Monday September 15, 2003

Wilcox, Gibson, Traurig, and Later, American Proof on European CDI Score Boards

Lisa Wilcox, Michelle Gibson and Christine Traurig continued their European show tour, making a recent stop at the Kampmann Festival CDI in Lingen, Germany, from September 11 to 14, 2003. Lisa Wilcox is the anchor rider of the USET Dressage team, but on European soil she remains to be challenged.

In the Grand Prix, Wilcox finished in a misfit second position behind the Danish Lone Jorgenssen on FWB Kennedy (by Tiro). Gestut Vorwerk's Oldenburg breeding stallion Relevant (by Rubinstein) scored 1780 points under Wilcox. In the Grand Prix kur to music, Wilcox corrected her Grand Prix lapse and strode back into her habitual -- depending on the competition -- number one position. With a 79.80% freestyle, Wilcox left Jorgenssen (78.74%) a full 1% behind her as well as third placed Isabell Werth on good old Anthony FRH (78.31%). The dark bay Anthony (by Argument/T) is like a good red wine - he improves considerably by age.

Michelle Gibson and Christine Traurig were entered in the Lingen Grand Prix for Special class and both did a decent job in gaining valuable show experience with their Grand Prix guinea-pigs World of Dreams and More Magic.

Christine Traurig has improved notably since the CDI Turnier der Sieger in Munster. Aboard Coby van Baalen's former PSG horse More Magic (by Maraschino xx), Traurig placed 9th in the Grand Prix with 1627 points and 9th in the Special with 1689 points. Traurig's former Olympic mount Etienne (by Ehrentusch) has been given as a Grand Prix schoolmaster to Johan Hinnemann's student Martin Stamkotter. Etienne and Stamkotter placed 18th in the Grand Prix with 1496 points.

Michelle Gibson, who's currently taking a Rudolf Zeilinger immersion course with her Hanoverian World of Dreams (by World Cup I), finished 12th in the Grand Prix with 1579 points and 11th in the Special with 1648 points.

For the small tour Wilcox trailered her Bavarian stallion Jazz Time to Lingen. The Prix St Georges was won by Isabell Werth on her delightful Westfalian Richard Kimble (by Raueck) while Wilcox ranked fifth aboard Jazz Time (by Jazz) with 832 points. In the Intermediaire I, the combination shifted into third place with 836 points. The Inter I was won by Australian Kristy Oatley Nist (873 points) on the eyecatcher Oldenburg Rosemount Quando Quando (by Quattro B).