Sabine Becker & Lamarc Win Falsterbo CDI3* Kür
14 years ago StraightArrow Comments Off on Sabine Becker & Lamarc Win Falsterbo CDI3* Kür
By KENNETH J. BRADDICK
FALSTERBO, Sweden, July 10–Germany’ Sabine Becker and Lamarc WRT won the CDI3* Grand Prix Freestyle Sunday to prevent Patrik Kittel from completing a sweep of all the CDI Grand Prix classes, but the three he did win were a first for the Swedish rider at a competition.
The ride by Sabine and the 15-year-old Oldenburg gelding was the first international competition of the year and the pair’s best result since logging three victories in 2009.
They scored 72.475 per cent, with Patrik and Toy Story second on 72.175 per cent and fellow Swede Per Sandgaard on Lomumba Havdal third on 70.500 per cent.
In the Grand Prix Friday, Patrik and Sabine were first and second, respectively.
However, Patrik and Watermill Scandic H.B.C. claimed both the Grand Prix and the Grand Prix Freestyle in the €100,000 (US$142,000) World Dressage Masters CDI5*.
This competition also was subject to the first implementation of new Swedish legal prohibitions against injecting horses to aid in recovery from the stress of competition. The new law came into effect just days before the start of the Falsterbo Horse Show, a major international jumping and dressage show.
National laws take precedence over International Equestrian Federation (FEI) drug rules. A veterinary checklist outlining the requirements for competitions in Sweden were distributed to veterinarians, chef’s d’equipe and riders from 14 nations competing at this show that hosts a CDI5* and a top league Nations Cup.
Karl-Henrik Heimdahl, president of the veterinary commission, said the new laws in the nation that has traditionally had tougher laws than probably any other nation, were designed to remove questions about practices that enabled riders to “bend the rules.”
Swedish law has for several years, for example, banned acupuncture, ultrasound and other procedures during competition.
The new law specifies that certain practices, such as injections, cannot be used four days before and during competition.
Karl-Henrik said that a common practice was to inject compounds that are naturally present in horses but become depleted during stress of competition. As drug testing produces the same results whether horses have been injected or not the law has to be implemented by a steward or official veterinarian visually witnessing an injection being given.
Grand Prix Freestyle to Music Results:
1. Sabine Becker GER – Lamarc WRT – 72.475%
2. Patrik Kittel SWE – Toy Story – 72.175%
3. Per Sandgaard SWE – Lomumba Havdal – 70.500%
4. Yuko Kitai JPN – Golden Coin 4 – 69,000%
5. Ulla Hakanson SWE – Richelle 2 – 68.725%
6. Karoline Lundberg SWE – Replay – 68.600%
7. Michael Sogaard DEN – Pari-Cash Foldeger – 68.350%
8. Maria von Essen SWE – Ferdi – 67.800%
