Patrik och Watermill Scandic HBC fick flera nior i protokollet och fick ihop fina 81,025.
- Jättekul, det var en av våra bättre rundor, säger Patrik efter ritten.
- Vi har jobbat med formen i galoppen och nu känns det verkligen att vi är på rätt väg.
Ekipaget bukar få bra poäng i piaff och passage.
- Kan vi hålla det även i galopprogrammet höjer vi poängen och det behövs om man ska hävda sig i kokurrensen, menar Patrik, som ser fram mot att komma till Stockholm International Horse Show.
- Det ska verkligen bli kul, hemmapubliken är jätteviktig, säger Patrik.
Minna och Santana gjorde en mycket jämn och bra ritt utan några egentliga missar och slutade på 76,35 procent. Även Minna var jättenöjd med sin ritt.
- Vårt bästa resultat hittills i küren!
- Det var debut för vår nya kür och så roligt att domarna gillade programmet, säger Minna.
Vann gjorde återigen Adelinde Cornelissen från Holland på pampige Jerich Parzival. Med 89,37 procent var hon överlägsen segrare, före italienska Valentina Truppa med Eremo del Casegno på 83,35. Trea blev Kristina Sprehe från Tyskland på elegante Desperados med 82,25 procent.
Minna och Patrik är överens om att det blir en tuff Världscupsäsong.
- Det är två tävlingar mindre den här säsongen. så det är färre kvaltillfällen, säger Patrik.
- Det gör också att fler av de bästa är med på varje tävling, så konkurrensen är stenhård, tillägger Minna.
Såväl segraren Adelinde Cornelissen och Parzival som de svenska ekipagen kommer till Ericsson Globe och Stockholm International Horse Show.
Länkar och resultat finns i Kalendern
Från FEI:
ADELINDE AND PARZIVAL MAKE IT TWO-IN-A-ROW AT LYON
Defending champions, Adelinde Cornelissen and Jerich Parzival, once again stamped their authority all over the opposition when racking up their second successive victory in the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Western European League qualifier at Lyon in France tonight. The Dutch partnership scored a massive 89.375 to leave them well clear of runners-up Valentina Truppa and Eremo del Castegno from Italy, while it was a very satisfying day for Kristina Sprehe who slotted into third with Desperados FRH.
In yesterday’s Grand Prix the 26 year old German rider endured an uncomfortable time as her 11 year old stallion bubbled over with excitement to finish well down the line in eighth place. Tonight however they produced a much more focused performance to edge ahead of Sweden’s Patrik Kittel and Watermill Scandic HBC in the final line-up.
Asked tonight if competing with Jerich Parzival is a more enjoyable enjoyable experience these days, Cornelissen, who was described as “The First Lady” during the press conference, referred to the change in the character of her 15 year old gelding. “Yes, he’s not nearly as spooky as he used to be, he doesn’t worry and he’s much more relaxed so I can work on his self-carriage and suppleness - and it’s nice that everyone is noticing the difference and that they are liking it!” she pointed out.
Continuing Form
She gave notice of her continuing form with victory in yesterday’s Grand Prix in which her Dutch colleague, Edward Gal, lined up second with Glock’s Undercover. Gal’s performance today however was only good enough for fifth place with a mark of 79.125.
Sweden’s Minna Telde set the standard in the first half of the competition with a lovely Freestyle from the eye-catching and exciting 11 year old black stallion Santana who showed a lot of elevation in extended trot for a score of 76.350. French rider, Jessica Michel, followed her into the ring, and, on her debut at Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ level competition, the 30 year old did herself proud with an expressive test from the 11 year old mare Riwere de Hus whose easy way of going was complemented by power, particularly in the pirouettes, and lovely moments of suspension for a score of 73.350. But Sprehe and her Olympic ride, Desperados, were the show-stealers as the second tranche took their turn.
After registering a mark of 82.250, which temporarily took over the lead, the German rider explained, “yesterday was the first competition for my horse for a long time. He was breeding after competing in London, and he is a stallion so he couldn’t find his concentration yesterday. Today though, he was much more relaxed” she said.
Re-set the Parameters
Sprehe was still out in front with just three left to go, but this group would re-set the parameters, led by Cornelissen who was third-last into the arena. Parzival is oozing confidence these days, and as he breezed through the test that he now knows so well it was clear that the new signals he is getting from his rider are being better understood. After their victory in the first leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage series in Odense two weeks ago, Cornelissen explained that her effort to lighten her riding style so that she can produce an even more pleasing picture for the panel of judges had led to some moments of confusion for the big chestnut horse. But this time the transitions were seamless, and there was little doubt about who would come out on top as their big result lit up the scoreboard.
Second-last to go, Sweden’s Patrik Kittle and Watermill Scandic HBC earned 81.025 for their rhythmic test, and then it was left to Italy’s Valentina Truppa and Eremo del Castegno to lay down the final challenge. And it was good enough for runner-up position when they put 83.350 on the board.
