Holzer Qualifies for Dressage Final at 2008 Olympic Games

Hong Kong, China – Ashley Holzer of Toronto, ON, placed 15th in Saturday’s Grand Prix Special to qualify for the Individual Final at the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong, China. Only the top 15 athletes from an original starting field of 47 qualify to contest the Grand Prix Freestyle, which acts as the Individual Final.

Having placed 19th in the Grand Prix, the first individual qualifier, Holzer was among the top 25 riders who qualified to compete in Saturday night’s Grand Prix Special. There, she and her horse, Pop Art, enjoyed an energetic performance highlighted by a strong piaffe and passage tour, considered the two most difficult movements in the Olympic test. They were rewarded with a score of 68.76% from the panel of five international judges.

“I thought he was great, I am thrilled with him,” said Holzer of Pop Art, an 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by her parents, Ian and Moreen Nicoll, and her husband, Rusty Holzer. “He got a little bit tired at the end, but he did some great piaffe and passage. Everything felt spot-on.”

Holzer, who is based in New York City, had earned a score of 67.042% in the first individual qualifier, the Grand Prix, on Thursday night. Thursday’s score did not carry forward to Saturday.

“Compared to the Grand Prix, I thought he really ramped it up,” said Holzer, 44. “The Grand Prix Special is a hard, long test and, taking into consideration the travel as well, that is hard on these horses. I felt him in there trying, and that is a really good feeling. I loved riding him.”

Holzer, a 1988 Olympic Team Bronze Medalist, will contest the Grand Prix Freestyle, which sees the athletes choreograph required technical music to the music of their choice, on Tuesday evening. At the conclusion of competition, the scores from the Grand Prix Special and the Grand Prix Freestyle will be added together for the final individual placings and the Individual Medals will be awarded.

Currently, Isabell Werth of Germany is leading the individual rankings with a score of 75.200% earned in the Grand Prix Secial riding Satchmo. Her long-time rival, Anky van Grunsven of The Netherlands, took second with a score of 74.96% riding Salinero while another German, Heike Kemmer sits third with 72.960% riding Bonaparte.

For more information, including live results, please visit www.fei.org/olympics.

2008 Olympic Games – Provisional Individual Dressage Standings Following Grand Prix Special

Rider – Country – Horse – Score

1. Isabell Werth – Germany – Satchmo – 75.200%

2. Anky van Grunsven – Netherlands – Salinero – 74.960%

3. Heike Kemmer – Germany – Bonaparte – 72.960%

4. Steffen Peters – United States – Ravel – 71.800%

5. Alexandra Korelova – Russia – Balagur – 71.400%

6. Bernadette Pujals – Mexico – Vincent – 71.000%

7. Hans Peter Minderhoud – Netherlands – Nadine – 70.920%

8. Courtney King – United States – Mythilus – 70.800%

9. Emma Hindle – Great Britain – Lancet – 70.440%

10. Kyra Kyrklund – Finland – Max – 69.720%

15. Ashley Holzer – Toronto, ON – Pop Art – 67.042%

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