Germany is leading the Dressage Team competition at the end of the first day
Twenty-six riders out of 56 have competed in the first session of the Grand Prix Team competition, which also serves as 1st qualifier for the individual medals. The German team achieved 71.813 % after their two first riders Heike Kemmer / Bonaparte and Hubertus Schmidt / Wansuela Suerto. With a combined score of 69.146 %, United States lays in second place after rides from Günter Seidel and Lisa Wilcox, who has only recently returned to competition, after six months out with an injury to her horse Relevant 5. Close followers are Great Britain (69.084%), bronze medallist at 2003 European Championship and Spain (68.771%).
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The top two finishers after 26 of 52 riders in the Individual Grand Prix 1st Qualifier, (L-R) leader Rafael Soto (Invasor) of Spain, 72.292, and Hubertus Schmidt (Wansuela Suerte) of Germany, 72.333 photo © Janus Communications |
Hubertus Schmidt (GER) finished on second position with 72.333 % on his 11 year old Hannoverian mare Wansuela Suerte by Warkant and St.Pr Westika. “I am very satisfied with what we did” he commented, “My horse felt very loose. I was afraid it would be too hot today but this was not the case.” This is the first Olympic participation for 45 year old Hubertus Schmidt, who placed 3rd in the FEI World Cup Final in April this year.
Heike Kemmer and Bonaparte are placed third on the Intermediate result list with a score of 71.292 %.
The second part of the Grand Prix competition will start tomorrow 21 August at 8:30 and decide on the Dressage Team medal, to be awarded at 13:15, Greek time.
Grand Prix Dressage Day 1 Photo Gallery
Minna TELDE (SWE) - Team member Leslie Reid talks to the press after her ride.
On her performance with SACK
''I am satisfied. I was relaxed and kept SACK relaxed too. The mistakes were all my fault. Probably because of the pressure. He was great. The heat is actually good for him''.
Leslie REID (CAN) - Team member
On her performance with MARK
''My horse is very young and this is the first participation in Olympic Games for both of us. We were both nervous. He was not as fluent as he normally is. I should have done more steps in the piaff but he was tight so I left early. He made good flying changes though and lovely pirouettes''.
On the favourites
''There are at least ten very good horses. I think that the for final top five it will be a very tight competition".
Nina STADLINGER (AUT) - Team member
On her performance
''I was very tense and so was my horse. He can feel he is a big event and the crowd made him nervous. I have been riding him for seven years now and we have participated in many events. Today we did our best''.
Guenter SEIDEL (USA) - Team member
On his horse
"The passages were a bit more tensed today. He was not going forward enough. The trot and walk were fine but he completely fell out on the first pirouette. In general I'm not disappointed with him or our performance. He pretty much stayed focus. This is his first Olympic Games and I must say he is in the right track".
On the team
"I don't feel more pressure competing for a team. When you are out there, you are on your own. Team is more about sharing the experience with your teammates. At a championship of this level, there is always on your mind that there are a lot of people, including your teamates, who sacrified a lot of time and money for these few minutes of competition".
Raphael SOTO (ESP) - Team member
"I'm proud of my horse and of what we did today. Our performance is the result of a team and common effort. I'm glad that in our third Olympic Games my horse and I can still do well. Ever since I was young I admired the Germans in Dressage and I wanted to do what they did, though riding an Andalusian horse."
On his Team performance:
"We have to keep our feet on the ground. What I did today is very helpful for the others and I hope the others will do good as well. Just wait and see tomorrow."
On his horse:
"Of course it is important to train your horse accurately, but the most important thing is to be his friend. He has to understand who is the boss, but it is also a matter of friendship. I wasn't bothered by the heat, actually I felt cold and so did my horse. My horse is not any different from the others, he's Andalusian and I would love to ride an Andalusian horse again. However I like to ride good horses whatever they are. It is our third Olympic Games though and today we got our best Olympic score ever. Some people thought that after two Olympics we wouldn't do good here, but now we proved they were wrong. There will be no more Olympic Games for my horse though."
On his riding style and the secret of his success:
"A good training is important of course and I actually think I ride in a classical way. The secret though is that in my country we feel things differently and we express them differently. So I believe that this is what makes the difference in my style. There is more personal expression in our riding."
