Monthly Archives: August 2014

Equestrian Centre

World Equestrian Games – Another Gold for Charlotte and Valegro

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Double Olympic Champions Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro added a World Champion title to their collection by taking Gold in the Dressage Grand Prix Special Individual competition with an outstanding performance on a score of 86.120%, the highest ever score recorded by a horse and rider at the World Equestrian Games.

In a closely fought contest, Charlotte held on to Gold after a superb test from Germany’s Helen Langehanenberg riding Damon Hill NRW, who finished in Silver on her score of 84.468%.

Charlotte spoke afterwards “It was a great ride and I was very happy with my test. I had no team members to worry about so I thought I’d just go for everything. Valegro was just fantastic – he is a like Ferrari with all that power. The crowd were very hard to deal with, all I could hear were gasps, whether I did a good or a bad thing.

Helen Langehanenberg was equally thrilled at her own result “The test felt very good. He always goes forward and listens very well. He is keen on working with me and knows what to do. I did not know Charlotte’s score before I went into the stadium – I was just concentrating on my preparation and test. I am really looking forward to Friday now – he is a very happy horse!

Kristina Sprehe at just 27 years of age is another one of Germany’s bright prospects in the world of dressage. Having won a team Olympic Silver and team Golds at the European’s and the World Games respectively she added her first individual medal to the collection. “I am really happy. Coming in to these Games I was only focused on Team Gold. I had no thoughts for the Individual at all. This is just fantastic, completely fantastic! My horse was perfect in the test, even if during the passages he lost some rhythm and he has to be more energetic. I had a really fantastic feeling during the whole test.”

Tomorrow  Eleanore Kelly, Horse Scouts roving reporter will be heading down to Haras La Pin for the first day of Eventing Dressage.

Equestrian Centre

World Equestrian Games – Day Two – Dressage Grand Prix

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We’re going to Rio! Great Britain secure Team Silver and Rio Qualification

A momentous day for Britain as Charlotte Dujardin, Michael Eilberg, Carl Hester and Gareth Hughes walked away with the team silver and a ticket to the Olympics after  a sterling performance on day two of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

After Gareth Hughes and Carl Hester’s tests yesterday, which the team in the bronze medal position overnight, the pressure was on for Michael Eilberg and Charlotte Dujardin to come up trumps.

Entering the arena for his world championship debut, Michael produced a vital test for the team, marred only by a couple of expensive mistakes aboard a slightly unsettled Half Moon Delphi to post 71.886%, which sees him through to tomorrow’s Grand Prix Special.

Afterwards Michael said; “I’m a bit disappointed really today with the test that I had. Obviously quite a few mistakes crept in; we’ve had some really good recent form, so the test today was a little bit 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. She warmed up really well – that can be a negative because she felt too good! Even round the outside of the arena she felt really good but on the first diagonal she was 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.”

The afternoon’s competition saw Olympic and European champion Charlotte Dujardin take to the floor. With Roly Luard and Carl Hester’s Valegro the popular duo impressed the judges to take the top spot. Their test, which included some impressive piaffe and pirouettes, posted a stunning 85.271% to stand nearly four percent ahead of their nearest rivals, Germany’s Isabell Werth and the exciting ten year old Bella Rose.

Charlotte said; “I went out there to do my very best and wanted to try to get the team 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. 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.”

Will Connell, Chef de Mission out at WEG summed up today’s performance; “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 commented on the result; “As a team we’re really delighted; no one feels left out, we’re so lucky to have Charlotte who can take the pressure off to get the scores and win medals.”

Germany finished in the gold medal position with an all female team and three riders inside the top five.The Netherlands taking the bronze. Charlotte, Carl and Michael will go on to compete in tomorrow’s Grand Prix Special.

Dressage

World Equestrian Games – Day One – Dressage

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It was a “bonne journée” for The Germans on the first dressage day of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games which takes place in the city’s football stadium. Kristina Sprehe on the magnificent Desperados FRH stole the show to lead on 78.814 at the end of the day. Kristina has been riding the De Niro stallion for four years now.

“I am really happy today. He really concentrated and the atmosphere was amazing. For me the highlight was the pirouettes and the passage. I had a really good feeling. The piaffe, he could have been more active but we will see what happens on Wednesday.”

Dutchman Hans Peter Minderhoud coaxed a harmonious test out of the impressive Dutch stallion, Glock’s Johnson TN despite riding in a heavy downpour in a waterlogged arena.

“I was quite happy with my ride. I had bad weather and he wasn’t sure about the footing but he was ok and was fine with the atmosphere. This was the first time he has been in such a big arena but as an approved stallion he has seen a lot in his life” said Hans who has been riding the horse since from a three year old now.

Britain’s Carl Hester was riding Championship debutant Nip Tuck owned by Jane De La Mare. With the 18.1hh ten year old bay gelding who was purchased for 1000 euro as a yearling. He was formerly nicknamed “Billy Bolter” owing to his tendency to bolt out of arenas. He had clearly put this alter ego behind him and the pair produced a stunning test to see a final score of 74.186% flash up on the scoreboard putting them into third place overnight.

“I’m delighted with his test, at his age I couldn’t have asked for more and for both my owner and myself it’s very exciting. He cost me 1000 Euros, so to me, the fact he’s done so well is like my gold medal to be honest; I know he did his absolute best in there for me and did everything I asked. You don’t really know what to expect with this crowd, they’re very enthusiastic and it was such a nice reception going in. It’s 24 years since I first rode in my first World Equestrian Games (in Stockholm in 1990) so I’m really happy to come here and get that result.”

Also riding for Britain was Gareth Hughes, aboard Jane Brewin’s Nadonna. After a slightly nervous start by the fifteen year old mare, she soon warmed to the arena and gave Gareth everything for a score of 69.714%.

Speaking after his test Gareth said; “I’m really proud of her, she was nervous on the centre line and the first halt; it was a couple of per cent lower than what we’ve been scoring but from a horsemanship point of view I couldn’t have been prouder. You don’t know what you’re going to get once you go in there and sometimes you can’t ride the test you planned in your head.”

The German’s lead the way in the team competition with the Dutch in second place. Great Britain head into day two of the team dressage test lying in third place; with Michael Eilberg (with Jon and Julie Deverill’s Half Moon Delphi) and Charlotte Dujardin (with Roly Luard and Carl Hester’s Valegro).