REEM ACRA FEI World CupT Dressage 2011/2012 - Round 2

German riders dominated the line-up in Lyon, France today where Ulla Salzgeber and Herzruf's Erbe won the second leg of the Reem Acra FEI World CupT Dressage 201l/2012 series ahead of two other former series double-champions. Salzgeber, who recorded back-to-back victories with the great Rusty in 2001 and 2002, pipped fellow-countrywoman Isabell Werth and the horse with which the latter recorded the second of her two successes in 2005 - Warum Nicht - while Monica Theodorescu, champion in 1992 and 1993, steered Whisper into third place.

Salzgeber was particularly pleased with her result, as she only had a few short days to prepare her horse ahead of today's competition. She is not long returned from the Pan-American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico where her protege, Constanza Jaramillo, was in action. And it was successful venture as the Colombian rider, competing with her trainer's former ride Wakana, helped scoop team bronze as well as her country's qualification for next year's Olympic Games in London.

HALFWAY STAGE

It was The Netherlands' Hans Peter Minderhoud who led the field at the halfway stage with a score of 74.100 from Withney van't Genthof. But Italy's Valentina Truppa produced a charming test from the bright, and willing, chestnut gelding Chablis to overtake the Dutch duo with a mark of 74.800 as the action resumed. And she remained in front until the last three riders took their turn and Salzgeber forged ahead with a strong score of 81.625, helped by big extended trot and good passage from the 11 year old horse with which she finished third at last season's Reem Acra FEI World CupT Dressage final on her home turf in Leipzig, Germany.

It seemed that Werth would challenge that lead following an extravagant opening sequence of movements, but the 15 year old Warum Nicht was in cheeky mood. Before the pair entered the arena he had already produced some fancy footwork when his rider asked for his attention, and, after exploding out of piaffe, he grew strong in the one-tempi changes although the veteran rider soon had him under control again. Werth said afterwards however that she was "happy and proud" of her horse. "He always makes mistakes in the one tempi, but not today although he was a little spooky at the beginning. He is really good at the extensions and today we took a lot of risks - extension and collection" she pointed out, having earned a score of 80.075.

ELEGANT TEST

Last into the ring was Theodorescu who produced an elegant test from Whisper, but her mark of 77.375 would only prove good enough for third place. "He is my only Grand Prix horse" the rider explained. "I have young ones and good ones so we'll see in the future, but at the moment I can't really choose the horse I'm riding at competitions".

Salzgeber described herself as "happy, like yesterday!" when she won the preliminary Grand Prix by a significant margin over Werth and in which Austria's Victoria Max-Theurer finished third with Augustin. "Today my horse was tired and so was I, but we did a good test - and we are not good at riding at night! We had a degree of difficulty in our test but he is a very supple horse and he loves piaffe and passage and the transitions into extended trot" Salzgeber added. She now plans to compete at Stuttgart and Frankfurt, and was high in praise of the show organisers at Lyon.

THANK YOU

"I'd like to say thank you on behalf of all the riders, this is one of the best indoor shows in the world. And thank you Reem Acra for making this such a wonderful event" she said. Italian rider Susanna Bordone, who finished tenth with the only mare in the competition - Dark Surprise - added her praise for the facilities at the French fixture. "This is one of the best indoor arenas in the world because the distance between the public and the competitors is just right - not too near and not too far" she remarked.

Ground Jury member, Isabelle Judet from France, described the organising team as "very professional" and said, "they have proven that this is great show with both the quantity and quality of riders. They can be proud of what they have done

Result: 1, Herzruf's Erbe (Ulla Salzgeber) GER 81.625; 2, Warum Nicht FRH (Isabell Werth) GER 80.075; 3, Whisper (Monica Theodorescu) GER 77.375; 4, Chablis (Valentina Truppa) ITA 74.800; 5, Withney van't Genthof (Hans Peter Minderhoud) NED 74.100; 6, Interfloor Next One (Edward Gal) NED 73.875; 7, Augustin (Victoria Max-Theurer) AUT 73.000; 8, Silvano (Patrik Kittel) SWE 71.775; 9, Rococo N (Elisabeth Eversfield-Koch) SUI 70.725; 10, Dark Surprise (Susanna Bordone) ITA 69.800. Full results at www.scgvisual.com

Facts and Figures:

The Ground Jury at today's event was At E, Mariette Withages BEL, At H, Wojtek Markowski POL, At C, Isabelle Judet FRA, At M, Dieter Schule GER, At B, Ghislain Fouarge NED.

A capacity audience of 6,000 spectators watched today's competition.

This was the second of nine qualifiers in the Reem Acra FEI World CupT Dressage 2011/2012 series.

The next leg takes place in Stuttgart, Sweden in November.

Quotes:

Ulla Salzgeber, talking after victory in yesterday's Grand Prix with Herzruf's Erbe

"My horse was very very good. Now that he is 12, he is more settled in his job and more relaxed".

Isabell Werth, after finishing second in yesterday's Grand Prix with Warum Nicht FRH

"We had a little mistake after the extended canter. But he was much more relaxed compared to previous shows and did a great job. He has been in the sport for seven years and I would like to keep in the good form that he has now. Satchmo is 17 and it is always difficult to find the right time to retire such a successful horse. It is always better to say goodbye when you're still at the top. We have three younger horses coming up and are lucky to be in a good situation."

Victoria Max-Theurer after finishing third in yesterday's Grand Prix with Augustin

"This is my first time in Lyon. It is a great show and conditions for riders and horses are great. I certainly would like to come back next year. We had little mistakes today. It took some time to get him forward enough but I was happy with his overall performance".

Reem Acra FEI World CupT Dressage 2011/2012 - Standings after Round 2 at Lyon:

1. Tinne Vilhelmson Silfvén SWE - 35

2. Valentina Truppa ITA - 33

3. Hans Peter Minderhoud NED - 32

4. Richard Davison GBR - 25

5. Sébastien Duperdu FRA - 23

6. Marc Peter Spahn BEL - 22

Eq.7. Aat Van Essen NED - 21

Eq.7 Patrik Kittel SWE - 21

9. Ulla Salzgeber GER - 20

10. Catherine Haddad USA - 17

Eq. 10 Helen Langehanenberg GER - 17

Eq. 10 Isabell Werth - 17

Eq. 10 Mary Hanna AUS - 17

Eq. 10 Peter Gmoser AUT - 17

For more information, contact p.renauldon@rbpresse.com

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