Charlotte Dujardin & Valegro Repeat World Cup Champions, Edward & Undercover 2nd, Jessica & Unee BB 3rd
7 years ago StraightArrow Comments Off on Charlotte Dujardin & Valegro Repeat World Cup Champions, Edward & Undercover 2nd, Jessica & Unee BB 3rd

By KENNETH J. BRADDICK
LAS VEGAS, April 18, 2015–Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro repeated as World Cup champions Saturday, coming within a whisker of the Grand Prix Freestyle world record held by the Olympic, World Games and European Championship gold medal partnership from Great Britain.
Edward Gal of the Netherlands, a World Cup champion on Totilas in 2010 was the runnerupon Glock’s Undercover 9 1/2 percentage points behind while Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl on Unee BB placed third in only their second World Cup Final.
Steffen Peters , the 2009 champion on Ravel, was eliminated when a small spur mark drew blood on the side of Legolas that was seen after the pair had scored high enough that would have placed them fourth Laura Graves on Verdades came fourth instead in her World Cup debut.
Charlotte’s ride on the 13-year-old KWPN gelding part-owned by Carl Hester, her trainer and mentor, earned the pair 94.196 per cent with Annette Iacobaeus of Sweden and Lilo Fore of the United States both awarding 99.000 per cent for artistic, with one 98 and two 97s from the seven-member ground jury. The result was 0.104 per cent below the world record of 94.300 per cent set at London Olympia last December.
“I’m just living the dream,” the 29-year-old Charlotte said after the ride that brought the crowd of 10,920 to its feet and shaking the Thomas & Mack Center with cheering and clapping.
“I didn’t know how he would react to the clapping, but it turns out he loved it. I think he loved the American crowd. Valegro just loves it. It’s not like I have to force him to do anything. It’s great for me, I just have to sit there and he goes.
“I’m so lucky I don’t have to kick and pull and scrub away. It’s fantastic.”

The starting lineup of 18 combinations from nine different nations appeared at two levels. with the highest score in the first group being Mikala Gundersen, the Florida-based Danish rider on My Lady attaining 75.018 per cent.
Russia’s Inessa Merkulova on the flamboyant and talented Mister X that became fan favorite started off the second group with 76.911 and went up into the high 70 per cent range and then the top three with one above 90 per cent and two above 80 per cent.
Exciting for the fans that also went on a three-day shopping spree that delighted the dozens of vendors was that the riders embraced the atmosphere in which all of the participants were rewarded with cheers and clapping–with spontaneous outbursts for movements performed well.
Charlotte’s view of the crowds at the dual Finals of dressage and jumping was: “Show business is what it is about.”
She always goes into the arena to ride for a 10 and he good partnership with Valegro helps reasasure the horse.
“He was always a very brave horse from the start,” she said. “It’s fun to be here. You come here and it’s jus everything you think it’s going to be… the hotels, seeing how crazy the Strip is… having people screaming…”
Edward Gal and the 14-year-old KWPN gelding that he rode into third place at the 2014 Final behind Charlotte and Valegro and Helen Langehanenberg on Damon Hill said that the noise and atmosphere made it so much fun to be in Las Vegas.
Although for a sensitive horse like Undercover the noise could make it diffiult, he liked the fact the audience was with the performers.

For Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and Unee BB Las Vegas and the show “feels like its not real. I need someone to pinch me all the time. It’s like riding at the other end of the world.”
Laura Graves of Geneva, Florida on Verdades, making their first appearance at a World Cup Final, led the field after 14 rides qith a score of 79.125 per cent. The next ride was Charlotte and Valegro that unseated their place at the top of the rankings.
However, Laura said the event was exciting for being in America and her first visit to Las Vegas.
“It feels very surreal,” she said. “I left the hotel early and there was still a party going on in the bar. The crowd definitely brings the party to the stadium.”


News of the disqualification of Steffen Peters of San Diego, California the 2009 champion here with Ravel, came after the competition so most fans had no idea that the American pair they had cheered so loudly for the provisional score of 80.286 per cent which placed them in third place at the time would not be returning for the awards ceremony.
