Patrik Kittel & Delaunay Win Budapest World Cup Freestyle in First Step Toward Championship Final in his Homeland

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Patrik Kittel and Delaunay. File photo. © Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

BUDAPEST, Aug. 7, 2020–With a victory on Delaunay OLD in the World Cup Grand Prix Freestyle Friday, Swedish Olympian Patrik Kittel took his first big step toward a start at the championship Final in his homeland next April.

Patrik and the 14-year-old Oldenburg gelding scored 80.590% for a sweep of the event after taking the Grand Prix Thursday in his first competition back after an enforced break during the coronavirus pandemic. The win was the fourth straight this year for the duo, having swept the CDI5* in Doha in February before the coronavirus break.

The victory for Patrik, Sweden’s top ranked rider, and Delaunay in the second of 10 qualifiers in Central Europe gives the rider the maximum of 20 points that he takes to the Western European circuit that begins in October leading to the Final in Gothenburg, Sweden. He is tied with Jessica von Bredow-Werndl of Germany.

Thamar Zweistra of the Netherlands on Hexagon’s Double Dutch were awarded 76.960% for third place to add 7.5 points to the 15 he had already accumulated for a total of 22.5 to become the top rider in the Western European lineup.

Morgan Barbançon on Sir Donnerhall II OLD, France’s top ranked combination, was second on 77.960%.

Patrik is a three-time Olympian for Sweden and on Delaunay competed at the 2019 World Cup Final that also was at Gothenburg and his seventh appearance at the annual championship centered on the musical performance.

He likely would have been invited to the 2020 Final in Las Vegas if it had not been canceled on one of three horses he campaigned that included Delaunay that was also his mount at the 2017 European Championships in Gothenburg.

Austria’s Renate Voglsang on Fürst Ferdinand zur Fasanenhöhe won the CDI3* Grand Prix Special on a score of 70.298%, the international debut for the 11-year-old Bavarian gelding.

Belinda Weinbauer, also of Austria, on Fustanella OLD placed second on 69.745%.

Results:

CDI-W Grand Prix Freestyle

            Judges:   Trond Asmyr Marietta Almasy Thomas Lang Peter Holler Janine van Twist  
Pl.   Score %   Nat. Athlete Horse   E H C M B  
1.   80.590   SWE Patrik Kittel Delaunay OLD   80.9 79.425 80.3 81.05 81.275  
2.   77.960   FRA Morgan Barbançon Sir Donnerhall II OLD   76.25 78.775 77.175 77.575 80.025  
3.   76.960   NED Thamar Zweistra Hexagon’s Double Dutch   75.45 78.45 76.65 76.05 78.2  
4.   74.630   AUT Belinda Weinbauer Fräulein Auguste MJ   71.575 75.8 74.675 76.875 74.225  
5.   73.210   GER Jessica Süss Duisenberg 2   72.8 75.9 72.5 72.025 72.825  
6.   71.430   ITA Tatiana Miloserdova Florento Fortuna   72.125 72.55 70.35 71.6 70.525  
7.   69.060   POL Zaneta Skowronska-Kozubik Romantic P   69.775 70.85 70.025 68.05 66.6  
8.   66.830   HUN Anita Schmidt Limitless   68.2 68.5 61.5 68.125 67.825  
9.   66.670   HUN Róbert Ács Fioretto 35   67.125 65.95 67.825 66.575 65.875  
10.   65.910   HUN Nikolett Szalai Willy The Hit   66.675 63.825 66.45 67.425 65.175  

CDI3* Grand Prix Special

            Judges:   Barbara Franyo Jacques van Daele Marietta Almasy Peter Holler Peter Hansághy  
Pl.   Score %   Nat. Athlete Horse   E H C M B  
1.   70.298   AUT Renate Voglsang Fürst Ferdinand zur Fasanenhöhe   71.702 68.404 70.106 72.234 69.043  
2.   69.745   AUT Belinda Weinbauer Fustanella OLD   67.766 67.979 71.064 71.809 70.106  
3.   67.362   NED Thamar Zweistra Erina   66.809 65.957 69.043 65.957 69.043  
4.   66.872   GER Alina Röhricht Atlantis   67.34 66.596 67.128 67.766 65.532  
5.   66.468   NED Dana van Lierop Cingaro IV   65.426 64.255 67.766 66.809 68.085