By KENNETH J. BRADDICK
HAGEN, Germany, April 29–Matthias Alexander Rath rode Totilas to a new Michael Jackson musical freestyle for a personal best score of 88.025 per cent and the victory at the Horses & Dreams meets Great Britain CDI4* Sunday while Laura Bechtolsheimer danced with Mistral Hojris to a new score to place second by less than a half percentage point. The scores were personal bests for the three top placing combinations.
The freestyle capped a weekend of amazing sport during which Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro set a new world record of 88.022 per cent in the Grand Prix Special with just 89 days left before the start of the Olympics in London where the British are favorites to win gold and give their nation the first ever medal in dressage.
However, performances by Totilas that were personal bests with Matthias as the rider in the Grand Prix and the kür, and the ability of the 26-year-old Kristina Sprehe and Desperados to shine under pressure in an atmosphere made electric by 5,500 spectators served notice that Germany has a fighting chance for gold.
Laura and the 17-year-old Danish warmblood gelding (Michellino x Virginia x Ibsen) scored 87.600 per cent while Kristina and Desperados 11 were at 83.775 per cent.
Matthias was “really, really happy” with the new freestyle although not everything worked perfectly as to be expected in the first competition run through.
He said that Britain “for sure” would be the top favorite for London with the quality of their team and being on their home turf.
“We will try our best,” he said. “We have a good chance. We have really good combinations,” and he named Helen Langehanenberg and Damon Hill NRW as well as Kristina and Desperados.
In the individual competition, many combinations can score high “and if someone makes a mistake, or a bad test on the day that can change a lot. Nobody can really say, ‘I can go to the Olympics and say I am the favorite’.”
Matthias also addressed widespread distribution of images and reports about changes in training of Totilas.
“As I said before, we changed our training over the winter and made some changes in the warmup. We had a really good Grand Prix test and a nice freestyle today.
“With Totilas, no matter what I do some people will always complain. I have been riding the horse for one year and three months. It is impossible to make every one happy.
“I’m just happy with the weekend. I can’t stop other people from talking.”
Laura wasn’t happy with all elements of her freestyle to music from the Lion King choreographed by Nicole Penzig of Germany.
“I’m a perfectionist and I wasn’t always in time to the music,” she said. “the ride did not feel as easy as the Grand Prix. I hope with a lot more practice we will get better.”
Mistral Hojris is sensitive to sharp notes but he did not seem to mind the score.
“I didn’t feel like he was getting upset,” she said. “I didn’t have to turn the volume down. I certainly think we can do better.”
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| # | rider | nation | horse | E | H | C | M | B | Total | |||||||||
| 1 | Matthias Alexander Rath Frankf.Turnierst.Schw.Gelb e.V |  | Totilas 13 S / KWPN / R / 2000 / Gribaldi / / NED08021 / B: Linsenhoff u.Paul Schockemöhle, Ann / Z: ZG Schuil, J.K. u.Visser,A. | 87,000% 89,000% (1) | 86,250% 89,000% (2) | 85,000% 90,000% (2) | 86,250% 96,000% (1) | 83,750% 88,000% (1) | 88.025% 1760.5 3.600,00 EUR |  | ||||||||
| 2 | Laura Bechtolsheimer GREAT BRITAIN |  | Mistral Hojris G / DK / F / 1995 / Michellino / Ibsen / DEN02686 / B: Bechtolsheimer,Laura | 86,250% 89,000% (2) | 88,000% 89,000% (1) | 84,500% 93,000% (1) | 83,000% 94,000% (2) | 82,250% 87,000% (2) | 87.600% 1752.0 2.000,00 EUR | | ||||||||
