![Anky and Salinero make it a double at Olympia](https://www.equisport.pt/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/salind.jpg)
At the centenary Olympia Horseshow dressage stepped into a new era. Anky van Grunsven presented her brand new Freestyle composed by virtuoso Wibi Soerjadi, called ‘Dance of devotion’. The judges unanimously agreed on the victory of the Olympic gold couple (83,050%).
Along with this British dressage also stepped into a new era as Laura Bechtolsheimer reached for the unique score of 75,333% in Grand Prix, a score never received by a British dressage rider before. The huge applause and cheering of the home crowd unfortunately tonight was still in the mind of 12 year old Mistral Hojris, resulting in a lower score and fifth position. The runner up position now was for the popular Finnish Kyra Kyrklund and Max, who did a very good job with their Cabaret-Freestyle (76,500%). British Carl Hester ended at fourth position with a nice swinging and controlled test riding Dolendo of mrs Ann Cory. He was overjoyed as he hadn’t ridden a Freestyle since 2003, however the Grand Prix-score of Laura Bechtolsheimer appealed to him even more.
At the press conference a lot of remarks were given about Freestyles, developments in dressage and what Freestyles have brought to dressage. Kyra Kyrklund said: “When we sell our sport, we cannot sell the same piece year after year. I feel it’s our responsibility to bring good new things from time to time.”
Anky van Grunsven said it was not about new Freestyles but about looking closer at horses and Freestyles which brings improvement. A new piece however brings extra tension as a freestyle only can be experienced in full when showed in the arena. Anky felt very nervous before she entered the full house Olympia filled wit expectation. “Normally I only have to take care of my horse IPS Salinero before entering such a packed arena. But now I had to take care of one my horse, two my new choreography, three my new music. It was quite a challenge!”
Anky said she felt a bit disappointed when she had left the arena because she sometimes was ahead of the music. “The good thing was that I felt it and did notice it. And I know the first time cannot be perfect. But still I do hope for a perfect ride.”
Chairman of the judges Dr Volker Moritz however was full of praise. “It was a very special atmosphere tonight and I was very impressed by the new Freestyle of Anky van Grunsven. It fitted the horse very well and I rewarded it with very high marks.” Judge Stephen Clarke added: “It was very subtle, very clever, very difficult. I think this Freestyle has every chance to grow as it needs a little exposure and probably practice.”
Compared to Anky’s gold winning Freestyle with the French chansons, not only the degree of difficulty in the technical performance has risen, also the degree of difficulty in the music added to the atmosphere and impression. Composer Wibi Soerjadi witnessed the performance himself and said: “This was not a translation of the movements of the horse into music. It was an expression of emotion. This ‘Dance of devotion’ was played by 70 musicians and had 16 different melodies and voices coming all together to express the endless mastership of this pair. That was what I intended to express.”
Results (18.12.07)
FEI World Cup
CDI-W – Olympia – Great Britain
Grand Prix Freestyle with Music
1º Anky van Gruns (Hol) – Salinero – 83,050%
2º Kyra Kyrklund (Fin) – Max – 76,500%
3º Anders Dahl (Den) – 73,550%
4º Carl Hester (Gbr) – Dolendo – 73,100%
5º Laura Bechtolsheimer (Gbr) – Mistral Hojris – 72,450%
6º Jeroen Devroe (Bel) – Paganini – 72,201%
7º Alex van Silfhout (Hol) – Luxform's Nimbly – 72,200%
8º Aat van Essen (Hol) – Premier – 72,050%
9º Stephanie Croxford (Gbr) – Mr President – 71,150%
10ºAnna-Katharina Lüttgen (Ger) – Zancor – 70,650%
FEI WORLD CUP™ DRESSAGE 2007/2008 – WESTERN EUROPEAN LEADERBOARD AFTER ROUND 4 IN LONDON OLYMPIA:
Due to a change of rules for the season 2007-2008 the actual title defender does not receive World Cup™ Points! This time title defender Isabell
Werth was the winner in Odense and Frankfurt but for this reason is not listed in the rankings. Also Canadian Evi Strasser didn’t receive World Cup™
Points in London.
1. Anders Dahl (Den) – 46 Pontos
2. Jan Brink (Swe) – 40
3. Nathalie Zu Sayn Wittgenstein (Den) – 39
4. Patricia Callaghan (Ned) – 32
5. Victoria Max Theurer (Aut) – 30
6. Laurens Van Lieren (Ned) – 28
7. Louise Nathhorst (Swe) – 24
8. Emma Karlsson (Swe) – 20
8. Anky Van Grunsven (Ned) – 20
10. Silvia Ikle (Swi) – 19
10. Catherina Haddad (Usa) – 19
10. Jeroen Devroe (Bel) – 19
13. Wayne Channon (Gbr) – 18
13. Aat Van Essen (Ned) – 18
15. Tinne Vilhelmson (Swe) – 17
15. Andreas Helgstrand (Den) – 17
15. Kyra Kyrklund (Fin) – 17
18. Stephanie Croxford (Gbr) – 15
18. Heike Kemmer (Ger) – 15