Günter Seidel & Coral Reef Wylea Win Del Mar CDI3* Grand Prix

11 years ago StraightArrow Comments Off on Günter Seidel & Coral Reef Wylea Win Del Mar CDI3* Grand Prix

Günter Seidel and Coral Reef Wylea. © 2013 Steffen Peters

Günter Seidel and Coral Reef Wylea. © 2013 Steffen Peters

DEL MAR, California, April 26–Günter Seidel and Coral Reef Wylea, the 13-year-old Westfalen mare he began riding five months ago, won the Del Mar National Grand Prix on Friday with their highest score so far for the pair, and a whisker ahead of Jan Ebeling and Rafalca also posting a personal best.

Günter of Cardiff, California and Wylea, competing in their fourth CDI, scored 72.511 per cent, just 0.022 per cent ahead of the United States Olympic combination of Jan of Moorpark, California and Rafalca on 72.489 per cent. Canada’s Karen Pavicic on Don Daiquiri were third on 67.362 per cent.

Wylea (Weinberg x St. Jolie x Saluut) was bought by Coral Reef Ranch at Rancho Santa Fe, California last November from former U.S. team coach Klaus Balkenhol of Germany and lightly competed by his daughter, Anabel.

Jan and Rafalca, an Oldenburg mare (Argentinius x Ratine x Rubinstein) who is now 16 years old, became a celebrity pair at last summer’s Olympics in London as one of the owners is Ann Romney, wife of Republican presidential candidate, Mitt Romney. The previous high score at Grand Prix since Jan and Rafalca began competing at the top level six years ago was 71.418 per cent at Del Mar 13 months ago.

Both Günter and Jan have been awarded grants to train in Europe in preparation for the World Equestrian Games in Normandy, France in 2014. Günter plans to train with Klaus Balkenhol.

Jan, who has trained with Wolfram Wittig in Germany, will also spend time with Rassolini, the 2010 champion of the Nürnberger Burgpokal, that was bought a week ago by a group led by Ann Romney, Beth Meyer and Amy Ebeling as a future championship team prospect.

RESULTS
Grand Prix
1. Guenter Seidel USA Coral Reef Wylea 72.511%
2. Jan Ebeling USA Rafalca 72.489%
3. Karen Pavicic CAN Don Daiquiri 67.362%
4. David Blake USA Ikaros 66.851%
5. Susan Blinks USA Robin Hood 66.809%
6. Susan L. Martin USA Lex 65.766%
7. Mette Rosencrantz USA Finally 65.574%
8. Kathleen Raine USA Breanna 64.872%
9. Beatrice Marienau USA Stefano 8 64.064%
10. Leslie Webb USA Harmony’s Sandro 63.830%
11. Whitney Harrington USA Laredo 183 63.660%
12. Shannon Dahmer USA Rock On 63.383%
13. Heather Kennedy USA Pensamento 62.979%
14. April Atwell USA Pavarottie Open 60.511%