Tina Konyot & Calecto V Receive Personal Best Freestyle Score at Florida CDI5* as Sendoff to World Cup Final
8 years ago StraightArrow Comments Off on Tina Konyot & Calecto V Receive Personal Best Freestyle Score at Florida CDI5* as Sendoff to World Cup Final
By KENNETH J. BRADDICK
WELLINGTON, Florida, Mar. 28, 2014–Tina Konyot and Cslecto V produced a personal best performance to claim the Adequan Global Dressage finale CDI5* Freestyle as a sendoff for the top American to go to the World Cup Final in Lyon, France next month.
The U.S. Olympic team combination scored 79.250 per cent with a revamped version of their popular “Big Black Horse in a Cherry Tree” musical freestyle before a stadium packed with 2,500 spectators on a perfect South Florida tropical night.
Mikala Munter Gundersen and My Lady and Lars Petersen and Mariett, the two Wellington-based Danes who have commanded a big slice of the prize money with top three finishes throughout the 12-week winter circuit placed second and third, consecutively.
Mikala and My Lady scored 76.775 per cent and Lars and Mariett 76.625 per cent.
“Wow!,” Tina of Palm City, Florida declared after the victory that gave her the lion’s share of the $84,000 in prize money for the Freestyle. “He’s like a fine wine–getting better and better.”
Tina Konyot received a crystal horse from the Esperanza Collection of Swarovski for her winning ride on the 16-year-old Danish Warmblood stallion by Come Back II.Petersen was also awarded the Mary Ann McPhail Award for maintaining the highest international ranking of any rider throughout the twelve weeks of the AGDF.
For Mikala and My Lady is was their 12th start in this winter circuit and they have made it to the podium every time, with a first place, two second places and nine yellow ribbons for third place that owner Janne Rumbough said signified the rider was a “Golden Girl.”
Lars Petersen, the Olymian, world championship and World Cup star for Denmark, said he had one of the best rides ever on Mariett, the horse that made a miracle recovery from a hoof torn off to go to the top of the World Cup North American League.
Lars likely was the biggest money winner on the circuit–starting 10 times on Mariett he won four times, finished second four times and third once. Sweden’s Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfvén won more times, six, but in events that had smaller purses.
He was presented with the Mary Ann McPhail Award for establishing the highest international ranking of any rider throughout the 12 weeks of the Global circuit.
Anne Gribbons, the former U.S. team coach and back full time as a FEI 5* judge, said that the Global circuit showed: “dressage is not boring any more.”
Results:
