Charlotte Dujardin & Valegro Capture Hickstead Nations Cup Grand Prix, America’s Günter Seidel Stops British Sweep
11 years ago StraightArrow Comments Off on Charlotte Dujardin & Valegro Capture Hickstead Nations Cup Grand Prix, America’s Günter Seidel Stops British Sweep
By KENNETH J. BRADDICK
HICKSTEAD, England, Aug. 2–Double Olympic gold medal pair Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro were the clear winners of the Nations Cup Grand Prix Friday but America’s Günter Seidel and Coral Reef Wylea prevented a British sweep of the top placings in posting a personal best score.
Charlotte blamed her own rider errors for Valegro not scoring higher than the 81.600 per cent the pair was awarded while her Olympics team mate, trainer and mentor Carl Hester on Uthopia placed second on 75.191 per cent.
The performance by Günter of Cardiff, California and the horse he has been competing at CDI Grand Prix for less than six months earned a result of 73.043 per cent for third place.
The score surpassed their previous best of 72.511 per cent at Del Mar, California at the end of March and said it showed the effort to send American horses and riders to train and compete in Europe was paying off.
Carl also showed Fine Time 13 in the Grand Prix for 72.511 per cent while fellow Briton Gareth Hughes and DV Stenjkers Nadonna, who was at the top of the leaderboard after the first day, placed fifth on 72.213 per cent.
The Grand Prix included all eight teams in the Nations Cup plus individual riders, but the Freestyle on Sunday will decide the competition of squads from France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland,, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the United States.
The event is the fourth in the summer-long series of Nations Cups created by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) as a pilot project aimed at broadening spectator base for dressage. The three other Nations Cups–Vidauban, France; Rotterdam, Netherlands, and Aachen, Germany–were decided by the Grand Prix, the traditional formula.
Valegro is not on the Briish team here because, Charlotte told dressage-news.com, she wanted to perform the Grand Prix Special ahead of the European Championships in Herning, Denmark later this month, rather than the Freestyle.
She and the 11-year-old KWPN gelding (Negro x Gerschwin) hold the world record score for the Special but have not ridden it since the Olympics a year ago and that was a different version.
Carl Hester and Uthopia, the 12-year-old KWPN stallion (Metall x Inspekteur) that he rode on the Olympic gold medal team with Charlotte and Valegro as well as the 2011 European Championship where they also won gold, placed second in the Grand Prix and will move on to the Nations Cup Freestyle.
The pair will be joined by Gareth Hughes and Nadonna, Michael Eilberg and Marakof and Nikki Crisp and Pasoa and are favored to take the Nations Cup, as Britain did at Rotterdam.
The United States, competing in only their second event in the Nations Cup series and with a totally different team than the squad at Aachen, is favored for silver over Germany and the Netherlands.
If this Nations Cup had been based on Grand Prix results, Britain would have won gold with 217.766 based on the top three scores from team combinations, the United States silver on 214.638 and Germany bronze on 211.723.
Günter Seidel and Wylea’s overall third place finish came after Shelly Francis of Loxahatchee, Florida and Doktor placed seventh on 71.191 per cent, Kathleen Raine of Murietta, California and Breanna in ninth place on 70.404 per cent and Arlene “Tuny” Page of Wellington, Florida and Alina placing 14th on 69.723 per cent. David Blake of San Diego, California and Ikaros scored 67.043 per cent but rode as an indnvidual combination.
