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Anky van Grunsven and Salinero win World Cup Final
Anky van Grunsven & Salinero at Athens Photograph:Franz Venhaus |
This is Anky's eighth win and the third with Salinero.
Magic in Amsterdam!
As Anky van Grunsven left the arena after the freestyle that was to ensure her hat-trick FEI World Cup victory in a row with Keltec Salinero, and historic eighth victory overall, the Amsterdam audience erupted.
Performing to the ‘Esprit Chansons’ programme created by Cees Slings and Victor Kerkhof, the undisputed doyenne of freestyle and her 12-year-old Hanoverian gelding carried out a beautiful test that nearly matched their record-breaking score at the final qualifier at Indoor Brabant and brought the home crowd at the Final to their feet.
“I liked everything about today”, said van Grunsven. “So far, it was the best test Salinero has ever done. He was relaxed but still going for it.” Chairman of the Ground Jury Vincenzo Truppa commented: “I was so moved during Anky’s performance that I gave a 10 for the interpretation of the music. The top three riders gave us top sport, and so did the organisation. Thanks to them the 2006 World Cup Final was magic”.
In second place, Germany’s Isabell Werth and Warum Nicht FRH just got the edge over Sweden’s Jan Brink and Bjorsell’s Briar. Werth, after her 81 per cent score with the ten-year-old Warum Nicht, said: “I was really happy with Hannes. He is on such a high level now. The mistake in the two -time changes was my fault - I asked a bit too quick and he was surprised. His attitude is fantastic, he has grown so much, now I just hope we can grow even more together, step by step.”
Edward Gal’s fourth place represented a much improved performance over his and Lingh’s mistake-ridden grand prix. Although understandable riding more tentatively since Lingh was discovered to have a bruise on his side after Thursday’s test (although this responded well to cooling treatments), this was more back to form for the Dutch pair. On 79 per cent, they took a clear lead going into the first break. Compatriot Imke Schellekens-Bartels finished fifth with the light -on-her-feet mare Sunrise three percent in arrears but still showing there is more to come. Just a fraction behind, Germany’s Ann Kathrin Linsenhoff and her Hanoverian mare Wahajama- UNICEF also produced some harmonious and elegant movements.
The atmosphere was abuzz, but poor Laurens van Lieren took the brunt yet still showed the great partnership he has with Hexagon’s Ollright. After one mistake, a huge crash of crockery disturbed everyone’s, let alone Ollright’s concentration, but he was back, listening, without delay. The strength of the pair’s partnership recorded a 75 per cent score and an honourable seventh place in their first FEI World Cup Final. “I love my horse even more after today” said van Lieren, “the way he can back to focus was amazing.”
FEI WORLD CUP FINAL FREESTYLE TO MUSIC
1, Keltec Salinero (Anky van Grunsven NED) 87.75
2, Warum Nicht (Isabell Werth GER) 81.15
3, Bjorsells Briar (Jan Brink SWE) 79.32 4, Group 4 Securicor Lingh (Edward Gal NED) 79.07 5, Sunrise (Imke Schellekens-Bartels NED) 76.96 6, Wahajama UNICEF (Ann Kathrin Linsenhoff GER) 76.75 7, Hexagon’s Ollright (Laurens van Lieren NED) 75.30 8, Guinness (Louise Nathhorst SWE) 73.80 9, Hardthof’s Ludewig (Lone Joergensen DEN) 72.70 10, Paganini (Jeroen Devroe BEL) 71.05 11, Donatha S (Ellen Schulten-Baumer GER) 70.37 12, Wild One (Arlene Page USA) 69.65
Freestyle Results. And don't forget to check out Roger Fitzhardinge's reports.
Grand Prix
The reigning champions were given a hushed atmosphere in Amsterdam’s Europahal for their test, many elements of which pleased van Grunsven. She said: “Keltec Salinero felt good. He was a little bit tense in his extended walk and for myself, the zig zag could have been better but he even stood for his last halt which was pretty spectacular!”
Bjorsells Briar and Warum Nicht FRH were close together in second and third places for Jan Brink and Isabell Werth respectively. Judge at C, Britain’s Jennie Loriston-Clarke, commented: “It was a good class with some nice performances. The piaffe and passage were highlights for Anky. Jan had a mistake in the two-time changes but the rest was steady throught and Isabell’s Warum Nicht, in an otherwise lovely test, just lost his balance in the final extended trot which was a shame as it had been worth a ‘nine’ until that point.”
Mrs Loriston-Clarke also picked out Imke Schellekens-Bartels’ fourth placed test with Sunrise which showed “some very nice work” and US rider Arlene Page’s seventh placed test with Wild One, a great start in the pair’s debut representing their country.
Unfortunately not all the riders had the easiest time. Edward Gal’s Lingh made a lot of mistakes and Wahajama UNICEF ‘blew up’ in the first piaffe passage tour which was disappointing for Ann Kathrin Linsenhoff and while poor Cindy Ishoy got little co-operation from Proton.
But all who qualified for the Final on Saturday have it all to play for. The playing field is level with just the freestyle scores to count, and with a sell-out crowd the atmosphere should be hot for the 2006 FEI World Cup Dressage Final.
Result
FEI World Cup Final Grand Prix
Presented by Kampmann
TIMETABLE
11.15 FEI World Cup ‘B’ Final (for riders placed 13-18)
Media Contact
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