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2002
World Equestrian Games
Nadine
Capellmann, World Champion Dressage
 The
dressage phase at the 2002 World Equestrian Games in
Jerez de la Frontera, Spain, came to a conclusion with
Nadine Capellmann being named and judged the new World
Champion. Aboard her Westfalian gelding Farbenfroh,
she rode an 83.675% freestyle which ranked her third
in the kur but due to her accumulated marks in the Grand
Prix and Special, she claimed the world title with a
total of 237.515 points.
At
exactly 12 AM midnight, Capellmann received the individual
gold medal after already having won the team gold with
Ulla Salzgeber, Klaus Husenbeth and Ann Kathrin Linsenhoff.
The individual silver medal went to the Spanish Beatriz
Ferrer Salat and Beauvalais. Ferrer Salat scored 82.825%
in the kur (3rd place) and had a 234.385 total. The
bronze medal was won by Ulla Salzgeber and Rusty. The
combination won the freestyle with 83.775% but had lost
too many points in the Grand Prix Special to finish
higher than in bronze position.
While
the individual podium was the expected judged formation,
the true winner of the competition stood an unfortunate
fourth place. Debbie McDonald and Brentina were the
only duo to ride a crisp, totally flawless freestyle
which moved from one highlight into another. Brentina
is such a stylish, elegant and powerful mare and in
the freestyle she was with her rider every stride. Scoring
a phenomenal 82.700% for her kur, it was not enough
to have put her on her rightful podium place, which
would have been the silver position.
 Capellmann
was strong in the Grand Prix and Special but burnt out
in the freestyle. Farbenfroh piaffed without pezzaz,
came deep regularly but excelled in his traversal movements.
Beatriz Ferrer Salat rode an electric, energetic test
but Beauvalais is too often tight in the neck and his
movements become hectic instead of controlled. Being
the home favorite due to her Spanish nationality, Ferrer
Salat probably received a tidbit more than she earned.
Salzgeber's musical composition still moved the crowds
the most, but Rusty was ticklish in the piaffe with
his right hind and broke into canter in the extended
trot.
Judge
at H, Mariette Withages, judged the freestyle in the
way the podium places should have been distributed:
gold for Capellmann, silver for McDonald and bronze
for Salzgeber. Judge Volker Moritz, however, commented
that "it was a brilliant test, otherwise she would
not have got an 82%, but she [Brentina] was just not
quite as engaged from behind like she was in the Special,
and there were a few small mistakes."
American
Lisa Wilcox scored 82.650% with her kur and ranked fifth
overall. Her Relevant just lacked that bit of power
needed for a flashing extended trot and seemed tired
in the passage. Yet, the chestnut was better and steadier
in the mouth than the two tests before and the combination
has definitely made its break through on the scene as
one of the top five riders in the world.
 Sue
Blinks had the show of her life time. Both the Grand
Prix and the Special were Flim Flam's best tests ever,
but he had a little "stage fright" for the
freestyle. Scheduled for the evening, the freestyle
with the spot lights and music made the arena look bigger
and more scary for Flim Flam than the days before.
Chef
d'Equipe of the American dressage team questioned the
judging of the freestyle. "We are at a historical
moment in time, in which the judging is changing and
some judges chose the safer path instead of the newer,
more open path," she said.
Read
an extensive report of the freestyle later this week
as coverage of the 2002 World Equestrian Games continues
to grow.
Related
Link
Horsesdaily
On the Scene at the 2002 World Equestrian Games
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