News

Personal best for Kittel and Scandic

Jan 26, 2013

Sweden’s No. 1 rider Patrik Kittel scored his personal best to win the Nürnberger World Dressage Masters Grand Prix CDI5* on Watermill Scandic H.B.C. The duo’s powerful and consistent ride featured buttery-smooth transitions, earning them a 77.681% against a field of 15 competitors at the Palm Beach County Jim Brandon Equestrian Center. Kittel broke into a wide grin at the completion of his test, and his confidence was rewarded when the scores flashed on the board. The judge at “H,” Isabelle Judet of France, awarded Kittel and Scandic, a 14-year-old chestnut KWPN stallion, an 80.745%. A member of the Swedish team at the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games as well as the 2010 World Equestrian Games, he rode Scandic to victories at Falsterbo CDI5*, Rotterdam CDIO3* and Lingen CDI4* last summer.

After they compete in the WDM Exquis Grand Prix Freestyle presented by Axel Johnson Group on Saturday, Kittel and Scandic will fly home and begin working toward the World Cup Final in Gothenburg, Sweden in late April.

Sweden’s Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven came in second with a 76.851% riding Don Auriello, an 11-year-old bay Hanoverian gelding owned by Lovsta Stuteri. Swedish teammates Kittel and Vilhelmson-Silfven continued a friendly Florida rivalry after last weekend’s Gold Coast Opener CDI-W, also at Jim Brandon Equestrian Center. Kittel and Scandic won both the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Freestyle at the Gold Coast Opener, while Vilhelmson-Silfven, riding Divertimento, finished second and third.

The defending two-time WDM Palm Beach Champion Steffen Peters was pleased with his third place finish on Legolas 92, whose precise movements and lofty piaffe earned them a score of 75.149%. Legolas 92 is an 11-year-old bay Westphalian gelding owned by Four Winds Farm. Peters, a three-time Olympian, is the only U.S. dressage rider to have won individual medals at the World Equestrian Games.

U.S. rider Heather Blitz on Paragon, her own 10-year-old Danish Warmblood, scored a 74.064% to take fourth with extravagant extensions and fluid tempi changes. The elegant pair finished second in the Grand Prix Special at the 2012 World Dressage Masters Palm Beach CDI4*.

Denmark’s Lars Petersen and Mariett, a 15-year-old Danish Warmblood mare owned by Marcia Pepper and Lars Petersen, earned a 71.809% for a fifth place finish. A five-time Danish National Champion, Petersen’s resumé includes the Olympic Games, three World Equestrian Games, two World Cup Finals, and three Continental Championships.

U.S. Olympian Adrienne Lyle, Debbie McDonald’s protégé, and Wizard earned a 71.362% for sixth place. The pair rode in their first WDM Palm Beach appearance last year and won the Grand Prix Special with a score of 75.022%. Lyle’s big grin and pat for Wizard, a 14-year-old Oldenburg gelding owned by Peggy and Parry Thomas, was a crowd pleaser, and the duo passaged out of the arena after their test.

Another crowd favorite was David Marcus on Chrevi’s Capital, a 13-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding owned by Deborah Kinzinger. His ride earned a 70.660% for seventh place.

Hans Peter Minderhoud on Withney van ‘t Genthof earned a 69.872%. The Dutch pair rounded out the top eight to advance to the Grand Prix Freestyle Saturday night.

Edward Gal of the Netherlands, who was slated to ride Inter Floor Next One, had to withdraw from today’s competition due to illness.

And the American Olympic combination of Tina Konyot of Palm Cty, Florida, and Calecto V was eliminated, reportedly for blood from a spur mark. Calecto stumbled during the test and Tina's leg may have nicked the horse's side.

1 Patrik Kittel Watermill Scandic H.B.C. SWE 77.68%
2 Tinne Vilhelmson Don Auriello SWE 76.85%
3 Steffen Peters Legolas USA 75.15%
4 Heather Blitz Paragon USA 74.06%
5 Lars Petersen Mariett DEN 71.81%
6 Adrienne Lyle Wizard USA 71.36%
7 David Marcus Chrevi's Capital CAN 70.66%
8 Hans Peter Minderhoud Withney van 't Genthof NED 69.87%
9 Mikala Gundersen My Lady DEN 68.45%
10 James Koford Rhett USA 66.38%
11 Jacqueline Brooks D-Niro CAN 66.36%
12 Cheryl Meisner-Linssen Tango CAN 65.40%
13 Silvia Rizzo Donnerbube 2 ITA 65.25%
14 Diana Creech Devon L CAN 64.11%
15 Tina Konyot Calecto V USA Elm.

Source World Dressage Masters