Michal Rapcewicz wins World Cup™ qualifier in Lipica
By Susanne Müller and Claartje van Andel dressagedirect
Polish Olympian Michal Rapcewicz and Randon have won the FEI World Cup™ Dressage Freestyle at the international CDI-W in Lipica. The 27-year-old rider, who had won the main test in Lipica last year as well, received 73.10 percent from the judges. His new Freestyle, which he presented for the third time after the shows in Warsaw and Las Vegas, was marvellous because of the stress on the light-footed-gaits, the piaffes and passages as well as the choreography. After Michal Rapcewicz won the Grand Prix on Friday, he became the most successful rider of the competition.
Michal Rapcewicz on Randon was the most successful competitor of the show in Lipica Picture Susanne Müller
The second rank in the Freestyle went to the Italian Piero Sangiorgi riding Flourian (68.25%), third was Jean-Philippe Siat from France showing Greystoke (67.70%).
Pierro Sangiorgi took the second honour in Lipica Picture Marta Fusetti m.fusetti@gmail.com
The Austrian Peter Gmoser won the Grand Prix Special showing his Oldenburg stallion Cointreau. Last year’s winner Anna Merveldt (Ireland) on Coryolano had just two points less and came on second place. The 38-year-old Gmoser already left a good impression the day before, when he took second place in Grand Prix. With a very harmonious ride that only has been tarnished through a mistake in the first piaffe, Anna Merveld and Coryolano came to third place (67,149%).
Especially the German Uta Graef had good luck in Lipica. Three starts, three victories - it couldn’t have been better! For the 39-year-old woman from Rheinland-Pfalz, the 1000-kilometer trip to Lipica was truly worthwhile. After her victory in the Prix St. Georges on Thursday, she won the Intermédiaire I on Saturday and the Inter I Freestyle on Sunday – showing her black stallion Le Noir. Happy about those wins especially were the owners of Le Noir, Hans and Christiane Herzog. Over 30 years ago both learned to ride with the Lipizzan Horses in Lipica. Since then they have been almost every year for a holiday in the stud farm of the Lipizzaners. “We simply feel like home here”, said Hans Herzog, who always had the idea to travel with a horse of himself to the Lipica Horseshow. “This was our first time but it sure will not bem our last!”, remarked the Lipica fan from Germany.
At the CDI-W Lipica also some shows took place for Juniors and Young Riders. The only 16-year-old Italian Vittoria Zaniboni convinced with a sparkling presentation of her picturesque Hanoverian Santorini Hit in The Freestyle. The still somewhat impetuous son of Sandro Hit/Furioso II graduated from the lessons with a dance-like lightness, so that Vittoria won with a razor-thin lead of 0.9 percent. In the young rider class the Italian Riccardo Sanavio with his charismatic stallion Uson van Essene was successful. In the Freestyle Riccardo Sanavio was the winner.
Riders from 16 nations started the 3-star CDI-W in the Mecca of the Lipizzaner breeding. Best Slovenian participant was the stud rider Birgit Sauer Fabris showing Thais Maestoso XX, who was seventh in the Grand Prix Freestyle.
On Sunday afternoon the performances of the famous stud in the Slovenian Karst, the schools on the earth, fascinated the audience.
Winner of the FEI Freestyle in Lipica was Michal Rapcewicz on Randon He is congratulated by the chair of the judges Bernard Maurel Picture Marta Fusetti m.fusetti@gmail.com
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