2005 Dutch Dressage Championships

Anky van Grunsven, Star of Holland for the 12th time

June 6, 2005

Anky van Grunsven has become the Dutch national dressage champion for the twelfth time in her career and continues to be the absolute star rider on the Dutch dressage scene. Aboard her Hanoverian gelding Salinero (by Salieri x Lungau), van Grunsven rode a new world record of 87.00% in the kur to music and confirmed her absolute reign in Holland.

Edward Gal finished in silver medal position after three lovely rides on his freshly licensed KWPN stallion Lingh (by Flemmingh x Columbus). Revelation of the show was, without a doubt, bronze medallist Laurens van Lieren. The 23-year old former Young Rider got the maximum out of his own bred Hexagon's Ollright (by Rubiquil x Zeoliet) and stormed to a third place in the overall ranking. Besides the bronze medal, he immediately landed a spot in the Dutch team for the 2005 European Championships in Moscow.

Though the crowd cheered the most for Laurens van Lieren, it was Anky's kur "L'Esprit Chanson" that stole the hearts of the judges once again. The movements were no longer exactly to the rhythm of the horse, but it was still the nicest ride of the day.

There were no big mistakes in her freestyle ride, just a few minor imperfections. A small hiccup in the single changes, the extended trot a bit held back and Salinero pushed a little on the bit in the tempi's, but overall these were just tiny details in a ride that showed much progress since the Olympic Games. Salinero no longer dramatically opened his front legs in the piaffe and in general he was light in the contact.

"Today I had the best feeling ever. I am finally getting to know him," Van Grunsven commented. "Despite some tension, he remained loose in the body."

Anky winning her twelfth national title seemed a normality to many, but after the Grand Prix on Friday, some doubt arose. Van Grunsven finished second in the Grand Prix with 75.166%, while her student Edward Gal was 2% ahead of her with 77.416%.

"It seemed like people were actually hoping for me not to win," Anky said. "He [Salinero] was too tense on Friday and the weather wasn't at my side. I rather have 40° outside than rain. On Saturday there were too many little things that weren't good, but on Sunday I had the best ride so far. I know I can still do better, but at the moment this is the best he can do. It really felt like an 87%," she said with much pride.

Text and Photos copyrighted Astrid Appels/Eurodressage - No reproduction allowed
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