(FEI by Louise Parkes) – On a night when nerves were truly tested by the close confines of the arena, the pure class of the 2012 Olympic individual and team gold medallists shone through as Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro topped the fifth leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage series at Olympia in London. The Grand Hall at this prestigious venue is aptly named, but it is a very snug fit for the dressage ring at the Christmas fixture which attracts packed houses throughout a hectic week of great sport.

As Dujardin pointed out, “at the Olympics there were 24,000 spectators watching, but they were a long way away. Here tonight it was very different, they were so close you could hear them breathing!”, she said after claiming pole position with a score of 87.950.

Runner-up with a mark of 80.075 was double FEI World Cup™ Dressage champion Isabell Werth from Germany whose performance with the 11-year-old Don Johnson FRH left her well pleased. And it was Dujardin’s trainer and mentor, Carl Hester, who lined up third with a score of 79.900. It was an emotional night for the Briton who shared the top step of the team podium at London 2012 with his 26 year old pupil, because Hester was riding Utopia for the very last time. “He’ll be sold in the new year”, the rider confirmed tonight.

Great Expectations

There were great expectations ahead of this fifth leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2012/2013 Western European League series. And when Dujardin and her 10-year-old wonder-horse produced another in her long list of world record scores when posting 84.447 to win Monday night’s FEI Grand Prix, then it seemed anything could happen again tonight. But the FEI World Cup™ Dressage Freestyle record of 92.3 set by The Netherlands’ Edward Gal and the fabulous stallion Totilas at Olympia three years ago was never threatened despite some great efforts.

Imke Schellekens-Bartels and the massive 12 year old gelding, Toots, made their canter pirouettes look very easy indeed as the Dutch pair took the lead with a score of 74.875 when seventh of the 15 horse-and-rider partnerships to take their turn. But it was the the 79.900 posted by Hester and Uthopia that they were chasing as the final tranche of riders got underway.

The supreme showman described his performance as “a great last ride”. He said, “I wasn’t emotional coming in, I was quite looking forward to it, but when I finished, you kind of get the feeling for what the horses have done for British dressage, so I did feel emotional coming out. It was a stress-free, enjoyable ride” he explained. British dressage has indeed been through an extraordinary period of change and amazing success in recent years, with Hester at the very heart of it. Looking back at his spectacular partnership with the 11-year-old stallion Uthopia he pointed out that, “the plan always was that he was to be sold, but I do always like to remember that I was lucky to keep the horse for so long”.

Excellent Account

He was followed into the ring by fellow-Briton, Michael Eilberg who is son of world-famous rider and trainer Ferdi Eilberg, and who gave an excellent account of himself with a score of 76.225 from the promising grey mare, Half Moon Delphi which would eventually place them fifth.

But it was Isabell Werth, one of the most medalled athletes in equestrian sport, who took command with a lovely test from Don Johnson FRH with just five left to go. On their first outing in the current series, the German partnership showed power and symmetry that was rewarded with the new leading score of 80.075 to put it up to the remaining four.

Reigning World Champion, Dutchman Edward Gal, overcame some very tense moments to show extravagant extended canter and lovely canter pirouettes for a mark of 74.050 before Dujardin raised the bar to a whole new level.

Valegro however was also on edge, with a nervous moment just before entering the arena. “Something spooked him coming in”, Dujardin explained afterwards. “It messed up the whole beginning, but he settled down in canter. The changes and extensions are quite tough for horses when that happens, but I was actually very happy with them as it turned out” she said.

And so were the majority of the Ground Jury, as she was awarded three maximum scores of 10 marks for her first extended trot along with two more for the one-tempi changes and three further top scores for her one-tempi canterwork.

Sweden’s Minna Telde followed with a strong 77.050 from the brave one-eyed black stallion Santana who would line up fourth, before Denmark’s Sidsel Johansen and Schianto brought the class to a close with another charming effort from Schianto to slot into sixth. But there was no doubt about the strength of the winning partnership – “it was a great way to finish the year” Dujardin said, “I’ve done what I wanted to do here last year”.

No Further Plans

She has no further plans for Valegro at present. “We will sit down and see what’s going to happen in January. He (Valegro) may be sold on, but we are hoping to get a share of him and I’m hoping to keep the ride” Dujardin explained.

Werth said “my Christmas present is done because we did two very good tests, and today was even better than yesterday. My horse has improved a lot over the last six months and I hope it will go on like this but we have to work very hard to beat the British again! To finish second twice with a young horse – I didn’t expect it. And to sit between two Olympic champions is a really good feeling for me” said the gracious runner-up whose own collection of Olympic memorabilia is not inconsiderable.

