With three World Cup competitions in two weeks, the
dressage world is moving at full force. Top level competition
has been going on across Europe but, country-wise, it
is Germany which currently sets the pace of World Cup
Victories.
Anky and Rudolf in Amsterdam.
The first weekend of December was reserved for the
beautiful CDI-W in Amsterdam. While the Junior Riders/
Eurodressage was present at that show last year, this
year the team had to skip it. Nevertheless, here are
the happenings and results of Jumping Amsterdam.
In
the Short Grand Prix the race ran between the Bremen
citizen Rudolf Zeilinger and Erp-native Anky van Grunsven.
While Van Grunsven's number one horse Bonfire celebrated
his retirement in grand galore in Amsterdam, Gestion
Joker had to fill in the competition part for owner/rider
Van Grunsven. The Hanoverian gelding Joker (by Prince
Tatch xx) had been out for quite a while due to an injury,
but now he seems to be back all the way. With a 70.49%,
Van Grunsven left Rudolf Zeilinger on Livinjo behind
her (69.32%). Third position was filled in by Sonja
Gademann with Jup.
In the Kur to Music Zeilinger and Van Grunsven made
the crowd sit on the edge of their seat as a 0.15% point
difference, determined the lead. it was the German Rudolf
Zeilinger who took home grand victory. Zeilinger rode
his number one horse Livinjo (Hanoverian by Lysander).
Van Grunsven came in second and Gademann was third again.
A disappointing debut was made by Coby van Baalen on
De Havikerwaard's Welcome. The liver chestnut licensed
stallion Welcome (by World Cup I) was sold by Uwe Schulten-Baumer
to the Van der Kamp family of breeding station De Havikerwaard
three years ago. Uptill now, the stallion was unable
to excel under Leida Strijk, nor under Ebba von Essen,
nor under Coby van Baalen. Welcome scored a bare 65.02%
(11th place) in the Grand Prix and a better 68.96% (11th
place) in the freestyle. More was expected from this
combination which makes one doubt if the show debut
of Van Baalen/Welcome came much too early.
A
more interesting battle had been fought at Intermediaire
I level, as that level presented the upcoming talents
of the leading European riders. On the temperamental
breeding stallion Gestion Junior STV (by Uniform), Anky
van Grunsven won the Intermediaire I with a score of
69.95%. Conrad Schumacher's prime student, Ellen Bontje,
captured the second place on the phlegmatic Rubioso
N. Coby van Baalen's leading "nachwuchspferd"
More Magic did well. With 69.50% in the Intermediaire
I (3rd place) and 73.38% (1st place) in the freestyle,
the combination can be taken into account as a serious
adversary. World Online More Magic is a Westphalian
by Maraschino.
In
the Short Grand Prix the race ran between the Bremen
citizen Rudolf Zeilinger and Erp-native Anky van Grunsven.
While Van Grunsven's number one horse Bonfire celebrated
his retirement in grand galore in Amsterdam, Gestion
Joker had to fill in the competition part for owner/rider
Van Grunsven. The Hanoverian gelding Joker (by Prince
Tatch xx) had been out for quite a while due to an injury,
but now he seems to be back all the way. With a 70.49%,
Van Grunsven left Rudolf Zeilinger on Livinjo behind
her (69.32%). Third position was filled in by Sonja
Gademann with Jup. 
A
more interesting battle had been fought at Intermediaire
I level, as that level presented the upcoming talents
of the leading European riders. On the temperamental
breeding stallion Gestion Junior STV (by Uniform), Anky
van Grunsven won the Intermediaire I with a score of
69.95%. Conrad Schumacher's prime student, Ellen Bontje,
captured the second place on the phlegmatic Rubioso
N. Coby van Baalen's leading "nachwuchspferd"
More Magic did well. With 69.50% in the Intermediaire
I (3rd place) and 73.38% (1st place) in the freestyle,
the combination can be taken into account as a serious
adversary. World Online More Magic is a Westphalian
by Maraschino.