Steffen, known the world over for good riding, the quietest of aids and the love of the horse (“I listen to horses, not speak to them,” he often says) did not know when he caused the mark that drew blood on the side of Legolas. But he thinks it probably happened in the arena when the 13-year-old Westfalen gelding who is very sensitive spooked during an eruption of cheering and clapping.
He made no excuses, but it was clear from photographs that he was wearing very dull spurs with no rowels
“It was clearly my fault,” he told dressage-news.com. “At the end of the day I rode the horse and was wearing the spurs. I am very embarassed about it. I’m the one who feels guilty.”
Results:
Grand Prix Freestyle | (K) | (E) | (H) | (C) | (M) | (B) | (F) | Total | ||||||||
1. | 0108 | Valegro | Dujardin,Charlotte | GBR | ![]() |
A: | 92.500 % | 92.000 % | 90.750 % | 95.000 % | 90.250 % | 90.250 % | 88.000 % | 94.196 % | ||
bay / 13y. / G / KWPN / Negro / Gerschwin / 102UB51 | B: | 99.000 % | 98.000 % | 97.000 % | 99.000 % | 96.000 % | 94.000 % | 97.000 % | ||||||||
Total: | 95.750 % (1) |
95.000 % (1) |
93.875 % (1) |
97.000 % (1) |
93.125 % (1) |
92.125 % (1) |
92.500 % (1) |
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2. | 0109 | Glock’s Undercover N.O.P. | Gal,Edward | NED | ![]() |
A: | 82.500 % | 82.000 % | 81.750 % | 81.250 % | 85.750 % | 81.000 % | 80.500 % | 84.696 % | ||
black / 14y. / G / KWPN / Ferro / Donnerhall / 103MH20 | B: | 86.000 % | 88.000 % | 88.000 % | 84.000 % | 92.000 % | 87.000 % | 86.000 % | ||||||||
Total: | 84.250 % (2) |
85.000 % (2) |
84.875 % (2) |
82.625 % (3) |
88.875 % (2) |
84.000 % (2) |
83.250 % (2) |
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3. | 0106 | Unee BB | von Bredow-Werndl,Jessica | GER | ![]() |
A: | 76.750 % | 76.500 % | 75.000 % | 79.250 % | 77.000 % | 74.750 % | 76.250 % | 80.393 % | ||
bay / 14y. / S / KWPN / Gribaldi / Dageraad / 102YN67 | B: | 86.000 % | 87.000 % | 83.000 % | 83.000 % | 84.000 % | 81.000 % | 86.000 % | ||||||||
Total: | 81.375 % (3) |
81.750 % (3) |
79.000 % (5) |
81.125 % (4) |
80.500 % (5) |
77.875 % (6) |
81.125 % (3) |
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4. | 0117 | Verdades | Graves,Laura | USA | ![]() |
A: | 74.750 % | 77.750 % | 76.250 % | 77.000 % | 79.250 % | 74.250 % | 77.500 % | 79.125 % | ||
bay / 13y. / G / KWPN / Florett As / Goya / 103CK84 | B: | 81.000 % | 84.000 % | 82.000 % | 78.000 % | 83.000 % | 82.000 % | 81.000 % | ||||||||
Total: | 77.875 % (6) |
80.875 % (4) |
79.125 % (4) |
77.500 % (7) |
81.125 % (4) |
78.125 % (5) |
79.250 % (5) |
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5. | 0110 | Glock’s Flirt | Minderhoud,Hans Peter | NED | ![]() |
A: | 74.250 % | 75.500 % | 75.750 % | 77.000 % | 78.250 % | 75.250 % | 75.500 % | 79.036 % | ||
chest / 14y. / S / CH / Florestan / Gauguin de Lully / 103DD24 | B: | 83.000 % | 82.000 % | 80.000 % | 82.000 % | 84.000 % | 82.000 % | 82.000 % | ||||||||
Total: | 78.625 % (5) |
78.750 % (6) |
