Charlotte & Valegro World No. 1 For 21 Straight Month, Surpass Edward Gal & Totilas Run
10 years ago StraightArrow Comments Off on Charlotte & Valegro World No. 1 For 21 Straight Month, Surpass Edward Gal & Totilas Run
May 6, 2015
By KENNETH J. BRADDICK
Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro became world No. 1 for the 21st straight month in the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) standings released Wednesday, surpassing Edward Gal and Totilas for consecutive months at the top.
Helen Langehanenberg and Damon Hill NRW, that had been Germany’s leading partnership and second ranked in the world for 20 straight months dropped to 24th eight months after their last competition, the World Games last August.
The shuffle at the top moved Edward Gal and Glock’s Undercover into the second spot from third following their World Cup reserve title performance last month.
Matthias Alexander Rath on Totilas also edged up a place to third as did five other combinations in the top 10.
The 15-year-old KWPN stallion has been in and out of competition with injuries since Matthias took over the ride more than four years ago and last showed in July, 2014 but has been widely reported to be ready to compete again later this month.
Jessica von Bredow-Werndl on Unee BB, placed third in the World Cup Final, moved into the ninth place from 11th the previous month to give Germany four places in the top 10, the most from any nation
The USA’s Laura Graves on Verdades remained in the 10th slot while Steffen Peters on Legolas moved up two places to 11th.
Charlotte Dujardin and the 13-year-old KWPN gelding accumulated a record 3,225 points in maintaining their place at the top of the rankings to the end of April.
The pair began their current run of 21 straight months as the No. 1 partnership in the world in August 2013, though the duo had previously been at the top for shorter periods.
Charlotte and Valegro have compiled a remarkable record of Olympic team and individual gold medals in 2012; World Games individual gold and team silver in 2014; World Cup champions in 2014 and 2015, and 2013 European Championship team gold in 2011 and individual gold and team bronze in 2013.
The pair hold all three Grand Prix world records and since the beginning of 2012 have started 36 times for 32 first places, three second places and one sixth place.
Edward and Totilas were world No. 1 for 19 straight months from November, 2009 to May, 2011. The pair’s last competition was at the World Equestrian Games in 2010 but the rankings are based on scores from the previous 12 months. It can be several months for changes in the rankings to count as also occurred with Helen Langehanenberg and Damon Hill that last competed together at the WEG last August.
Edward and Totilas won team and both individual gold medals at the WEG in Kentucky in 2010, team and individual gold medals at the 2009 European Championships and the 2010 World Cup. In 28 starts during the 15 months the pair competed at international Grand Prix, Edward and Totilas placed first 25 times and second three times and also held all three Grand Prix records.