| 3 | Kristina Sprehe RUFG Falkenberg e.V. | | Desperados 11 S / Hann / R / 2001 / De Niro 6 / Wolkenstein 6 / GER45347 / B: Gestüt Sprehe GmbH / Z: Schütt, Herbert | 80,750% 85,000% (3) | 82,750% 86,000% (3) | 80,000% 83,000% (3) | 81,500% 90,000% (3) | 80,750% 88,000% (3) | 83.775% 1675.5 1.300,00 EUR | | ||||||||
| 4 | Sidsel Johansen DENMARK |  | Schianto S / DK / B / 1999 / Gribaldi / Schwadroneur / DEN02780 / B: Rosbög,Jörgen | 76,500% 81,000% (5) | 79,250% 79,000% (4) | 70,750% 80,000% (5) | 75,750% 89,000% (4) | 79,500% 83,000% (4) | 79.375% 1587.5 1.000,00 EUR | | ||||||||
| 5 | Lisbeth Seierskilde DENMARK | | Jonstrupgärdens Raneur G / DK / B / 1999 / / DEN40807 / B: Seierskilde,Lisbeth | 75,000% 80,000% (7) | 76,500% 80,000% (5) | 70,750% 79,000% (7) | 77,500% 87,000% (5) | 76,750% 82,000% (6) | 78.450% 1569.0 800,00 EUR | | ||||||||
| 6 | Victoria Max-Theurer AUSTRIA |  | Eichendorff 10 S / Westf / B / 1998 / Ehrentusch / Ferragamo / AUT04389 / B: Max-Theurer,Victoria / Z: Borgmann,Norbert | 73,250% 83,000% (6) | 73,750% 80,000% (6) | 70,250% 80,000% (6) | 73,250% 87,000% (6) | 73,750% 85,000% (6) | 77.925% 1558.5 600,00 EUR | | ||||||||
| 7 | Nadine Capellmann RV Würselen 1925 e.V. | | Girasol 7 M / Württ / F / 2001 / Gribaldi / Landioso / 102UM07 / B: Capellmann,Nadine / Z: Schönenberger,Matthias | 77,250% 82,000% (4) | 74,000% 77,000% (8) | 75,000% 82,000% (4) | 72,750% 83,000% (9) | 73,500% 81,000% (9) | 77.750% 1555.0 500,00 EUR | | ||||||||
| 8 | Anne van Olst DENMARK | | Exquis Clearwater G / DK / B / 1998 / Carpaccio / Limebrand / DEN02595 / B: Munkedal,Klaus | 73,750% 80,000% (8) | 74,500% 79,000% (7) | 71,750% 78,000% (7) | 73,250% 85,000% (7) | 76,250% 84,000% (5) | 77.550% 1551.0 500,00 EUR | | ||||||||
| 9 | Rose Mathisen SWEDEN |  | Bocelli 28 S / S.Wbl / B / 1999 / Don Schufro / Bernstein / SWE04842 / B: Mathisen,Rose | 74,500% 79,000% (9) | 72,250% 74,000% (11) | 72,750% 75,000% (9) | 73,250% 83,000% (8) | 73,500% 79,000% (11) | 75.625% 1512.5 300,00 EUR | | ||||||||
| 10 | Patrik Kittel SWEDEN | | Silvano 71 S / KWPN / B / 1999 / Rubinstein I / Cocktail / SWE04848 / B: Kohl,Edwin / Z: Wouters,F. | 71,500% 76,000% (12) | 73,750% 75,000% (9) | 71,250% 73,000% (11) | 72,750% 80,000% (10) | 74,000% 79,000% (10) | 74.625% 1492.5 300,00 EUR | | ||||||||
| 11 | Andreas Helgstrand RSC Osnabruecker Land e.V. | | Laetare M / AUSL. / F / 2001 / / 102RE55 / B: Helgstrand,Andreas | 72,250% 76,000% (11) | 72,000% 74,000% (12) | 69,750% 77,000% (10) | 71,000% 78,000% (12) | 71,500% 78,000% (12) | 73.950% 1479.0 200,00 EUR | | ||||||||
| 12 | Isabell Werth RFV Graf v.Schmettow Eversael e.V. | | Warum nicht FRH G / Hann / F / 1996 / Weltmeyer / Wenzel I / GER23022 / B: Winter-Schulze,Madeleine / Z: Luessen,Hinrich | 70,000% 80,000% (10) | 71,250% 76,000% (10) | 68,000% 69,000% (14) | 69,750% 77,000% (13) | 74,500% 83,000% (8) | 73.850% 1477.0 200,00 EUR | | ||||||||
| 13 | Lyndal Oatley AUSTRALIA |  | Sandro Boy 9 S / Old / B / 2001 / Sandro Hit / Argentinus / 103FQ47 / B: Oatley,Carol u. Andrew / Z: Höffer,Heinrich | 70,000% 74,000% (13) | 70,000% 72,000% (13) | 67,000% 68,000% (15) | 71,000% 79,000% (11) | 65,250% 74,000% (13) | 71.025% 1420.5 100,00 EUR | | ||||||||
| 14 | Emma Kanerva FINLAND |  | Sini Spirit G / Hann / F / 1997 / Espri / Gluecksgriff / FIN40045 / B: Oy,Sinituote / Z: Wiechert,Udo | 69,750% 72,000% (15) | 70,000% 72,000% (13) | 68,000% 75,000% (12) | 67,500% 75,000% (14) | 68,000% 71,000% (14) | 70.825% 1416.5 100,00 EUR | | ||||||||
| 15 | Lorraine van den Brink NETHERLANDS |  | Murdock 9 G / KWPN / B / 1994 / Balzflug / Pretendent / GER22183 / B: Weisbrod,Anna / Z: Hattem,H. van | 69,500% 73,000% (14) | 66,250% 69,000% (15) | 70,250% 72,000% (13) | 66,250% 68,000% (15) | 65,750% 70,000% (15) | 69.000% 1380.0 100,00 EUR | | ||||||||