77.875 % (6) |
79.500 % (5) |
81.125 % (4) |
78.625 % (4) |
78.750 % (6) |
|||||||||
6. | 0107 | El Santo NRW | Werth,Isabell | GER | ![]() |
A: | 75.500 % | 74.000 % | 75.250 % | 78.250 % | 76.500 % | 74.000 % | 73.750 % | 77.875 % | ||
bay / 14y. / G / RHLD / Ehrentusch / Rythmus / GER44504 | B: | 85.000 % | 80.000 % | 80.000 % | 77.000 % | 81.000 % | 79.000 % | 81.000 % | ||||||||
Total: | 80.250 % (4) |
77.000 % (7) |
77.625 % (7) |
77.625 % (6) |
78.750 % (7) |
76.500 % (8) |
77.375 % (8) |
|||||||||
7. | 0112 | Mister X | Merkulova,Inessa | RUS | ![]() |
A: | 76.000 % | 75.750 % | 73.750 % | 75.000 % | 77.000 % | 73.250 % | 76.000 % | 76.911 % | ||
bay / 11y. / G / TRAK / Egeus / 102YZ81 | B: | 79.000 % | 78.000 % | 78.000 % | 78.000 % | 78.000 % | 80.000 % | 79.000 % | ||||||||
Total: | 77.500 % (7) |
76.875 % (8) |
75.875 % (10) |
76.500 % (8) |
77.500 % (9) |
76.625 % (7) |
77.500 % (7) |
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8. | 0114 | Painted Black | Barbancon Mestre,Morgan | ESP | ![]() |
A: | 71.000 % | 72.000 % | 74.000 % | 73.750 % | 76.500 % | 72.500 % | 74.500 % | 76.161 % | ||
black / 18y. / S / KWPN / Gribaldi / Ferro / NED06402 | B: | 80.000 % | 77.000 % | 81.000 % | 76.000 % | 79.000 % | 80.000 % | 79.000 % | ||||||||
Total: | 75.500 % (9) |
74.500 % (12) |
77.500 % (8) |
74.875 % (10) |
77.750 % (8) |
76.250 % (10) |
76.750 % (9) |
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9. | 0101 | My Lady | Gundersen,Mikala Münter | DEN | ![]() |
A: | 70.500 % | 72.250 % | 72.500 % | 73.500 % | 74.750 % | 73.500 % | 70.250 % | 75.018 % | ||
bay / 15y. / M / DWB / Michellino / 103KN32 | B: | 73.000 % | 78.000 % | 81.000 % | 78.000 % | 79.000 % | 79.000 % | 75.000 % | ||||||||
Total: | 71.750 % (13) |
75.125 % (10) |
76.750 % (9) |
75.750 % (9) |
76.875 % (10) |
76.250 % (10) |
72.625 % (13) |
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10. | 0105 | Qui Vincit Dynamis | Lutkemeier,Fabienne | GER | ![]() |
A: | 71.000 % | 73.750 % | 72.000 % | 73.250 % | 72.000 % | 73.000 % | 73.250 % | 74.804 % | ||
chest / 16y. / G / OLDBG / Quattro B / Calypso II / GER45767 | B: | 75.000 % | 77.000 % | 79.000 % | 76.000 % | 78.000 % | 78.000 % | 76.000 % | ||||||||
Total: | 73.000 % (11) |
75.375 % (9) |
75.500 % (11) |
74.625 % (12) |
75.000 % (11) |
75.500 % (11) |
74.625 % (11) |
|||||||||
11. | 0103 | Jojo Az | Kirk Thinggaard,Agnete | DEN | ![]() |
A: | 73.500 % | 73.500 % | 73.500 % | 74.250 % | 70.750 % | 73.000 % | 70.000 % | 74.036 % | ||
bay / 12y. / G / Ginus / Justboy / 103KA01 | B: | 75.000 % | 76.000 % | 77.000 % | 75.000 % | 73.000 % | 77.000 % | 75.000 % | ||||||||
Total: | 74.250 % (10) |
74.750 % (11) |
75.250 % (12) |
74.625 % (12) |
71.875 % (13) |
75.000 % (12) |
72.500 % (14) |
|||||||||
12. | 0102 | Mariett | Petersen,Lars | DEN | ![]() |
A: | 69.500 % | 71.250 % | 71.750 % | 72.500 % | 72.250 % | 70.000 % | 72.500 % | 73.839 % | ||
bay / 17y. / M / DWB / Come Back II / Sidney / DEN02600 | B: | 75.000 % | 76.000 % | 78.000 % | 76.000 % | 76.000 % | 76.000 % | 77.000 % | ||||||||