While Dujardin and Hester are not planning any further participation in the 2012/2013 Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage series, Werth will travel to the next leg in Amsterdam in January. “I have to do that if I want to have a chance to get to the Final” she said. Tonight she took the first big step on the road to Gothenburg, Sweden where she recorded the first of her two FEI World Cup™ Dressage series victories 20 years ago.

For further information on the fifth leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2012/2013 series at London’s Olympia Horse Show check out website www.olympiahorseshow.com or contact Press Officer Jo Peck, Email jopeck@hpower.co.uk or Tel +44 1753 847 900. The next leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage series will take place in Amsterdam (NED) from 18-21 January 2013. For details of the Dutch fixture go to website www.jumpingamsterdam.nl or contact Press Officer Charlotte Gunnink at Email media@jumpingamsterdam.nl or Tel +31 205 445 720/ +31 638 325 326.

Result: 1, Valegro (Charlotte Dujardin) GBR 87.975; 2, Don Johnson FRH (Isabell Werth) GER 80.075; 3, Uthopia (Carl Hester) GBR 79.9; 4, Santana (Minna Telde) SWE 77.050; 5, Half Moon Delphi (Michael Eilberg) GBR 76.225; 6, Schianto (Sidsel Johansen) DEN 76.200; 7, Toots (Imke Schellekens-Bartels) NED 74.875; 8, Glock’s Undercover (Edward Gal) NED 74.050; 9, Pasoa (Nikki Crisp) GBR 72.950; 10, Pro-Set (Lillann Jebsen) NOR 71.975; 11, Vradin (Simon Misiaen) BEL 70.650; 12, World Performance Washington (Luis Principe) POR 70.575; 13, BMC Miciano (Marlies van Baalen) NED 70.350; 14, Sandro Boy (Lyndal Oatley) AUS 69.900; 15, Weltzin (Hannah Biggs) GBR 68.450.

Full results at www.olympiahorseshow.com

Facts and Figures:

Olympia Horse Show in London (GBR) presented the fifth leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2012/2013 series.
The members of the Ground Jury at the British fixture were: At H, F Verbeek (NED); At E, L Tornblad (DEN); At C, S Clarke (GBR); At M, A Gardner (GBR); At B, K Wuest (GER).
15 horse-and-rider combinations competed in tonight’s Grand Prix Freestyle to Music.
Tickets for this competition were sold out over two months in advance.
Competitors representing 8 nations – Great Britain, Portugal, Norway, Belgium, The Netherlands, Australia, Sweden and Denmark – lined out in tonight’s class.
In the preliminary Grand Prix staged at Olympia on Monday 17 December, Olympic champions Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro (GBR) established a new world-record with their winning score of 84.447.
Britain’s Carl Hester and Uthopia competed together for the final time tonight when they finished third.
Three further qualifiers take place in the Western European League before the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final which will be held in Gothenburg, Sweden next April.
Amsterdam in The Netherlands will host the next leg on Saturday 18 January 2013.
Just three riders per nation can qualify for the Final.
Quotes
Charlotte Dujardin, when asked how she was feeling having suffered a bout of bronchitis “I feel much better today. I saw the doctor again last night”.
Carl Hester, talking about the horses he has available and the announcement of significant new funding for British equestrianism – “We’re very busy buying everything we see. We have more horses living in fields than you’ve ever seen! Look at what the Lottery Funding has already done, it has changed the face of British Dressage for sure. It’s an added bonus to add to the success and the building blocks that UK Sport has put in place already”.
Ground Jury President, Stephen Clarke – “the competition was really exciting to judge, it was really high level. To watch these riders take such risks is what makes the sport”.
FEI Dressage Director, Trond Asmyr – “this is the first year that we are down to eight qualifiers, to get more attention around the shows we have. There has been very good participation in the Western European League. When we had this process to reduce the numbers, we went through all the shows to see how they are and we are very happy that we made the correct choice to have it here in Olympia where the atmosphere is fantastic. Congratulations to the riders and to the horses, without them we wouldn’t be here”.
Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2012/2013 – Standings after Round 5 at Olympia, London (GBR):

1. Valentina Truppa ITA - 52
2. Kristin Sprehe GER - 51
3. Tinne Wilhelmsson Silfven SWE - 46
4. Marcela Krinke Susmelj SUI - 44
5. Edward Gal NED - 42
6. Minne Telde SWE - 37
7. Sidsel Johansen DEN - 34
8. Patrik Kittel SWE - 30
8. Anna Kasprzak DEN - 30
10. Pia Fortmuller CAN - 28
11. Helen Langehanenberg GER - 26
12. Marlies van Baalen NED - 24
13. Lyndal Oatley AUS - 23
14. Imke Schellekens-Bartels NED - 22
14. Anabel Balkenhol GER - 22
14. Karin Kosak AUT - 22
17. Stefan Peter AUT - 20
17. Charlotte Dujardin GBR - 20
19. Joachim Thomson DEN - 18
19. Lillann Jebsen NOR - 18
19. Jessica Michel FRA - 18

