unee BB, in more recent months and the rider, who recently turned 29, is currently lying 10th in the world rankings list.

Austrian-based Sidneva did not line out at the second leg staged in Nizhnly Novgorod where Russian riders proved unbeatable on their home turf, with Inessa Merkulova and Mister X pipping Marina Aframeeva and Vosk while last season’s Central European champion, Dorofeeva, slotted into third with Kartsevo Upperville ahead of Vera Khalikova (Ucordo) in fourth. The first visitor to get into the Freestyle line-up here was Bulgaria’s Katsiaryna Varchenia who posted 67.025 with Daily Double for fifth place.

The multiple world-record-breaking British partnership of Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro claimed the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014 title at Lyon, France last April. The 2014/2015 Western European League qualifying season begins this weekend at Odense in Denmark. (FEI/Dirk Caremans)

Secured her grip

When Sidneva returned to action in the third leg at Brno in the Czech Republic however she firmly secured her grip on the leaderboard with a big win ahead of Italy’s Leonardo Tiozzo. Sidneva produced the only score over 70 per cent when posting 75.100, while runner-up Tiozzo, who just over a year ago took up the ride on the FEI World Cup™ Dressage veteran gelding, Randon, which was formerly competed by Poland’s Michal Rapcewicz, earned a mark of 69.900. Estonia’s Dina Ellerman was back in the ribbons when third here on a score of 69.600 with Landy S Akvarel.

Sidneva did not attend the next three legs, at Moscow where home starters again stole the show as Regina Isachkina (Diaz) pipped Dorofeeva (Kartsevo Upperville), at Czosnow in Poland where Ukraine’s Inna Logutenkova (Don Gregorious) pinned Poland’s Anna Lukasik (Stella Pack Ganda) into second place and at Tailinn, Estonia where Merkulova produced her second win of the season. Merkulova’s big-moving Trekehner, Mister X, posted 76.875 to pin Logutenkova’s Don Gregorious into runner-up spot here, and the result left Merkulova just three points behind league leader Dorofeeva with just one last leg remaining.

But the leading pair didn’t feature at the final round in Kaposvar, so the 13 valuable points collected by Sidneva for her fourth-place finish were enough to clinch the Central European series title by a five-point margin.

North America

Canadian riders have enjoyed tremendous success over the first five rounds of the 10-leg North American League which is currently headed by Karen Pavicic from Surrey, British Columbia. Partnering Don Daiquiri, the 13-year-old Oldenburg gelding with which she competed at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy, France, the 43-year-old rider heads America’s Catherine Haddad Staller and Mane Stream Hotmail by a narrow margin at the halfway stage of the series, while Pavicic’s fellow-countrywoman, Jacqueline Brooks from Cedar Valley, Ontario currently lies third.

The League began at Palgrave, Ontario last June where it was an all-Canadian affair at the top of the scoreboard as Diane Creech (Devon L) pipped Belinda Trussell (Anton) for pole position while Megan Lane (Caravella) slotted into third ahead of Brooks and her 2012 Olympic mount, D Niro.

The next two legs were staged at Saugerties, New York in August and September, with Toronto-born Ashley Holzer coming out on top at the first event with her stallion, Dressed in Black, before Brooks posted a win at the following fixture with D Niro.

Holzer then brought out the lovely mare Tiva Nana to top the line-up at Devon in Pennsylvania, USA in September with a big score of 76.125 while her Canadian colleague Pavicic pulled in second with Don Daiquiri on 73.575 ahead of Haddad Staller and Mane Stream Hotmail in third on 73.100.

And at the first of the two legs to be staged in Wellington, Florida this month, it was Denmark’s Lars Petersen who stole the limelight with a lovely performance from the evergreen 17-year-old mare, Mariette. A great score of 78.325 gave this sparkling pair more than four percentage points of an advantage over their Danish counterparts, Mikala Munter Gundersson and My Lady who earned a mark of 74.075 for second place. Both riders are eligible for points in the North American series, but those collected by Sweden’s Caroline Darcourt for third with Paridon Magic are accounted for in the Western European League.

Catherine Haddad Staller finished fourth with Mane Stream Hotmail, and although Pavicic and Don Daiquiri had to settle for fifth this time out they find themselves edging the American partnership by just 0.035 points at the top of the leaderboard going into the sixth leg of the series at the same venue this weekend.

The best two qualifying scores for each horse-and-rider combination are taken into account to decide the final North American League placings, so there is still some way to go in this series which will draw to a close at San Juan Capistrano, California in March.

Ingrid Klimke (GER) and Horseware Hale Bob, joint leaders with William Fox-Pitt (GBR) and Parklane Hawk after today’s Dressage phase, are ready to take on tomorrow’s Cross Country at Les Etoiles de Pau, the opening leg of the FEI Classics™ 2014/2015. (Trevor Holt/FEI)

Pacific

Meanwhile the Pacific League draws to a close this coming weekend when the last event in the four-leg series takes place at Boneo in Australia.

It all began in Brisbane last July with a win for Chantal Wigan and Ferero ahead of Katharine Farrell and Luxor in second and Sue Hearn with Remmington in third.

Then Heath Ryan won the next two legs at Sydney and Melbourne with the Oldenberg, Regardez Moi. London 2012 Olympic competitor, Mary Hanna, was runner-up in Sydney with Umbro ahead of Brett Parbery (DP Weltmeiser) in third, Caroline Wagner (Tango V) in fourth and Sue Hearn (Remmington) in fifth while Heath Ryan also steered Utopian Cardinal into sixth place for good measure.

Hearn and Remmington then rocketed back up to second place at Melbourne ahead of Katharine Farrell (Luxor) and Parbery (DP Weltmeiser). Hearn’s mark of 70.725 left her just over a single mark behind Ryan and well within the qualification criteria for the regional Final.

In order to be eligible for selection for the Pacific League Final, combinations must have competed at a CDI-W or CDI3* qualifying event on at least one occasion in the preceding 12 months, and must have gained a minimum of at least 64 percent in the Grand Prix Freestyle.

The winner of the Grand Prix Freestyle at next weekend’s Final in Boneo, Victoria will qualify for the much-anticipated Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 Final in Las Vegas, USA in April, so it’s still all to play for over the coming days.

Germany’s Kristina Sprehe and Desperados FRH finished at the top of the leaderboard after Day 1 of the Dressage Team Championship at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 at Stade D’Ornano in Caen, France. (Dirk Caremans/FEI)

FEI World Cup ™ Dressage Central European League 2014/2015 – Final result :
1. Elena Sidneva RUS – 48
2. Tatiana Dorofeeva RUS – 43
3. Inessa Merkulova RUS – 40
4. Dina Ellerman EST – 35
5. Marina Aframeeva RUS – 28
6. Vera Khalikova RUS – 26
7. Anna Lukasik POL – 24
8. Aleksandra Szulc POL – 22