Nathalie zu Sayn Wittgenstein of Denmark and Digby won the Grand Prix Freestyle for the second year in a row. Mohamed Tinakicht photo
Saturday afternoon’s finale, the 100,000€ Grand Prix Freestyle, wrapped up an exciting two days of dressage at CHI Al Shaqab in Doha, Qatar. While Nathalie zu Sayn Wittgenstein of Denmark was the odds-on favourite to take the class as she did last year aboard Digby, fellow countrywoman Lone Bang Larsen did not go down without a fight. The final result saw zu Sayn Wittgenstein top the standings with 80.875%, with Larsen hot on her heels with 79.200. Patrick Kittel (SWE) rounded out the top three, riding Toy Story to a score of 77.450.
Zu Sayn Wittgenstein said the win was an emotional one, as she and Digby have a long history together. “We bred him ourselves and I’ve know him since he was a foal. Since he’s four I’ve trained him, first with Claus Balkenhol, then Richard White. He just wants to do his best in the ring, and the more audience he has, the better he will perform. I thought he was even better today than yesterday.” She promised that “This year is the last year – full retirement next year” when the gelding will be 18.
Larsen was thrilled with her second-place finish, saying it was the best score she had ever achieved. “This is my first time here and I have had two really good shows. Yesterday I was very pleased, and today I am even more happy.”
This was Kittel’s second year here as well. “I had a very busy schedule, but when Doha came up I said okay – it’s a show you just have to go to. Very well-organized, horses travel really well, we arrive and are very well taken care of. Next year I will come back and maybe give the Danish girls a bit of a rematch!”
To attract even more top horses and riders to CHI Al Shaqab, president of the ground jury Leif Törnblad (DEN) commented, “I’m sure when word spreads of how good it is, more and more people will come.” This is an important goal for organizers, who hope that by bringing the sport to this part of the world it will encourage people here to give it a try, as there are very few dressage riders in Qatar and no organized shows. The QEF also hopes to be able to field a team someday.
Swiss rider Melanie Hoffman and GB Cazzago C won the Grand Prix Special. Holger-Schupp.de photo
Grand Prix Special
Earlier in the day, six riders took part in the Grand Prix Special, which was won by Swiss rider Melanie Hoffman and GB Cazzago C, a 16-year-old Swiss Warmblood gelding. The pair, who had placed last in the Grand Prix the day before with 61.280%, redeemed themselves with a 67.608, earning their 5,200-euro share of the 60,000€ up for grabs in their first trip to this venue.
Several of the riders were disappointed with their performances, including Morgan Barbançon of Spain, who placed fourth with Heimliche Liebe in a return performance at Al Shaqab. “Yesterday was a total disaster (they scored 63.220 in the grand prix) but she’s improved a lot. She kind of freaked out in this arena. Today I find the points a bit of a pity; I had big mistakes which cost a lot of points. I half-passed to the left in trot and she wanted to canter, so that was very expensive, because I was at 75 per cent then.”
Stabled in Holland, Barbançon is trained by Andreas Helgstrand from Denmark. utilizing a video camera system called Equi Stream so he can teach her from his home. “It’s working great,” she said of this modern solution to the distance problem between coaches and their students.
Note: For complete results, go to chialshaqab.com
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