Dressage-News

NEW YORK, Sept. 28, 2015–Isabell Werth on El Santo NRW repeated as victors at the $75,000 Central Park Horse Show Grand Prix Freestyle under lights Saturday night that featured a demonstration musical ride by world No 1 Charlotte Dujardin.

In the competition in the Wollman Rnk, that in winter is an ice skating landmark known around the world from movies such as “Love Story,” Isabell and the 14-year-old Rhinelander gelding was awarded 80.333 per cent by the three-member ground jury.

As a five-time Olympic gold medalist stretching over a quarter century who continues to develop some of the top horses in the world, Isabell was a popular winner.

“I am really, really happy that we could do it twice and come back here at this beautiful arena under this outstanding skyline,” Isabell said. “Always when I start with the music and the pressure, I feel the spectators are awake and coming with me. I was really happy with ‘Ernie’—it was a completely good test.”

Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfvén, a six-time Olympian for Sweden and competitor at the winter-long Global Dressage Festival in Wellington, Florida that is organized by the same group that staged this event, was second on Paridon Magi with a score of 76.587 per cent.

Catherine Haddad=Staller based in Califon in neighboring New Jersey was the top placing American and third overall on Mane Stream Hotmail with a score of 74.250 per cent.

Charlotte Dujardin, who opted not to bring her top ranked mount Valegro to New York to insure the KWPN gelding is fit for the 2016 Olympics and what she hopes will be a repeat of their gold medalperformance in London three years ago, gave a demonstration Freestyle ride.

The 30-year-old Briton was riding Renaissance Tyme for only the second time. The 12-year-old gray Oldenburg gelding is owned. trained and competed by Evi Strasser, an Olympic and World Games rider for Canada.

Correction: Catherine Haddad-Staller is based in Califon, New Jersey and not Stockton as stated in a previous version.