Sunday October 6, 2002

Sue Blinks On a Roll in Europe

Sue Blinks has tasted the flavor of success in Europe. After her "best-ever" performance at the 2002 World Equestrian Games in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain, Blinks continues to excel with her star mount Flim Flam (Hann, by Wilhelm Tell). At the CDI Euroclassics Bremen in Germany, Blinks scored 71.88% in the Grand Prix and 77.11% in the freestyle.

The Euroclassics Bremen is the first big time dressage competition after the World Equestrian Games that featured WEG riders like Ulla Salzgeber, Klaus Husenbeth and Shannon Dueck. WEG Bronze medallist Ulla Salzgeber dominated both Grand Prix classes aboard her second horse Wallstreet. The Russian gelding is slowly being moulded into a number one top scoring mount. With recent victory at the CDI Mesikon in Switzerland, he now performed to the Salzgeber's expectations in Bremen. Salzgeber scored 74.44% and 79.24% with Wallstreet and placed first twice. She overpowered German team rider Klaus Husenbeth who did bring along his WEG mount, the Hanoverian gelding Piccolino (by Prince Tatch xx). Husenbeth considers the CDI Bremen his home competition and placed second twice with 74.24 and 77.52% marks.

American Sue Blinks and her sensible Flim Flam ranked third twice after two beautiful rides which had the necessary pezzaz in them for Blinks to score. Sucessful come-back kid was Ingrid Klimke who reclaimed her firm grip on a top five placing at the CDI's with the Belgian warmblood Nector van het Carelshof (by Randel Z). Klimke put her show career on hold to give birth to daughter Greta Klimke in August, but has now put on her shadbelly again to aspire a German A-team position.

American Kamilla Dupont, who has been living in Germany for many years now, finished 15th in the Grand Prix aboard her grey Hanoverian Reveille (by Raphael x Gotthard). The combination scored 63.92%

by Astrid Appels

Related Links
Scores CDI Euroclassics Bremen at Eurodressage.com
Horsesdaily On the Scene at the 2002 World Equestrian Games