Dressage-News

ACHLEITEN, Austria, June 2–Victoria Max-Theurer and Augustin OLD set a new personal best score for the second day in a row when they won the Grand Prix Freestyle at the Achleiten CDI3* Saturday, exactly two months before the start of dressage at the Olympics in London.

Vici, Austria’s superstar at the age of 26 and who is already qualified as an individual for her third Olympics, scored 83.050 per cent. Their previous best was 81.050 per cent at Munich two weeks ago.

The Netherlands’ Wilma Wernsen and Oklarette were second on 72.050 per cent and Germany’s Katharina Berkenholz on Don Andross third on 71.175 per cent.

On Friday, Vici and the 12-year-old Oldenburg stallion (August der Starke x Weinrubina x Rohdiamant) posted a new personal best Grand Prix result.

In the Grand Prix to qualify for the Special earlier Saturday, Renate Voglsang and Fabriano staked a claim to a possible second Olympic berth for Austria when they won the Grand Prix qualifier for the Special, her third straight Grand Prix score above 70 per cent in the past month.

Renate and the 13-year-old Westfalen stallion (Florestan I x Atessa x Angelo XX) scored 71.340 per cent and consolidated their third place world ranking for Austrian combinations behind Victoria Max-Theurer and her two horses, Augustin OLD and Eichendorff. With only two weeks remaining of qualifying with minimum scores for the Olympics, misfortune for three combinations–four team places are still not qualified–would open up a second individual spot for Austria. Ireland and the United States are next in line, followed by Austria then Denmark.

Victoria in her first CDI on Blind Date since buying the horse from Wolfram Wittig, her new fulltime coach, was second on 70.979 per cent, with Wolfram on Bertoli W third on 70.340 per cent. Brigitte Wittig, who competed Blind Date up to March this year, was fourth on Brioni W with 70.255 per cent.

Results:

Grand Prix Freestyle Achleiten Grand_Prix Freestyle

Grand Prix for Special Grand_Prix 4 Special