Dressage-News

By KENNETH J. BRADDICK

MUNICH, Germany, May. 21–Germany’s top riders brought their best horses for the Exquis World Dressage Masters with the second leg of the richest series of dressage competitions beginning in Munich Friday.

The Grand Prix that is the first of three classes offering a total of €100,000 (US$135,500) in prize money includes riders from eight nations.

Finland’s Kyra Kyrklund and her 2008 Olympic gelding Max lead off the class with Isabell Werth and her 2008 Olympic team gold medal mount and 2009 World Cup silver medal winner Satchmo being the last of 14 combinations in the Grand Prix.

Ulla Salzgeber and her chestnut gelding Herzruf’s Erbe on whom she has won all three Grand Prix that the pair have entered this year and Nadine Capellmann and Elvis VA, Hubertus Schmidt and Prego, Anja Plnzke and Le Mont d’Or and Dieter Laugks and Meggle’s Wetall V.A. will be carrying the German flag into the Grand Prix that has prize money of €10,000 (US$13,555). The Grand Prix Special on Saturday has a purse of €30,000 (US$40,665) purse and the Grand Prix Freestyle for a piece of the biggest prize, €60,000 (US$81,333) on Sunday.

Austrian Olympian Victoria Max-Theurer will compete on Augustin OLD while 2008 Danish Olympic team bronze medalist Nathalie Sayn-Wittgenstein and Digby will be in the mix.

The top Dutch riders, Anky van Grunsven and Hans Peter Minderhoud have issues with their horses that prevented them from competing in Munich.

The Netherlands will be represented by Imke Schellekens-Bartels on Ferero and Sander Marijnissen and Moedwil.

From North America, Catherine Haddad, USA team reserve at the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany, will ride Cadillac 35 and Canada’s Evi Strasser will ride Quantum Tyme.

Munich is the second leg of the Exquis World Dressage Masters series. The final two events are Cannes, France June 11-13 and Hickstead, England July 23-26.