(British Dressage) – Michael Eilberg topped the leader board in five out of the nine classes he entered in the first week of Vidauban CDI3*, 22 February – 26 February 2012.

After coming fourth in the qualifying class on 69.319%, Michael and Julie Deverill’s Half Moon Delphi pulled out all of the stops in the Olympic grand prix special test to win on 73.133%. The promising pair traded places with fellow Brit Emile Faurie who won the qualifier with a clear margin and score of 72.043%. Emile and Joanne Vaughan’s Michellino-sired Elmegardens Marquis took fifth place in the Olympic grand prix special on 69.378%.

Another Big Tour victory came as Michael and his Father Ferdi’s twelve year old gelding Marakov stole the intermediate II with 68%. Not one to rest on his laurels, Michael went on to secure the intermediate I with Lynne Crowden’s Woodlander Dornroeschen with 71.368%, but was pipped at the post by Belgium’s Philippe Jorissen in the freestyle by 0.875%.

Michael’s Sister Maria was hot on his heels throughout the level securing fourth and eighth position in the intermediate I with Woodlander Rockstar and U Rockstar respectively. Maria then took up fourth place in the freestyle with Woodlander Rockstar.
With the extraordinary Furst Heinrich-sired mare Woodlander Farouche Michael notched up two more victories in the six year old classes, scoring 82.6 in the preliminary class and 89.2 in the final.

Carl Hester impressed in the prix st georges on Aram Gregory’s 10 year old gelding Dances with Wolves. In their first outing together, Carl and the Oldenburger by Donnerschwee won their class on 71.684%. Riding Fiona Bigwood’s Wie Atlantico, Carl posted a score of 72.625% to take third in the grand prix freestyle, and 68.170% for fourth in the grand prix.

Henriette Andersen partnered James Charlesworth’s Jazz nine year old Warlocks Charm to place second in the intermediate I for seven to nine year olds on 68.474%, and third in the prix st georges (7-9 years) with 69.158%.

The British juniors were in the top five throughout their three classes. Abigail Slater and Richard Heley’s fourteen year old Lou Wega scored 67.237% in the individual test to take up third, while Jessica Gale and Umbro S came in third in the team test with 66.712%.

Photo Courtesy of British Dressage