News

Memorial start of 27th Reem Acra FEI WC Final

Apr 21, 2012

The Reem Acra FEI WC Final dressage in ’s-Hertogenbosch had a quite devastating start this afternoon after the message about the sudden dead of German teamcoach Holger Schmezer was landed. The order of start with the best competitors in the beginning didn’t make it better either, while even the acceptance of title defender Jerich Parzival at the second vet check hardly could make it more happy.
So the Grand Prix had the highlights at the start. Quite a remarkable mistake occurred when Jerich Parzival made a halt at the centreline instead of a piaffe. Adelinde explained: “It was the background music that suddenly stopped and that made Parzival think it was the end of the test!” For Adelinde it was ‘a hell of a night’ as she called it, with not to good sleeping because of the uncertainty of the vet check. Adelinde shared her lack of sleep with her German colleagues who had been sitting together in sadness in the hotel last night.

At the post-competition press conference, Helen Langehanenberg explained that the she and her fellow-German competitors, Isabell Werth and Nadine Capellmann, sat together well into the night discussing whether they should withdraw from the Final under the circumstances. “It was really hard for everyone - completely unexpected. In the end it was our opinion that Holger would want us to ride - that was his aim, why he came here, so we had to do it for him,” she said.

As the second start Cornelissen and Parzival swept into the lead and didn’t let their position go. The rider, who took two gold medals at last year’s FEI European Dressage Championships in Rotterdam admitted afterwards that her horse may be a bit ring-rusty because she lacked rhythm as Parzival only did two shows this winter.

Germany’s Isabell Werth was third into the arena and there was a buzz of excitement as her 11-year-old gelding, El Santo NRW, registered high scores in the early stages of his test. But, following a big spook toward the end of the extended canter, the scores began to deteriorate and this partnership completed with 69.802, which was only good enough for 10th in the final analysis.

Fellow-German respresentatives, Langehanenberg and Damon Hill, rose to the occasion however to produce a charming programme. “I was really happy with him!” the rider said of her handsome stallion. “He was brilliant at the start - he did lovely piaffe and passage, but sadly at the end there was a mistake, but he is so motivated and willing!” she said. “I was so sorry for the mistake, but we are two living beings, and it is what it is!” she added. And her score of 76.125 would mark her as the runner up.

Valentina Truppa was surprised to find herself in third. “I didn’t expect to be in the top three,” she said. “My horse was really good and very concentrated - he’s not usually at his best indoors!”, she pointed out after racking up 75.106 to place herself well ahead of The Netherlands’ Hans Peter Minderhoud and Glock’s Tango in fourth.

Great Britain’s Richard Davison finished fifth following yet another classic display of professional riding. He steered Hiscox Artemis through his movements with a veteran’s touch to put 73.374 on the scoreboard, while Sweden’s Patrik Kittel claimed sixth place with Toy Story who showed some flashes of brilliance during his test.

America’s Jan Ebeling (Rafalca) and Shawna Harding (Come On III) undermined their chances by mis-timing their entry into the arena and were subsequently penalised with the deduction of all-important points. But all riders will compete again in tomorrow’s decisive Freestyle to Music which begins at 14.00 local time.

Australia’s Rachael Sanna and Jaybee Alabaster will lead the way, while the defending champions will start 15th of the 18 horse-and-rider combinations and will be a tough act for any of the others to beat.

FEI YouTube Channel: http://youtu.be/HX4nSLYtZOg

Find more results also at the show's website www.indoorbrabant.com