2005 Dutch Dressage Championships

Edward Gal Happy with Silver, Laurens van Lieren Ecstatic with Bronze

Last year's winner of the Championships, Edward Gal, now received the silver medal. On Friday, Gal won the Grand Prix with an impressive 77.416% but couldn't hang on to that pole position in the Special. A mistake in the tempi changes every single stride pushed his score down to 75.00%. His kur to music, however, earned him an 82.275%.

"I'm not disappointed that I got the silver," Gal commented, "He went super on Friday and I wanted to hold on to that, but in the Special I couldn't get it done and just rode a safe test, while I really went for it in the Grand Prix. In the kur I had some tension in the changes."

The bay stallion Lingh didn't show enough overtrack in the extended walk and had his mouth open several times in the test. He didn't look as fresh and brilliant as we are used of him, but nevertheless he still shone in the ring. The trot half passes were incredibly steep and the piaffe remains to be a highlight movement of this horse.

More highlights came from Laurens van Lieren and Hexagon's Ollright. The duo rode to music of Queen and had a very high technical difficulty level with tempi changes on the circle. The piaffe and passage were balanced and rhythmical and especially the extended trot was breath taking. "Me and my horse performed at top level today," Van Lieren explained. "Everything went right and we were riding well to the music. I really enjoyed the ride."

Van Lieren was the number three of the show throughout the weekend. In the Grand Prix he placed third with 72.041% and in the Special he was third with 72.160%. "In the Grand Prix he was good, but I knew he could do better," Van Lieren said. "In the Special we had an error in the tempi's every two strides."

With three riders scoring in the low and mid seventies in the Grand Prix and over 80% in the kur to music, Holland will probably be sending its strongest team ever to the European Championships in Moscow.

"The numbers 1-2-3 for the team are very clear to me," Chef d'Equipe Sjef Jansen said. "Both Salinero and Lingh have been competing much lately so they will take it easy now. For Laurens we have to lay out the right path. Now that he's scoring so high, he has to select his international shows really carefully."

Jansen has four to five other riders in mind who have a chance for the fourth place on the Dutch team. He is thinking of Sven Rothenberger, Imke Schellekens (who unfortunately had to withdraw from the kur because her horse was slightly uneven), Kirsten Beckers, Anne van Uytert and Stephanie Peters.

Jansen confessed not having seen all the rides in Nijmeghen "because I was busy with my students," but he is certain that "we can send a team with three top horses." He will announce the official Dutch team for Moscow on June 28.

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