Results:
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| Percentage (Rank) | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Rider | Horse | E | H | C | M | B | Total | ||
| 1 | CHARLOTTE DUJARDIN GBR | VALEGRO |  | 77.234% (1) | 83.511% (1) | 82.872% (1) | 82.234% (1) | 82.447% (1) | 81.660% | |
| 2 | CARL HESTER GBR | UTHOPIA | | 72.553% (3) | 74.894% (2) | 77.766% (2) | 73.723% (2) | 77.021% (2) | 75.191% | |
| 3 | GUENTER SEIDEL USA | CORAL REEF WYLEA |  | 71.489% (6) | 74.149% (3) | 74.362% (3) | 69.468% (13) | 75.745% (3) | 73.043% | |
| 4 | CARL HESTER GBR | FINE TIME 13 | | 72.128% (4) | 73.191% (4) | 72.128% (6) | 71.915% (4) | 73.191% (5) | 72.511% | |
| 5 | GARETH HUGHES GBR | DV STENJKERS NADONNA | | 72.766% (2) | 72.447% (5) | 72.979% (4) | 71.170% (7) | 71.702% (8) | 72.213% | |
| 6 | JENNY LANG GER | LOVERBOY |  | 70.426% (9) | 72.340% (6) | 72.447% (5) | 72.766% (3) | 72.553% (7) | 72.106% | |
| 7 | SHELLY FRANCIS USA | DOKTOR | | 70.319% (10) | 71.064% (8) | 72.128% (6) | 71.383% (5) | 71.064% (10) | 71.191% | |
| 8 | KATJA GEVERS NED | THRILLER |  | 70.213% (12) | 72.234% (7) | 69.681% (15) | 69.894% (11) | 71.702% (8) | 70.745% | |
| 9 | KATHLEEN RAINE USA | BREANNA | | 68.617% (17) | 70.957% (9) | 71.383% (8) | 67.872% (21) | 73.191% (5) | 70.404% | |
| 10 | LAURENS VAN LIEREN NED | ULYSSES LA HAYA | | 70.319% (10) | 69.149% (17) | 70.851% (9) | 71.277% (6) | 70.000% (16) | 70.319% | |
| =11 | MATTHIAS KEMPKES GER | CORADO | | 70.213% (12) | 70.319% (10) | 67.979% (28) | 68.511% (15) | 73.298% (4) | 70.064% | |
| =11 | MICHAEL EILBERG GBR | MARAKOF | | 71.489% (6) | 69.255% (16) | 70.000% (12) | 70.319% (10) | 69.255% (20) | 70.064% | |
| 13 | ANDERS DAHL DEN | WIE-ATLANTICO DE YMAS |  | 71.809% (5) | 69.681% (11) | 70.000% (12) | 67.979% (20) | 70.106% (15) | 69.915% | |
| 14 | ARLENE PAGE USA | ALINA | | 70.957% (8) | 67.660% (22) | 68.617% (21) | 70.957% (8) | 70.426% (11) | 69.723% | |
| 15 | SOFIE LEXNER SWE | CHARMING BOY |  | 67.979% (22) | 68.723% (18) | 70.851% (9) | 70.426% (9) | 69.787% (18) | 69.553% | |
| 16 | CHARLOTTE HAID BONDERGAARD SWE | TRIVIANT | | 69.149% (15) | 69.681% (11) | 69.043% (18) | 68.617% (14) | 70.319% (12) | 69.362% | |
| 17 | DANIEL SHERIFF GBR | BAYFORD HALL DALlAGIO | | 68.191% (20) | 67.340% (25) | 70.319% (11) | 69.574% (12) | 69.362% (19) | 68.957% | |
| 18 | NIKKI CRISP GBR | PASOA | | 67.660% (25) | 69.362% (15) | 68.085% (27) | 68.298% (17) | 70.213% (13) | 68.723% | |
| 19 | LARA GRIFFITH GBR | ANDRETTI H | | 68.936% (16) | 68.511% (19) | 68.511% (22) | 68.298% (17) | 69.255% (20) | 68.702% | |
| 20 | JULIA CHEVANNE FRA | LUCIANO 182 |  | 68.085% (21) | 69.681% (11) | 68.404% (24) | 68.404% (16) | 68.404% (25) | 68.596% | |
| 21 | DANIEL WATSON GBR | FIDERAMBER | | 70.000% (14) | 69.468% (14) | 68.191% (26) | 66.489% (28) | 68.511% (24) | 68.532% | |
| 22 | STEPHAN KOBERLE GER | DARJEELING | | 67.872% (23) | 68.298% (21) | 69.681% (15) | 66.809% (27) | 68.617% (23) | 68.255% | |
