Anky Wins GPS at 2005 FEI European Dressage Championship

The Grand Prix Special class of the 2005 FEI European Dressage Championship in Hagen was won by Anky van Grunsven (NED) on Keltec Salinero with a result of 76.160%. She is followed by home rider Hubertus Schmidt on Wansuela Suerte (75.720%) and Britain’s Carl Hester on Escapado (74.720%). The Dutch queen remains therefore in the lead of the overall standings with a total of 153.577. With 150.345% Hubertus Schmidt is in runner up position; Sweden’s Jan Brink on Björsells Briar 899 take the 3rd place with 148.012%.

The day began under a leaden sky and torrential rain. As the morning went on the downpour gradually stopped and the day turned out to be one of absolute sporting excellence. Every rider seemed to be outdoing the previous one. All were impressive but mistakes occurred which has made the scores very close. The outcome still remains open.

Anky made her entry in the competition arena on a very tense Keletec Salinero. The television camera at P had clearly scared him but being the excellent horse that he is he did not want to make mistakes. The ride was not an easy one leaving Anky with mixed feelings. The usual highlights of piaffe and passage were not as clearly expressed as usual and the neck was a little short. Despite these setbacks, Anky and Salinero remained unbeatable.

All riders tend to look up to Anky and wait to see how she will perform. That was not the case of Hubertus Schmidt. He concentrated entirely on his 12-year old mare. At first, Wansuela Suerte appeared somewhat stiff but the rider was very confident keeping every step under control. “I had the perfect feeling with my horse today,” Hubertus Schmidt commented. “She was very nice to ride.”

Carl Hester was rather surprised to find himself in such a prominent position. He presented a very smooth test making no mistakes. “I have had this horse for seven years. But he has tremendously improved for the last year, especially since the Olympic Games in Athens.” The 12-year old gelding Es”\Ãw€ë capado is a talented horse who can look forward to a promising future.

Twenty-four riders started in the Grand Prix Special. The number of starters should have been 25, but Heike Kemmer’s 12-year old chestnut Hanoverian gelding stallion was unfortunately withdrawn due to a wound. The pair had been in 6th position after the Grand Prix. “I’m very sad,” the rider declared, “but I took this decision for the wellbeing of my horse.”

The fifteen best riders following the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special classes will proceed to tomorrow’s Freestyle to Music. These are

1. Keltec Salinero – Anky van Grunsven (NED) - 153.577
2. Wansuela Suerte - Hubertus Schmidt (GER) – 150.345
3. Björsells Briar 899 – Jan Brink (SWE) - 148.012
4. Sterntaler-Unicef – Ann Kathrin Linsenhoff (GER) – 147.610
5. Escapado – Carl Hester (GBR) – 147.112
6. Geldnet Lingh – Edward Gal (NED) – 146.477
7. Beauvalais – Beatriz Ferrer-Salat (ESP) – 145.673
8. Falada M - Karen Tebar (FRA) – 145.572
9. Salieri CH – Silvia Ikle (SUI) – 142.943
10. Guizo – Juan Antonio Jimenez (ESP) – 142.392
11. Blue Horse Cavan – Andreas Helgstrand (DEN) - 142.302
12. Max – Kyra Kyrklund (FIN) - 142.220
13. Just Mickey – Tinne Vilhelmson (SWE) - 141.448
14. Hexagon's Ollright - Laurens van Lieren (NED) – 141.113
15. Balagur – Alexandra Korelova (RUS) – 140.308

The other highlight of the day was unquestionably the prize giving ceremony organised for the tied bronze medal between the Spanish and Swedish teams. The Spanish warmly congratulated their fellow bronze medal winners giving them their flowers. The Spanish team’s outstanding gesture was acknowledged by the Sparkasse Osnabrück, sponsor of the Grand Prix Special, Trophy for Fair Play.