Photo Courtesy of FEI by Kit Houghton

(The Dressage Foundation) – The Dressage Foundation has announced that a total of $10,000 has been awarded to U.S. dressage instructors through the Major Anders Lindgren Scholarship program, funded through The Dressage Foundation’s Carol Lavell Gifted Memorial Fund. The Lindgren Scholarships provide financial support that enables dressage instructors to train in a concentrated amount of time in order to improve teaching, riding, and training skills. This year, the Selection Committee chose the following recipients:

Stacey Hastings (Mooresville, NC) was awarded the $6,000 Lindgren Scholarship. Stacey has been a dressage trainer for over 25 years and is based at Full Circle Farms in Statesville, NC. She has trained and competed a number of horses through the FEI levels, has had many successful students, and is also a USDF Certified Instructor through 4th Level.

Anne Aloi (Chesapeake, VA) is the recipient of a $2,000 Lindgren Scholarship. She has been instructing for over 30 years, from Training Level through Prix St. Georges. Anne is a Bronze, Silver, and Gold Medallist and has volunteered her time with the Full Circle Pony Club in Statesville, NC and acted as the chef d’equipe for the winning FEI youth team at the 2012 USDF Region One Youth Team Competition.

Donna Meyer (Bryan, TX) was also awarded a $2,000 Scholarship. She has been a dressage instructor for over 29 years, teaching Intro through Fourth Levels. Additionally, Donna is a USEF “r” Judge, a USDF Associate Instructor, and an active competitor, having earned her Bronze and Silver Medals.

Since 1996, The Dressage Foundation has offered annual instructor scholarships in Major Anders Lindgren’s name. Major Lindgren was an accomplished dressage rider, having won the 1971 Swedish Dressage Championship and ridden on the Swedish Olympic Team in 1972. He also won the Scandinavian Eventing Championship in 1959. Lindgren’s contribution to American dressage was large, as he was solidly committed to the education of U.S. dressage instructors. Over a ten-year period, almost 1,000 participating instructors learned from his systematic, structural approach to teaching dressage at the USDF/Violet Hopkins National Seminars for Dressage Instructors, and then at the National Symposium. Major Lindgren passed away in 2010, at the age of 85. The Dressage Foundation is proud to offer these important scholarships in his honor.

Applications for the three Lindgren scholarships are due to The Dressage Foundation by September 30th of each year. A Grant Selection Committee will review each application and determine the recipients, if qualified applications are received. For more information about the Major Anders Lindgren Scholarships and The Dressage Foundation, please contact Jenny Johnson at (402) 434-8585 or visit www.dressagefoundation.org.

Photo Courtesy of The Dressage Foundation by Joe Ciarlante – Stacey Hastings

(USEF) – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has seated two new dressage committees. The Dressage High Performance Committee has been approved by the USEF Executive Committee.

Dressage High Performance Committee
Janet Foy, Chairman
Kathy Connelly, Vice-Chairman
Katherine Bateson-Chandler, Elected Eligible Athlete
Susan Blinks
Charlotte Bredahl-Baker
Robert Dover
Susie Dutta
Catherine Haddad-Staller, Elected Eligible Athlete
Christine Traurig
Elisabeth Williams
George Williams, Elected Eligible Athlete

Dressage Eligible Athlete Committee
George Williams, Chairman
Catherine Haddad-Staller, Vice-Chairman
Katherine Bateson-Chandler, High Performance Dressage Committee Rep
Michael Barisone
Jan Ebeling
Todd Flettrich
Shawna Harding
Chris Hickey
Arlene “Tuny” Page
Guenter Seidel
Pierre St. Jacques

For further information regarding the USEF High Performance Dressage Program visit; http://usef.org/_IFrames/breedsdisciplines/discipline/alldressage/hpDressage.aspx

For additional information please contact Jenny Van Wieren-Page at (859) 225-6949, or via email at jvanwieren@usef.org.

The Global Dressage Forum North America or GDFNA as it is known throughout the world is presenting a two day intense program on the training and development of international dressage horses. Rudolf Zeilinger, one of the world’s top international dressage trainers along with Wolfram Wittig, known as the Professional’s Professional will also be there to present his theories and philosophies on how he trains his horses for the international competition.

DressageClinic.com, the educational website for dressage riders offering online training videos from the world’s top trainers along with Wellington Classic Dressage are presenting this Forum in Florida at the Jim Brandon Center in West Palm Beach on January 28, 29 2013 immediately following the CDI3* and the World Dressage Masters from Europe.
West Palm Beach Florida has become the center for dressage during the winter and it seems from the organizers that people will be traveling from all over Canada, the U.S. and South America countries to attend the Forum.

