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World Dressage Masters, Munich: Wrap-Up

A Great Start for Matthias and Totilas

As they say – he came, he saw, he conquered.

Totilas made a grand appearance at the warming arena before a crowd that had been standing and waiting under the heavy grey skies of the Munich show for more than two hours.
Matthias and Totilas did what they were expected to. They took everything in their calm and peaceful way, warmed up in front of the hungry eyes of the crowd, entered the arena – their debut together – and emerged winners of the GP CDI3*. They are quite simply a fantastic duo.
It was an emotional moment for the Totilas-family with barely a dry eye in the close circuit.
Now, who didn’t get goosebumps?… Seeing the King of Dressage and his Knight together for the first time.

We did.
Congratulations!

Matthias, Patrik & Stella - 3 Stars in one day at World Dressage Masters

Mattias and Totilas (GER), winners of the CDI 3* final

An excited crowd was eager to follow the new star-duo in the finals of the CDI3*, and Matthias and Totilas did not let them down. For a second time they stood as the winners, and even better scores (79.838%) than at their Thursday debut (76.787%). Matthias looked as concentrated as in previous ride, but still one could clearly see that foxy smile on his face behind the facade. Clearly a new star is born in this 26 year old, which was obvious when it was time for autographs, with the line-up to get Matthias signature seemingly never-ending.

Watch the winning ride of Matthias and Totilas in CDI3* Final.

Second in the class was Carola Koppelman and her Hanoverian red head Le Bo (70.247%) and third was the Austrian, Victoria Max-Theurer with her stallion Eichendorff (69.313%)

Patrik Kittel (SWE), winner of the WDM Grand Prix CDI 5*
Patrik was moved to tears when he realised he had won the WDM Grand Prix. Red-eyed, partly laughing, partly crying he entered the arena for the prize-giving ceremony to the German anthem, before it was swiftly corrected to the Swedish. Though for Patrik this particular mistake was quite apt because of his Swedish nationality and his German residency. During the performance the red chestnut Watermill Scandic behaved flawlessly, and Bo Jenå (swedish Chef’d'Equipe) as well as Sjef Jansen (Patriks trainer) couldn’t help but smile.

After Patrik’s winning score of 77.481% came Germany’s own Christoph Koschel on Donnperignon scooping second with 77.213%, and in third place was Ulla Salzgeber on Hertzruf’s Erbe, 76.362%.

Watch:

Interview with Patrik Kittel
Interview with Christoph Koschel
Interview with Ulla Salzgeber


Stella Charlott Roth (GER), Winner of the WDM Jiva Hill Youth Challenge
The sun finally came out from behind the heavy clouds and the cold spring-like day turned into a hot and beautiful summer afternoon. 21 year old Stella Charlot Roth smiled widely in the glorious sun after winning the Jiva Hill Youth Challenge. This was a premiere in more than one way. Firstly, it was the premiere of the WDM Jiva Hill Youth Challenge, and it was also the first season for Stella and her Horse Diva Royal competing on Grand Prix Level. Taking a moment to catch her breath after the prize-giving ceremony Stella said “Feeling how Diva performed and the energy and willingness she had, gave me confidence to ride more.” And so she did. She rode enough to score 70.316, giving her first place in this WDM Premiere.

Watch an interview with the WDM Jiva Hill Youth Challenge winner Stella Roth on YouTube.



Featured sponsor interview: Hans-Peter Schmidt, chairman of Nürnberger.
Hans-Peter Schmidt is chairman of the NÜRNBERGER insurance group and president of the Bavarian Riding and Driving Association e. V. (BRFV). He is also the backbone of ‘Horse International’, which, thanks to the efforts of Hans-Peter has grown into the largest outdoor equestrian event in southern Germany.
World Dressage Masters are proudly sponsored by Nürnberger Versicherungsgruppe. The Finals of the WDM Nürnberger Rider Ranking are taking place right now at the Pferde International, Munich.

Watch an interview with Hans-Peter Schmidt.

 

Richard Davison, the multi-talented British star of the WDM Grand Prix Special, Munich

Richard Davison, a man with many talents and a CV longer than most, entered the arena with his Florestan-son Artemis. In the 29 degree heat both horses and riders faced a hard task to perform, but the Brit and his horse didn’t seem to break under the heat. They performed the Grand Prix Special program poised and confidently, and scored 70.646, just 0.354% more than Irish Anna Merveldt with Coryolano, 70.292%.


Richard told us after the prize giving ceremony; “I have not ridden this program since last year’s WDM in Hickstead. It’s actually a year ago, and I didn’t have the time to practise it here either”. He was understandably very happy Artemis performance; “He is such a strong horse. Not very big, but he has so much muscle, that he hardly gets tired. Even though it was so extremely hot today, I felt that he had a lot of energy and a lot to give. he is truly an amazing horse!”

Richard is a multi-talented individual, not only is he an excellent rider, but also the Chef d’Equipe for the British dressage team preparing the team for the forthcoming London Olympics.

