Dutch Team Wins Nations Cup Grand Prix Dressage in Rotterdam

Edward Gal's lap of honor on Blue Hors Romanov (Photo: CHIO.nl)

Swedish Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven had the highest individual 5* Grand Prix score at the CDIO Rotterdam (Netherlands). After two days of 5* international Grand Prix, the Dutch team including Edward Gal riding Glock's Undercover, Imke Schellekens-Bartels riding Hunter Douglas Toots, reigning Olympic champion Anky van Grunsven riding Salinero and Hans Peter Minderhoud showing KWPN-approved Glock's Tango became the winners of the Nations Cup dressage. The individual winner of the 5* Grand Prix was the Swedish Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven riding Don Aurelio. Her score was 75.830%, enough to outperform Edward Gal who ended second with Glock's Undercover and a score of 74.085%. Third place reached Spanish Morgan Barbançon showing KWPN-approved IPS Painted Black, the former mount of Anky van Grunsven. Adelinde Cornelissen and Jerich and Parzival missed both the Dutch championships and the CHIO Rotterdam, both Olympic observation trials for the Dutch. Cornelissen prefers to make her own planning towards the Olympic Games and wanted to have more time after the Reem Acra Word Cup Final to properly build up, she explained. Their first putting will be a national event next week.

Chef d'equipe Sjef Janssen (Photo: CHIO.nl)

Chef d'equipe Sjef Janssen is still puzzling for his Olympic team as the scores for the Dutch in this competition were very close. Yesterday the Grand Prix 3* riders performed for the same judges panel sitting at exactly the same place as today. Dutch Patrick van der Meer scored with his former world champion Uzzo a promising 75.043%. This won was followed by the Grand Prix Special win tonight as well "I wish I had more competitions like this to make up my mind," said Janssen, not being able to make up his mind yet.

Winner Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven enjoyed her ride today: "I performed my test with a big smile on my face. Don Aurelio was really easy to ride." Her score assured Sweden of second place with 72.113 in the Nations Cup. Both Tinne Vilhelmsson-Silfvén and Patrik Kittel have already been nominated to the Swedish Olympic team.

Dutch Patrick van der Meer scored with his former world champion Uzzo a promising 75.043% (Photo: CHIO.nl)

Results Nations Cup Dressage
1. The Netherlands – 73,660
2. Sweden - 72.113
3. Belgium - 71.426
4. Denmark 70,355%
5. Spain 70.270%
6. Germany 69,972%
7. Great Britain 68,121%
8. Switzerland 65,525%