Dutch in the Lead After Day 1

With Imke Schellekens-Bartels in pole position and Hans Peter Minderhoud lying third after the first half of the Team Grand Prix concluded at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Kentucky, USA today, the much-fancied Dutch team look set to live up to expectations and chase the one title that has always eluded them. The history of the Dressage World Team Championship has been completely dominated by Germany since 1966, but for a single victory for Russia, ironically on the hallowed German turf at Aachen, back in 1970.

The Netherlands however are the new powerhouse in the world of dressage, and today they took a strong lead in the race for the World team title. However a superb test from Christoph Koschel and Donnperignon who slotted into second has guaranteed the old rivalry with Germany will continue unabated as the second tranche of riders take their turn tomorrow. When Koschel’s mark of 72.368 was added to the 67.702 awarded to team-mate Anabel Balkenhol and Dablino who slotted into twelfth place, then Germany was assured of second position on the team leaderboard at the halfway stage with just over five points separating the two nations. But they need to be careful, because the British were impressive when taking two top-ten places – Fiona Bigwood and Wie Atlantico de Ymas filling fourth spot and Maria Eilberg and Two Sox claiming tenth. And with Carl Hester and Laura Bechtolsheimer still to come, the British are a force to be reckoned with.

SET THE BALL ROLLING
Minderhoud set the ball rolling when fifth into the arena this morning, and his score of 72.255 was little short of a miracle considering what had happened to his mare, Exquis Nadine, two days ago. “I walked her out for some light training on Saturday and she was very relaxed as we came back, so I was riding her on a long rein. But she slipped and her hind legs went straight out behind her and she fell on her knees and we fell over. She had scrapes on her front and back legs, but she trotted OK afterwards and she was fine for the vet-check” he explained.

He might have been tempted to be extra cautious today but said “I decided to just go for it and she did her job as she always does. She has always had a great attitude in the ring” he added.

In the afternoon Schellekens-Bartels cemented the Dutch dominance with a typically light and happy test from Hunter Douglas Sunrise that was marred only by an error in the half-pass sequence. She blamed herself afterwards. “She was really really good, and it was the best test I’ve ever done but I forgot to prepare her for a change and she did what I told her instead – I just made a stupid mistake” she pointed out. Her mark of 73.447 was still good enough to boost the Dutch position.

ENORMOUS PRESENCE
It was during the penultimate session that Koschel took his turn with his 11 year old dark-chestnut gelding Donnperignon who has enormous presence in the ring. And the judges were in general agreement about the quality of his performance – judge at E Ghislain Fourage (Ned) awarding 72.340, judge at H Linda Lang (USA) awarding 75.435, judge at C Stephen Clarke (GBR) awarding 72.979, judge at M Cara Witham (Can) awarding 69.574 and judge at B Evi Eisenhardt (Ger) awarding 72.979.

The horses the crowd are all waiting to see however will be on stage tomorrow afternoon, and dressage fans are in for a real treat because this week the giants of two continents – Holland’s Edward Gal and the breath-taking Moorlands Totilas and American stars Steffen Peters and Ravel will at last go head-to-head. Ravel stole the limelight when winning the FEI World Cup™ Dressage title in Las Vegas in 2009, while Totilas has broken so many records in the last 14 months that he has become one of the most famous horses on the globe.

Today at the Kentucky Horse Park, Gal received his first copy of a new book produced by Dutch photo-journalist Jacob Mellisen which celebrates the life and times – to date – of Totilas and Gal said that his star horse has travelled well to the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™. But he’s a bit fresh. “He spent two days in quarantine and he could only be walked in hand so he was a bit wild when I got back up on him – we will have to see how he is tomorrow!” he said.

Tomorrow’s action begins at 08.34 local time and history will be re-written if the Dutch can take the World team title for the first time. But with Matthias Alexander Rath and Isabell Werth still to go for Germany the page has not yet been turned…..

Results:

Team Grand Prix Part 1 (After 2 riders have completed):
1. The Netherlands 145.702 – Hunter Douglas Sunrise (Imke Schellekens-Bartels) 73.447, Exquis Nadine (Hans Peter Minderhoud) 72.255.
2. Germany 140.340 – Donnperignon (Christoph Koschel) 72.638, Dablino (Anabel Balkenhol) 67.702.
3. Great Britain 138.341 – Wie Atlantico de Ymas (Fiona Bigwood) 70.128, Two Sox (Maria Eilberg) 68.213.

Individual Standings
1. Hunter Douglas Sunrise (Imke Schellekens-Bartels) Ned 73.447;
2, Donnperignon (Christoph Koschel) Ger 72.638
3, Exquis Nadine (Hans Peter Minderhoud) Ned 72.255
4, Wie-Atlantico de Ymas (Fiona Bigwood) GBR 70.128
5, Nartan (Katherine Bateson-Chandler) USA 69.617
6, Gredstedgards Casmir (Sune Hansen) Den 69.106
7, Anton (Belinda Trussell) Can 69.021
8, Sini Spirit (Emma Kanerva) Fin 68.851
9, Jaybee Alabaster (Rachael Sanna) Aus 68.809
10, Two Sox (Maria Eilberg) GBR 68.213

Facts and Figures:
– 31 horses started today
– 14 teams are competing for the World title
– There are riders from 20 nations
– Competitors are fighting for three sets of medals – Team Championship, Grand Prix Special and Freestyle.

Quotes:
Hans Peter Minderhoud, Netherlands team “We have a good chance of taking the gold medal, but we have two riders still to go and do their test and after what happened to me on Saturday you never know what can happen. We’ve made a good start, but we must wait to see what happens tomorrow”.

The Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ is the World Championship of equestrian sport and runs for 16 days, from Saturday 25 September to Sunday 10 October. It includes eight separate disciplinses – Reining, Endurance, Dressage, Eventing, Driving, Jumping, Vaulting and Para-Dressage – and this is the first time for the Games to be held outside Europe.