Other top names included in the program are Steffen Peters from the U.S., Ingrid Klimke from Germany, Bo Jena from Sweden and Arthur Kottas from Austria.  Arthur Kottas is known as a legend in the dressage world as he was head rider of the famous Spanish Riding School for many years and is an authority on techniques for Work in Hand.

Lexington, KY- The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has seated two new dressage committees. The Dressage High Perfor …

(London Olympia Horse Show) – Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro gained a score of 84.447% which beat their Olympic score of 83.66% and the previous World record of 84.08%, set by Edward Gal and Totilas at the European Championship at Windsor in 2009. The score also won the class by a margin of 8%.

Valegro stormed through the test with ease and never put a foot wrong. “He feels better than ever and I am sure has come back stronger,” said Charlotte who in contrast to her horse is not well. “He has had a great holiday since London and had a very easy time with lots of hacking and I only picked him up to start more serious work about a month ago. However he is a hot horse and I was not sure how he would be and on arrival he certainly felt really jolly which made me wonder but he totally delighted me.”

Isabell Werth (GER) a former winner at Olympia, The London International Horse Show, made a welcome return to the arena and was second with the Don Frederico 11-year-old, Don Johnson. “I didn’t see Charlotte’s test only the score and thought ‘wow we have to really try our best’,” said Isabell. “Don Johnson has developed a lot in the last few months even and he gave me a great Christmas present tonight.”

Edward Gal (NED) and his Olympic ride Glock’s Undercover took third place just 5.5 marks behind and the popular Dutchman was gracious in handing over his record. “Undercover is not good enough for me to get that back just yet – but maybe next year,” said Edward, a regular visitor to Olympia. The class was only the second ever indoor competition for Undercover. “It was all a bit exciting for him and he still has a lot to learn,” said Edward. “Yesterday he was a bit wild and today a bit tense so hopefully he will be better again tomorrow.”

Less than 3% divided the next five placed riders with Swedish rider Minna Telde and the 11-year-old Sandro Hit stallion Santana in fourth ahead of the young Danish rider Sidsel Johansen and the 13-year-old Schianto.

British Olympic team gold medallist Carl Hester had a less easy return to the International arena with Uthopia. The Dutch-bred stallion was unsettled in parts losing rhythm and fluency and the pair had to settle for sixth place.

Photo Courtesy of Olympia International Horse Show

(FEI) – The FEI has launched a global campaign to promote the use of protective headgear. The move comes two weeks before implementation of a new rule making the use of a properly fastened protective headgear mandatory while riding on the show grounds at FEI events. The campaign, which will be conducted mainly online, begins today, a fortnight before the new rule comes into effect on 1 January 2013.

An important part of the campaign will be a series of emails with strong visuals reminding athletes of the importance of safety, and particularly of helmet use. These reminders will be sent to the National Federations, athletes and officials clubs, and various FEI stakeholders on a regular basis throughout 2013. A special page outlining the protective headgear requirements specific to each of the seven FEI disciplines on the field of play and outside the competition arena has been created on the FEI website and can be accessed here. Widgets for simple access to all the relevant information can be downloaded from this page.

“The helmet rule, which was unanimously adopted by the FEI General Assembly in 2011, is a significant step forward towards the better protection of our athletes,” said FEI Secretary General Ingmar De Vos. “Beginning 1 January 2013, protective headgear will be compulsory at all FEI events and we strongly encourage everyone involved in international equestrian sport to familiarise themselves with the new general and sport-specific rules. The welfare of all our athletes, human and equine, must be protected.”

Helmet use has been at the forefront of several campaigns in recent years. US Dressage rider Courtney King-Dye, recent winner of the FEI Against All Odds Award, advocates educating equestrians on the benefits of wearing helmets through the Riders4Helmets campaign (www.riders4helmets.com). In 2010, King-Dye, who had represented the United States at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and at the FEI World Cup™ Dressage Finals 2007 and 2008, suffered a traumatic brain injury. A horse she was schooling tripped and fell and, with no helmet to protect her, she fractured her skull in the fall. After four weeks in a coma, she spent three months in hospital re-learning how to walk and talk. The after-effects of the accident still severely affect her coordination and speech. She is now aiming to compete at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro (BRA).

“I think my accident was necessary in the fight for safety because an Olympian who sustains a brain injury while riding proves that injury has nothing to do with level of skill,” Courtney King-Dye commented. “For 15 years, I was a person who only rode the young or ‘dangerous’ horses with a helmet, but my horse did nothing naughty, he just tripped over his own feet.

“And while you can’t control what people do at home, the new rules can control what people do at shows and this will go a long way to create good habits,” she added.

The Yellow Warning Card system already in place will be used for those athletes who do not comply with the new rule. A Yellow Warning Card will be given if an athlete is reminded that he or she needs to wear protective headgear and the athlete fails or refuses to comply after such reminder.