Total: | 72.250 % (12) |
73.625 % (13) |
74.875 % (13) |
74.250 % (13) |
74.125 % (12) |
73.000 % (15) |
74.750 % (10) |
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13. | 0104 | Axis TSF | Stegars,Terhi | FIN | ![]() |
A: | 67.750 % | 67.000 % | 70.000 % | 70.750 % | 67.000 % | 71.250 % | 70.250 % | 71.214 % | ||
black / 16y. / S / TRAK / Sixtus / Angard / GER44244 | B: | 75.000 % | 72.000 % | 75.000 % | 72.000 % | 68.000 % | 76.000 % | 75.000 % | ||||||||
Total: | 71.375 % (14) |
69.500 % (17) |
72.500 % (15) |
71.375 % (14) |
67.500 % (17) |
73.625 % (14) |
72.625 % (13) |
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14. | 0115 | Di Lapponia T | Friberg,Paulinda | SWE | ![]() |
A: | 64.000 % | 67.750 % | 66.000 % | 68.250 % | 67.750 % | 70.000 % | 64.250 % | 71.000 % | ||
black / 14y. / M / HANN / Donnerhall / Argument / 104AU16 | B: | 75.000 % | 74.000 % | 76.000 % | 73.000 % | 75.000 % | 79.000 % | 74.000 % | ||||||||
Total: | 69.500 % (15) |
70.875 % (15) |
71.000 % (17) |
70.625 % (16) |
71.375 % (14) |
74.500 % (13) |
69.125 % (16) |
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15. | 0116 | Fleetwood | Hamilton,Malin | SWE | ![]() |
A: | 66.000 % | 67.500 % | 71.250 % | 71.000 % | 68.750 % | 68.250 % | 68.000 % | 70.625 % | ||
bay / 16y. / G / WESTF / Florestan I / Bormio XX / SWE40906 | B: | 71.000 % | 72.000 % | 76.000 % | 71.000 % | 72.000 % | 74.000 % | 72.000 % | ||||||||
Total: | 68.500 % (17) |
69.750 % (16) |
73.625 % (14) |
71.000 % (15) |
70.375 % (16) |
71.125 % (16) |
70.000 % (15) |
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16. | 0111 | Kartsevo Upperville | Dorofeeva,Tatiana | RUS | ![]() |
A: | 68.250 % | 69.750 % | 69.000 % | 68.750 % | 65.500 % | 69.250 % | 66.500 % | 69.357 % | ||
14y. / S / KWPN / Cabochon / Creool / 102ZV82 | B: | 70.000 % | 72.000 % | 73.000 % | 70.000 % | 67.000 % | 72.000 % | 70.000 % | ||||||||
Total: | 69.125 % (16) |
70.875 % (15) |
71.000 % (17) |
69.375 % (17) |
66.250 % (18) |
70.625 % (18) |
68.250 % (17) |
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17. | 0113 | Romeo-Star | Sidneva,Elena | RUS | ![]() |
A: | 67.500 % | 66.250 % | 66.750 % | 67.250 % | 68.750 % | 68.750 % | 63.750 % | 68.571 % | ||
bay / 14y. / S / HANN / Romantic Star / Mister A / RUS40441 | B: | 68.000 % | 72.000 % | 71.000 % | 68.000 % | 72.000 % | 73.000 % | 67.000 % | ||||||||
Total: | 67.750 % (18) |
69.125 % (18) |
68.875 % (18) |
67.625 % (18) |
70.375 % (16) |
70.875 % (17) |
65.375 % (18) |
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18. | 0118 | Legolas | Peters,Steffen | USA | ![]() |
A: | – % | – % | – % | – % | – % | – % | – % | – % | ||
bay / 13y. / G / WESTF / Laomedon / Florestan II / 103KZ88 | B: | – % | – % | – % | – % | – % | – % | – % | ||||||||
Total: | – % | – % | – % | – % | – % | – % | – % |
Data of competition: | ||||||||||||||||||
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