Dressage-News

SAUMUR, France, May 1, 2016–Fiona Bigwood and Orthilia maintained their 2016 winning streak by claiming victory with a personal best score in the CDI3* Grand Prix Special Sunday while her husband Anders Dahl kept it in the family by placing second on Selten HW.

Fiona and Atterupgaards Orthilia scored 79.196 per cent in the fourth straight win in four starts so far this year and easily surpassing their previous high Special result of 76.255 per cent posted three weeks agpo.

The score for Fiona and the 11-year-old Oldenburg mare came after notching a Grand Prix personal best  two days ago. Barring anything unforeseen, the results assure the pair a place on Great Britain’s team for the Olympics in August alongside Charlotte Dujardin on Valegro and Carl Hester on Nip Tuck.

The pair began Big Tour a year ago and were on Britain’s European Championship silver medal team last year.

Anders Dahl, Fiona’s husband who rides for Denmark and lives in England with their three children, was second on Selten HW with a score of 73.431 per cent.

This show was the CDI Grand Prix debut for Anders and the 12-year-old Hanoverian gelding (Sandro Hit x Hohenstein) bred by Irene Hoeflich-Wiederhold of Cape Coral, Florida.

Selten was sold by Californian Elizabeth Ball in October 2012 after she trained and competed the horse to an historic triple crown by winning the United States four-year-old title in 2008, five-year-old victor in 2009 and the six-year-old championship in 2010.

Anders capped a successful Small Tour career by winning the 2014 Dressage Future Elite Championship at Britain’s Horse of the Year show.

Belgium’s Jorinde Verwimp on Tiamo were third on 69.706 per cent. Jorinde and the 16-year-old KWPN were partners through European Junior, Young Rider and senior championships in the past five years.

Results:

Saumur CDI3* Grand Prix Special