Results courtesy of www.DressageDirect.com

Rk	Name rider	Country	Total %	Whitham	Withages	Riexinger	Verbeek	Truppa
	Name horse			E	H	C	M	B
	sex-birthyear: sire x sire dam	Studbook
1	Anky van Grunsven	NED	76,16%	75,00%	77,60%	74,80%	77,80%	75,60%
	Keltec Salinero			2	1	1	1	2
	G-1994: Salieri x Lungau	HANN
2	Hubertus Schmidt	GER	75,72%	74,00%	75,40%	74,40%	77,20%	77,60%
	Wansuela Suerte			5	2	2	2	1
	M-1993: Warkant x Wachmann I	HANN
3	Carl Hester	GBR	74,32%	74,40%	74,20%	73,40%	75,00%	74,60%
	Escapado			3	4	4	6	5
	G-1993: Exlibris x Ikarus	OLDNB
4	Beatriz Ferrer-Salat	ESP	73,84%	73,20%	75,20%	70,60%	75,40%	74,80%
	Beauvalais			7	3	11	5	3
	G-1987: Bolero x Grande	HANN
5	Jan Brink	SWE	73,72%	74,40%	72,40%	71,80%	75,60%	74,40%
	Björsells Briar 899			3	7	8	4	6
	S-1991: Magini 695 x Krocket 651	SWB
6	Edward Gal	NED	73,56%	71,80%	73,20%	73,40%	75,80%	73,60%
	Geldnet Lingh			11	5	4	3	7
	S-1993: Flemmingh x Columbus	KWPN
7	Ann-Kathrin Linsenhoff	GER	73,36%	75,20%	70,60%	72,00%	74,20%	74,80%
	Sterntaler-Unicef			1	10	7	7	3
	S-1995: Sion x Manstein	OLDNB
8	Karen Tebar	FRA	73,28%	72,60%	72,60%	73,80%	74,00%	73,40%
	Falada M			9	6	3	8	8
	M-1991: Forest xx x Grande	HANN
9	Kyra Kyrklund	FIN	71,72%	74,00%	72,20%	70,60%	70,60%	71,20%
	Max			5	8	11	15	14
	G-1995: Master x Alpenfürst	SWB
10	Silvia Iklé	SUI	71,36%	69,80%	71,00%	70,00%	73,20%	72,80%
	Salieri CH			15	9	14	9	11
	G-1994: Sinclair x Lysander	CH
11	Tinne Vilhelmson	SWE	71,24%	72,20%	68,00%	72,80%	72,40%	70,80%
	Just Mickey			7	11	12	9	13
	G-1991: Michelangelo x Ulster	KWPN
12	Andreas Helgstrand	DEN	70,76%	68,40%	69,60%	71,60%	72,60%	71,60%
	Blue Hors Cavan			20	14	9	10	12
	G-1990: Cavalier x Damnatz	HANN
13	Alexandra Korelova	RUS	70,60%	69,80%	70,60%	68,40%	70,80%	73,40%
	Balagur			15	10	17	14	8
	S-1990: Rasskat x Kolchan	ORLOV
13	Juan Antonio Jimenez	ESP	70,60%	71,20%	69,40%	71,40%	72,40%	68,60%
	Guizo			12	15	10	11	19
	S-1988: Zasebande x Tivoli	LUS
15	Laurens van Lieren	NED	70,28%	70,40%	67,60%	68,20%	72,00%	73,20%
	Hexagon's Ollright			13	18	18	13	10
	G-1996: Rubiquil x El Corona	KWPN
16	Louise Nathhorst	SWE	69,96%	73,20%	68,80%	69,20%	69,20%	69,40%
	Guinness 888			7	16	16	17	18
	S-1990: Dolomit x Elizar	DWB
17	Ignacio Rambla Algarin	ESP	69,92%	69,20%	70,00%	70,40%	69,60%	70,40%
	Distinguido 2			18	13	13	16	16
	S-1992: Evento	PRE
18	Christian Pläge	SUI	69,84%	68,80%	70,20%	69,80%	69,00%	71,40%
	Regent			19	12	15	18	13
	G-1992: Resident x Calimero	DWB
19	Fiona Bigwood	GBR	67,84%	70,20%	66,20%	67,40%	68,00%	67,40%
	Mr. G de Lully			14	23	20	20	22
	G-1993: Gauguin de Lully x Ambassadeur	SWB
20	Lone Jörgensen	DEN	67,56%	66,60%	66,80%	68,20%	68,20%	68,00%
	Hardthof's Ludewig G			22	21	18	19	20
	G-1995: Landfriese I x Ibikus	OLDNB
21	Victoria Max-Theurer	AUT	67,40%	66,40%	67,20%	65,20%	68,00%	70,20%
	Falcao			23	19	22	20	17
	G-1992: Feiner Stern x Figaro	OLDNB
22	Klaus Husenbeth	GER	67,36%	68,00%	66,40%	67,20%	67,60%	67,60%
	Piccolino 19			21	22	21	22	21
	G-1992: Prince Thatch xx x Ganymed I 338	HANN
23	Emma Hindle	GBR	66,12%	69,40%	65,20%	63,60%	66,60%	65,80%
	Wie Weltmeyer			17	24	23	23	24
	S-1990: Weltmeyer x Dynamo	HANN
24	Hubert Perring	FRA	65,36%	65,80%	67,00%	63,20%	64,80%	66,00%
	Diabolo Saint Maurice			24	20	24	24	23
	G-1991: Plein Espoir IV x Orange de Norvil	SF
25	Heike Kemmer	GER	RET%	-%	-%	-%	-%	-%
	Bonaparte
	G-1993: Bon Bonaparte x Consul	HANN