Artistic Flair
When asked to analyse the performances of the top three finishers, Ground Jury member, Mrs Isabelle Judet from France, said Truppa’s test showed “a great sense of artistic flair”. Talking about Sprehe’s Freestyle, Mrs Judet pointed out “that for me, it was technically very nice. Maybe she could gain some more points by improving the choreography, the artistic part could maybe be more solid”.
“Her Kur is like a perfect piece of work!” Mrs Judet said of Cornelissen’s winning ride. “All the transitions were fitting very well and the music was according to the movements. It is a real masterpiece when this horse is good on a day like today” she added. Commenting on improvements that Cornelissen could make, “because it is the role of the judge to help her”, Mrs Judet pointed out that Parzival could hold his head “a little more steady” in the pirouette, and that his mouth could be more closed - “but I know you are working on this” she said to the winning rider.
Port of Call
Cornelissen’s next port of call is Stockholm, Sweden at the end of the month, but before that, the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage series moves to Stuttgart, Germany on 16/17 November.
The defending champion has already shown that she and her great gelding are in a class of their own again this season, and that the possibility of mirroring the horse-and-rider hat-tricks recorded by her fellow-countrywoman, Anky Van Grunsven, who steered Bonfire to victory from 1995 to 1997 and Salinero to three-time success between 2004 and 2006, is far from a distant dream. It is a very strong possibility for the 2011 and 2012 series champions.
TORSDAG
Patrik Kittel på Watermill Scandic HBC slutade på fjärde plats i torsdagens Grand Prix-dressyr vid världscuptävlingarna, Reem Acra FEI World Cup, i franska Lyon. Det blev även svenskt på sjätte plats, genom Minna Telde och Santana.
Minna Telde rider sin enögde svarte Santana, som i London under OS blandade bländande uppvisningar med orutinerade småmissar.
I Lyon gjorde ekipaget en riktigt bra ritt med bland annat en nia på ökade skritten.
- Jag är jättenöjd med mycket, säger en glad Minna efter ritten som belönades med 72,149 procent.
- Det är bara Santanas andra tävling inomhus och han var mindre spänd än jag väntat mig.
- Sen är jag mindre nöjd med piruetterna men det är mitt eget fel, jag får träna mer på det, konstaterar Minna.
Santana kommer förstås till Ericsson Globe och sedan är planen att starta i London i december.
Patrik Kittel laddade för Lyon med premiären på senaste Bondfilmen, Skyfall. Patrik och hustru Lyndal tog en tripp till London för att mingla på premiären.
Det hann Patrik med innan han lastade Watermill Scandic HBC på lastbilen för jakten på nya värdefulla världscuppoäng på fransk mark.
Ekipaget fick fina betyg på bland annat övergångar men låga poäng på den samlade skritten, som har koefficient 2 och räknas dubbelt, drog ner det totala betyget något. Patriks ritt fick 74,957 procent.
GP-segrare på 82,766 procent blev holländska dressyrdrottningen Adelinde Cornelissen, som kommer till Stockholm International Horse Show.
Världscupküren i Lyon avgörs på fredagskvällen med start klockan 19.00. TV-kanalen C More Sport direktsänder.
Från FEI:
Adelinde Cornelissen, in her stride.
A great start to the Dressage in Lyon in 2012 with a top quality FEI Reem Acra World Cup Grand Prix and the victory of the pre-event favourite, the Olympic silver medallist and current World Cup holder, Adelinde Cornelissen.
The Dutch rider is clearly happy and serene, and just enjoying riding Jerich Parzival: "He's completely at ease indoors and didn't give me any problems with his easy transitions." Although qualified as the defending champion, she must nonetheless finish in the points twice in order to book her ticket for the final in Göteborg. It is hard to imagine her not doing so tomorrow in the Freestyle to music, an exercise in which the couple excel. Her 82.766% in today's event shows that she should not be getting penalised on the technical side. Moreover, she was the only rider to exceed 80%, since Edward Gal achieved 78.511% with his Olympic horse Glock’s Undercover which has been continually improving since the world champion was given the stallion to ride at the start of the year (for example, he only achieved 75.395%at the London Olympics): "Yes, it's our best score yet here in Lyon, and I hope to do even better tomorrow. I can see small improvements in every sector; the horse is becoming more stable. This is his first indoor event and I was really pleased with how he behaved." Gaston Glock bought Undercover so that Edward Gal, who had lost Totilas, could go to the Olympic Games. The patron also wanted to buy back Totilas from Paul Schockemöhle, but it was not possible. Has Gal given up on this hope? "You never know, maybe I'll get a Christmas gift. I still believe in Father Christmas when there is a wonderful present waiting at the end!" What should we read into his words? To be continued…
Lyon seems to smile on the Italian rider Valentina Truppa, who has always finished in the top three. However, with the quality of the participants this year, she had to pull out all the stops, and particularly her Olympic horse Eremo del Castegno (15th in London) who was just returning to indoor competition: "That's why he was a bit hot at the beginning of the test and took me with him in the first extended trot. But I prefer an energetic horse that you don't need to encourage compared to a horse you have to push all the time." And it is true that this energy and tonus were reflected in the high tempo music, with a particularly dynamic second piaffe.