On the form of BEAUVALAIS, the horse of fellow team member Beatriz FERRER-SALAT (ESP):
"He is in great form and I think he is one of the medal contenders for the Individual competition."
Hubertus SCHMIDT (GER) - Team member
On his performance
"The piaffe could have been nicer. Nevertheless, I am very happy. We had a good team result. We have proved that we deserve to be in the team". "I am very satisfied with what we did. My horse felt very loose, we had already been here a few days now and we have been training hard. I was afraid that it would be too hot today, but this was not the case."
On the feeling
"The pressure during the qualification was higher. To be at the Olympic Games is a dream and the pressure increases".
On his Team:
"I am very content with my Team result so far. Still we have to wait and see what Martin SCHAUDT (GER) and Ulla SALZGEBER (GER) will do, but I believe they will have two very good tests. We have though also two very good Spaniards and the USA Team, but I have a good feeling about tomorrow."
Daniel RAMSEIER (SUI) - Team member
On his performance
"The heat didn't upset me. There was a nice breeze. The arena was very good, with a very good footing".
On his horse
"My horse is quite young. We have been together for just over an year. I believe he gave his best, though he was a little tense. He didn't do very well on the piaffe".
Per SANDGAARD (DEN) -Team member
On his horse
"I pushed him more than I should have. I was eager to show everybody what a good horse he is. The applause made him a bit nervous".
On his team
"We have a good chance and we are doing well so far. We believe that we can go for the bronze, along with USA and Spain".
Tinne VILHELMSON (SWE) -Team member
On her performance
"I made two mistakes I shouldn't have done. It was rather hot today and I am not used to ride in these weather conditions. In general I am pleased with the score".
Louisa HILL (NZL) -Team member
On her performance with GABANA
"It is the first time we ever competed in front of such lively spectators. We don't have this atmosphere in New Zealand and I'm delighted with the way she coped with it. I am a little disappointed with the score. Actually we didn't train as much as I would have liked. The horse suffered travelling sickness and she was influenced by the differences of the climate since it is winter right now in New Zealand".
Marlies van BAALEN (NED) - Team member
On her performance
"I am a little disappointed with the score. I made two big mistakes, trying to go to the right. It is my first time in the Olympic Games. I hope I do better in four years".
On her horse
"He is rather sensitive. Although he is a stallion, a matcho-boy, he is easy to handle".
On her training
"My mother (Coby) is my trainer. She has always been with me. She is very nervous when I compete, as I was when she was competing".
Carl HESTER (GBR) - Team member
On his performance with ESCAPADO
"Let's say that if I died I would be a happy man now. My horse gave me the hottest ride ever. He was nervous in the beginning because the crowd cheered him on. He is very young, only nine years old, but he is very talented".
On his participation in the Athens Games
"I haven't been competing lately and everybody believed that I shouldn't be on the British team. I pushed myself to make it and compete in Athens, but we had little time to practise and prepare for the Olympics. I kept praying that the management would give a chance to compete here and, as you see, they did".
On being the trailblazer for his Team
"These are my fourth Olympic Games. The trainer elected me to be the first rider to go and to be honest I didn't want to go. But there was no point in arguing".
Lone JOERGENSEN (DEN) - Team member
On her performance with his horse LUDEWIG G
"This is the first Grand Prix test for him. He is only nine years old and none of us thought that we would make it to be here. We did pretty well in the piaffe, the pirouette and the changes".
On his former horse KENNEDY ridden now by Robert DOVER (USA)
"This is not the first time we will cross paths with KENNEDY in a major competition. The first time it happened I felt strange. I hope he is well treated in the US, because he is a brilliant horse. If USA and DENMARK go head to head for a medal and DOVER and KENNEDY are the last to go, I hope KENNEDY makes a bad performance".
Imke SCHELL-BARTELS (NED) - Team member
On her perfomance
"It doesn't seem different from competing in other events. My coach told me to be concentrated and to take one thing at a time. I made a few mistakes, I was the first to compete for my country and they are all pleased with my performance".
On Anky VAN GRUNSVENS' support
"Anky helps me very much in the technical details and she is very supportive. She is my groom and coach at the same time. I thank her a lot for all the things she has done for me".
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