| 23 | JOHANNA VON FIRCKS GER | NYMPHENBURGS ROCKPORT | | 67.553% (28) | 66.596% (31) | 69.043% (18) | 67.872% (21) | 70.000% (16) | 68.213% | |
| 24 | HENRIETTE ANDERSON GBR | LOUIS D’OR | | 67.447% (31) | 66.702% (30) | 68.830% (20) | 67.234% (25) | 70.213% (13) | 68.085% | |
| 25 | LOTJE SCHOOTS NED | EQUITOP TORRICELLI Ls | | 67.766% (24) | 67.553% (23) | 67.766% (29) | 68.298% (17) | 67.447% (26) | 67.766% | |
| 26 | MATTHIAS KEMPKES GER | RICCOLETTO | | 67.660% (25) | 66.383% (32) | 69.255% (17) | 65.532% (32) | 69.255% (20) | 67.617% | |
| 27 | ALIZEE FROMENT FRA | MISTRAL DU COUSSOUL | | 67.553% (28) | 67.128% (27) | 68.298% (25) | 67.872% (21) | 66.596% (30) | 67.489% | |
| 28 | NATALIE OLDFORS SWE | WINNIE B | | 67.553% (28) | 67.447% (24) | 68.511% (22) | 67.128% (26) | 66.383% (32) | 67.404% | |
| 29 | LAURENS VAN LIEREN NED | TYARA | | 67.660% (25) | 66.809% (29) | 70.000% (12) | 64.681% (37) | 67.340% (27) | 67.298% | |
| 30 | DAVID BLAKE USA | IKAROS | | 68.298% (19) | 67.340% (25) | 66.489% (33) | 66.170% (29) | 66.915% (29) | 67.043% | |
| 31 | JOYCE HEUITINK NED | WUP | | 68.617% (17) | 68.404% (20) | 66.170% (35) | 66.064% (31) | 64.362% (38) | 66.723% | |
| 32 | CAROLINE DARCOURT SWE | PARIDON MAGI | | 66.596% (32) | 67.128% (27) | 67.021% (30) | 64.574% (38) | 66.277% (33) | 66.319% | |
| 33 | CATHERINE HENRIQUET FRA | PARADIESZAUBER | | 64.574% (38) | 65.426% (35) | 66.809% (31) | 67.340% (24) | 65.532% (37) | 65.936% | |
| =34 | ROLAND TONG IRL | POMPIDOU |  | 65.000% (36) | 65.213% (36) | 66.596% (32) | 66.170% (29) | 65.957% (34) | 65.787% | |
| =34 | LOTJE SCHOOTS NED | RUBY | | 65.957% (33) | 66.170% (33) | 64.574% (38) | 65.106% (35) | 67.128% (28) | 65.787% | |
| 36 | ALICE OPPENHEIMER GBR | HEADMORE DELEGATE | | 65.106% (34) | 65.532% (34) | 66.489% (33) | 65.000% (36) | 65.957% (34) | 65.617% | |
| 37 | DIANA OSTARIZ ESP | GUMIEL |  | 65.106% (34) | 64.681% (37) | 65.532% (37) | 65.532% (32) | 66.596% (30) | 65.489% | |
| 38 | DANE RAWLINS IRL | SYDNEY | | 64.787% (37) | 64.468% (38) | 65.957% (36) | 65.426% (34) | 65.851% (36) | 65.298% | |
| 39 | KATJA GEVERS NED | TARINA | | 63.298% (39) | 62.766% (41) | 63.085% (39) | 64.574% (38) | 63.191% (40) | 63.383% | |
| 40 | CHERE BURGER RSA | ADELPRAG ANDERS 451 |  | 63.085% (40) | 63.085% (40) | 62.872% (40) | 63.085% (41) | 62.553% (43) | 62.936% | |
| 41 | KATE DWYER IRL | REVE D’OR | | 62.553% (41) | 62.128% (42) | 61.170% (43) | 62.766% (42) | 62.660% (42) | 62.255% | |
| 42 | SUZANNE DUNKLEY-ZANDVOORT BER | WIBALIDI VAN OVERIS |  | 60.532% (42) | 63.404% (39) | 62.660% (41) | 62.660% (43) | 61.489% (44) | 62.149% | |
| 43 | KIRSTY MEPHAM GBR | CALDERON | | 59.574% (44) | 59.894% (44) | 61.702% (42) | 62.021% (44) | 63.830% (39) | 61.404% | |
| 44 | AGUSTI ELIAS ESP | DECO BCN | | 60.532% (42) | 59.362% (45) | 60.851% (44) | 64.574% (38) | 57.128% (45) | 60.489% | |
| 45 | LAURO AGUILO ESP | HIERRO C | | 59.574% (44) | 60.319% (43) | 56.489% (45) | 61.277% (45) | 63.085% (41) | 60.149% | |