In addition to this he is also known as a columnist for Horse & Hound magazine, a former television commentator for Sky and Eurosport, the international rider representative for the FEI dressage committee, author of Dressage Priority Points, vice-president of the International Dressage Rider Club and founder member of the British Dressage International Trainers Club… the list goes on. Richard Davison is clearly horseman, in every sense, congratulations to the winner of WDM Grand Prix Special in Munich.

WDM Munich 2011 Grand Prix Special results
Judges

E: Dr Dietrich Plewa – GER
H: Dr Wojciech Markowski – POL
C: Ghislain Fourage –NED
M: Isobel Wessels – GBR
B: Dr. Dieter schüle – GER
Riders

Richard Davison, Hiscox Artemis – GBR, 70.646% Prize money 5400 Euro
Anna Merveldt, Coryolano – IRL, 70.292% Prize money 4400 Euro
Anja Plönzke, Le Mont d’Or – GER, 68.042 Prize money 3400 Euro
Michal Rapcewicz, Randon 3 – POL, 67.146% Prize money 2400 Euro
Marcela Krinke Susmelj, Corinth – SUI, 66.583% Prize money 1800 Euro
Shawna Harding, Come On III – USA, 66.542% Prize money 1400 Euro
Marc Boblet, Whitni Star – FRA, 63.583% Prize money 1200 Euro

WDM Munich 2011: Sunday Victories for Germany!

The last day of Pferd International was an epic day at the Nürnberger Dressage Arena. The audience was already starting to fill the stands in the early morning, and by the end of the day, thousands of dressage enthusiasts packed the stands eagerly awaiting the finals of the WDM Jiva Hill Youth Challenge and the Exquis WDM Grand Prix Kür presented by Axel Johnson Group and Nürnberger Versicherungsgruppe.

The standard of the performances was exceptionally high, with many personal records being set. The crowd did not leave disappointed.



WDM Grand Prix Kür – Ulla scored!

The Kür was draped in the red, yellow and black of the German flag. Ulla Salzgeber led the charge, sitting top of the class, closely followed by her fellow countrymen Christoph Koschel and Isabell Werth.

“This Kür was on a extremely high standard” WDM’s Antony Kies couldn’t hold back his smile at the press conference after the Kür had been ridden. These were true words indeed. Three very happy riders joined him at the table, along with Pferd International organizer, Dr. Erich Herrgen (president of Pferd International) and Hans-Peter Schmidt (Chairman of the Advisory Board of Nürnberger Versicherungsgruppe).

Five rides during the Exquis Grand Prix Kür to Musik scored 80% and higher, with four of them beating their own personal record. Ulla said, after her great victory with her red gelding Herzruf’s Erbe scoring 83.125%, that she will celebrate this fantastic winning ride with her friends and family later this week; “I feel very, very happy and pleased with my horse. It was a very harmonious ride, perfectly in tune with the music, just where I wanted to be; a tenth of a second before, so I knew exactly where I needed to be and what I needed to do, before it happened. Like this, I could just sit and enjoy the ride”.

Second place in the Kür went to Christoph Koschel, who together with his gelding Donnperignon, scored a personal best with a fantastic 82.525%. In third place was a very happy Isabell Werth, who performed a majestic ride with her Warum Nicht, scoring 81.475%. Her best ride ever she said.



WDM Jiva Hill Youth Challenge (CDI U25 – Intermediaire II – international)

The previous two days had been dominated by Stella Charlott Rath (GER), who dazzled the audience with her black 9-year old Hanoverian mare Diva Royal (by Don Fredrico/Warkant). Could she make it three days in a row? Yes she could. Stella cruised into first place, scoring 72.256%, all the judges agreed with her number one spot. Kirsten Sieber (GER) placed second, with her golden chestnut Charly WRT on 70.326%, and securing third place, Jessica Werndl (GER) with her gelding Renommee 4, 65.535%. All three winners not only received prize money but also an invitation to the luxurious five star resort Jiva Hill, where they will enjoy some well earned, peaceful and relaxing days combined with some interesting workshops. An initiative from WDM Foundation and the generous sponsors of the class, Jiva Hill owned by Ian and Virginia Lundin.



Winner of the WDM Nürnberger Rider Ranking

The top ranking riders spot from all the previous WDM competitions; Cannes, Falsterbo, Palm Beach, Hickstead and Munich was secured by no other than Germany’s Anja Plönzke.

With a beaming smile on her face, she rode her Le Mont d’Or in a lap of honour to rapturous applause from the WDM audience.

“I never thought this could happen. WDM has given me so much. Without them I would have never seen places and competed at beautiful venues like Palm Beach, Falsterbo or Hickstead. I am so happy and so grateful”. The only one that could beat her to the win was Swedish Tinne Vilhelmson. She needed a minimum of 80% in the Kür for that. Unfortunately for Tinne she finished with a score of 76,325 % which brought her the 2nd place in the overall ranking.