Dressage-News

By KENNETH J. BRADDICK

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands, June 2, 2017–The United States won the CDIO5* Nations Cup Saturday after a dramatic change of fortune when Edward Gal rode Glock’s Voice to top the Grand Prix Special but the Netherlands’ hopes of a home town victory were dashed when Madeleine Witte-Vrees withdrew when her Cennin lost a shoe in the warmup. Sweden took silver and Germany bronze.

Withdrawal of the second Dutch combination in the Special enabled the Dutta Corp. United States team of Laura Graves on Verdades, Kasey Perry-Glass on Dublet and Olivia LaGoy-Weltz on Lonoir to hold on to the lead in the Grand Prix. The U.S. team had no room for a mistake after the elimination of Dawn White- O’Connor Legolas.

Laura of Geneva, Florida and the 15-year-old KWPN gelding on America’s team bronze medal team from the 2016 Olympics and reserve champion at this year’s Omaha World Cup, topped the Grand Prix Freestyle with a score of 80.980 per cent to clinch the Nations Cup for the United States.

The Nations Cup gold meant for Laura that she was hearing the American national anthem being played outside the United States.

The United States, defending champions from the inaugural year of the series in 2016, moved to the top of the Nations Cup standings with 29 points after four of the seven events in the trans-Atlantic competition lineup.

Edward and the 15-year-old KWPN stallion Voice that partnered at the 2016 Olympics, the 2014 World Games and this year’s Omaha World Cup Final, moved to the top of the Special rankings with a score of 75.098 per cent with Madeleine and her World Cup mount still to go.

Kasey and Dublet scored 71.784 per cent in the Special in the centerpiece arena that was packed despite a chilly, rain drenched evening following two days of near-record hot and humid weather.

Olivia and Lonoir who had pulled off a personal best performance in the Grand Prix did not repeat as the 13-year-old gelding in the first European Big Tour event appeared affected by the party atmosphere in the stands and was awarded 68.078 per cent.

“The level of quality came out in the Grand Prix,” said Olivia of Haymarket, Virgina who has been working with the Dutch trainer Egbert Kraak (not German as previously reported). “It was a big jump up and rapid. We’re much more comfortable with that test. We feel we now own every step.

“We’re greener at the Special, it’s a new level of quality and more tired. Combine that with the atmosphere, a little bobble here and… I came out of it disappointed because it is a team event, but at the same time not really upset because we know what needs to be worked on, to turn more attention to the Special.”

Kasey, based in Wellington, Florida said that before she went in to the arena on Dublet after Olivia she asked her coach, Debbie McDonald, what score Olivia received.

Before Debbie replied, she said, “Please don’t tell me. I don’t want to know.”

She and Dublet competed in the Nations Cup here in 2016 and she went on to be on the American Olympic bronze medal team

Now, she said, Dublet is more mature and she was happier with the performance.

The Nations Cup looked as if it would come down to the freestyle with Laura Graves and Verdades ranked No. 4 in the world putted against Hans Peter Minderhoud and Glock’s Johnson TN, on the Dutch team at the 2014 World Games, the 2015 European Championships and the Rio Olympics last year.

Madeleine and Cennin were the second last to go, after Edward and the two American pairs.

Cennin, a 10-year-old KWPN stallion that has not previously competed in a CDI Grand Prix Special, lost a shoe in the warmup arena and was forced to withdraw.

The Netherlands were out of contention.

The final standings were: 1. United States 446.442; 2. Sweden 427.035; 3. Germany 414.030; 4. Great Britain 413.626; 5. Netherlands 376.048.

Results:

CDIO5* Nations Cup Teams