Special third World Cup™ win Anky van
Grunsven
By Claartje van Andel dressagedirect
In the week before Jumping Amsterdam all Dutch press, radio
and television had commented on the new Freestyle of Olympic
champion Anky van Grunsven composed by Wibi Soerjadi. This
Freestyle is supposed to be Van Grunsven’s new Olympic
Freestyle. From last week on the music even can be downloaded
from the website of Soerjadi and Van Grunsven’s own website.
For the second consecutive year the virtuoso was in Amsterdam
to witness the performance of the Freestyle he composed. And
for the second year he could celebrate the win! Last year Imke
Schellekens-Bartels was the winner, this year Anky van
Grunsven took over the lead.
Anky van Grunsven and IPS Salinero danced
to their third victory in a World Cup™ Qualifier in
Amsterdam Picture Karin van der Meul©
The chairman of the
judges Wim Ernes praised the organizers and the riders.
As
the tension always builds up towards a final, a very strong
field of competitors had entered the Amsterdam Horseshow. “The
first three were of a very special level. Anky, Imke and Kyra,
they all were top of the bill. However they were followed by a
strong second part with good competition. Especially Dutch
Stéphanie Peters showed great progress. Another surprise was
British Camilla Sygall”, Ernes commented.
“After a bit of
an insecure start due to the very enthusiast but noisy crowd
and some flashlights, I felt very happy with my horse IPS
Salinero and my test, after London my debut for the Dutch of
my new Freestyle”, Anky van Grunsven said.
Dutch Stéphanie Peters showed great progress Picture Claartje van Andel dressagedirect
It can be considered as something very special indeed that
two dedicated individuals have found each other again in
emotion. The professionals are not sharing the same high level
of knowing the details of each other’s skills and profession.
They manage their own enterprises, at their own expenses.
However they recognized each other’s skills, world class
standard and emotion. “Everything in my music for Anky called
‘Dance of devotion’ is made to measure”, Soerjadi explained.
“It’s not about listening to the music, it’s about feeling the
music. I needed no less than 16 voices in the canter to
express all aspects.”
Van Grunsven agreed with the feeling
of Soerjadi: “Especially when I make the transition from the
walk into the canter I feel a very special harmony and
emotion. I am totally happy with my new Freestyle music now.
We have changed it a little after my first ride in London.
Together with the continuing developments and growth of
Salinero, I cannot think of a nicer piece of music now to
express what IPS Salinero and me are doing than this one.”
Listen yourself to Anky’s Freestyle in Amsterdam here:
British Camilla Sygall and D.J. surprised
the judges Picture Claartje van Andel dressagedirect
Hope for wild card
Just like in Mechelen, Imke Schellekens-Bartels became the
runner up twice. After the Freestyle she blamed herself
totally for the mistake in the second pirouette. “I made an
expensive mess around the second pirouette. Hunter Douglas
Sunrise is not to blame, she gave me a great feeling. My own
mistake took a lot of points away as the pirouette has the
qualifier two. Another thing I noticed after my test is the
rhythm of the canter and my music. The canter of Sunrise is
starting to change a bit. Probably we have to work a little on
that in the Freestyle.”
Riding the last qualifier in
Neumünster doesn’t fit in the training schedule of
Schellekens. “Riding the World Cup™ Final in my home country
would be great of course. In the rankings three Dutch are
ahead of me. Probably a wild card can be considered by the
World Cup™ Committee”, Imke Schellekens-Bartels hopes.
A hope for a wild card? Imke Schellekens
and Hunter Douglas Sunrise Picture Claartje van Andel dressagedirect
Hong Kong first objective
Kyra Kyrklund said that to get as high as possible at the
Olympic ranking list is her first objective. She will ride in
Neumünster in the last World Cup™ qualifier of the Western
European League. “It looks like I have a good chance of
competing in the Final after a good ride in Neumünster as well
and of course I’ll take my chance than”, Kyrklund stated. Her
Cabaret-music is very well fitting to the horse that went in
great harmony but sometimes could be a little more loose to
the opinion of the judges. “To me the relaxation and harmony
of Max and Kyrklund was outstanding. In the freeness of the
paces she lost a tiny bit compared to Sunrise and
Schellekens-Bartels and I rewarded the music of
Schellekens-Bartels with 0,5 more because of the degree of
difficulty, also in timing”, chairman Ernes explained.
Cancellations
Some competitors this time had to cancel their
participation.
Swiss Silvia Iklé who has been in the news
recently because of her drop out of the Olympic Games now
stayed at home because of some fractures due to a nasty fall
on the floor when teaching. Laurens van Lieren cancelled his
entrée.
Western European Leaderboard after
Amsterdam
Please note that due to a change of rules for the season
2007-2008 the actual title defender does not receive World
Cup™ Points! This season title defender Isabell Werth has been
the winner in Odense and Frankfurt but for this reason is not
listed in the rankings. Canadian Evi Strasser did receive
World Cup™ Points in London and Mechelen as she asked the FEI
to qualify through the Western European League. The same
counts for American Catherine Haddad and Heather Blitz living
in Germany and Denmark respectively and Mexican Bernadette
Pujals.
1. Anky VAN GRUNSVEN (NED) 60
2. Anders DAHL (DEN)
56
3. Nathalie ZU SAYN WITTGENSTEIN (DEN) 39
4. Laurens
VAN LIEREN (NED) 43
5. Jeroen DEVROE (BEL) 41
6. Jan
BRINK (SWE) 40
7. Patricia CALLAGHAN (NED) 35
8.
Catherina HADDAD (USA) 34
8. Imke SCHELLEKENS-BARTELS
34
10. Kyra KYRKLUND FIN 32
11. Louise NATHHORST (SWE)
31
12. Victoria MAX THEURER (AUT) 29
13. Andreas
HELGSTRAND DEN 28
14. Stéphanie PETERS NED 24
15.
Stephanie CROXFORD GBR 23
16. Evi Strasser CAN 22
More on the show in Amsterdam on www.jumpingamsterdam.nl/
