Dressage
Grand Prix - Wed. 11 & Thur. 12 September 2002
Grand Prix Special Friday 13th September.
Grand Prix Kür - Sunday 15th September 2002
by Berni Saunders Report - Page 13

The top 25 combinations go through to the Grand Prix Special
and the top 15 horses from this competition go through to the Kür
and I will cover all 3  performances for the top horses.

I very much liked this test - Blue Hors Cavan has such expression and lightness of the forehand - he is always in front of the rider's aids. There were noit real mistakes and they had a score of 71.44% for 11th  placing after the Grand Prix.

Special:  As with the Grand Prix test - the Special was light, full of energy and the horse was always on the rider's aids with no real mistakes these top horses have very little between them.  Lars scored 73.52% and moved up a placing to 10th at this point in time.

Grand Prix Kür: Lars chose beautifully swinging music which suited the softness and expression of his horse's movement.  Unfortunately,   Blue Hors Cavan broke in his extended trot.  The music to accompany Passage was funky with a strong beat and it moved smoothly into a ragtime tune for the trot half passes.  The Piaffe was a little irregular at times but they progressed into some lovely trot work.  'Tea for Two' with a whistle and tap was a nice choice, as was 'Who's afraid of the big bad wolf' for the canter, the timing was perfect. The one time changes on a circle, are very hard to do and there was a mistake in this work.  It was a pleasing and nicely choreographed routine and scored 75.725% which has them in 9th place at the end of the 4 days.

Special. Again, Lone rode a very accurate well prepard test.  Kennedy was a little lighter in condition than when I saw him in Sydney,  I hoped that he had not been suffering from the bug them seemed to be around the Jerez stable complex - I guess a Special score of 73.20% would indicate that things were pretty much 'on track' and this score moved them up one place to 9th at this point on the competition.

Grand Prix Kür:  Their Freestyle openend to a stong orchestrated version of a James Bond track and then to the Pink Panther theme which complimented the rhythm of the Passage very nicely.  The same music had a change of tempo, and then used to accompany the trot work - this also changed the mood of the music and made for an interesting variation.  The test contained some beautiful sweeping half passes then a cirle of 2 times changes - the double pirouettes and then a circle of ones and another double pirouette - all great for a high artistic mark.  The test also contained a loop down the long side with one time changes - it was a very interesting and challenging 'floor plan' and they were well rewarded with t mark of 76.50 and a total of marks 221.62 which finished them in number 8 spot.

Special:   Klaus rode so well, so positively and ensured that he allowed no errors to spoil their chances.  This is exactly what you would expect from a German good enough to be selected to ride for the world leading Dressage nation - it was a pleasure to watch.   They scored 73.2% and this moved them into 6th placing after the Special.

Grand Prix Kür:  It was lovely swinging canter music and from the first halt they moved straight into Passage which was a little laboured - Piccolino lost his usual lightness. Then they went into a lovely Half Pass in Passage.   The extended trot had a few irregular steps - it is difficult when you go for the max. to avoid this happening ... but you do not end with a high placing in this company unless you go for it!.  The band America's lovely tune - Africa was used for Piccolino's canter - I loved it.  Then the Bee Gees - How deep is my Love- which was a good choice for the walk.  The score confirmed the very suitable choice of music and the clever choreography - 76.325% which gave them 7th place in the 2002 World Dressage Championships.

Special:  The top combinations were able to produce pretty similar tests in both the Grand Prix and the Special - these top riders showed their experience and ability to do well, when the pressure is really on.  Invasor and Raphael did a great Special and I think the pictures give an idea of this horse's strength and expression - they scored 73.04% for 10th place after this phase.

Grand Prix Kür: While the Freestyle tests were ridden on Sunday evening - it was still very hot and stocky in Spain.  Most of us realised why the Spanish take a 'siesta' it would be too hot to work at the hottest part of the day - and it is only Autumn right now, not Summer.  When Invasor entered the ring the home crown went absolutely wild.  As I imagined the music was Spanish with a stong percussion of drums, castanetes and other instruments.  The first Piaffe crept a little forward and lost some rhythm - which is most incharacteristic for this combination.   The classic and well known Albeniz theme was used for the walk and it was haunting.   The 2 time changes were done on a circle and them Invasor put together 21 almost perfect one time changes - the picture below captures the lightness and expression of the changes.  An explosive extended canter made a statement about this horse's ability to stretch out.  It was a wonderful performance and the many Spanish in the capicity crowd gave Raphale their noisy support.  The score was 78.90% which gave them a placing of 6th overall.