NEWS FROM THE FEI WORLD CUP™ DRESSAGE
Goteborg (SWE), 27 February 2010


COOL CORNELISSEN AND PLACID PARZIVAL TOP LAST QUALIFIER AT GOTHENBURG

Adelinde Cornelissen and Jerich Parzival kept their cool under intense pressure to win the last
qualifying leg of the 2009/2010 FEI World Cup™ Dressage series in Gothenburg,
Sweden tonight.  Sweden 's Patrik Kittel produced the ride of his life with
Watermill Scandic to slot into second place, but the real battle was played out
between the Dutch who were vying for the two remaining places on offer to home
side contenders at the Final in 's-Hertogenbosch in The Netherlands in four
weeks time.

League leader Edward Gal was clearly always going to make the cut but Cornelissen, Imke Schellekens-Bartels and Anky Van Grunsven knew that
tonight would decide which of them would join him.  And in this battle of the
giants it was winner Cornelissen and third-placed Schellekens-Bartels who earned
their stripes while nine-time World Cup champion Van Grunsven just missed out
when finishing fourth.

HUGE POTENTIAL
Isabell Werth's exciting nine year old gelding, El Santo NRW, brought a smile to his
rider's face when showing his huge potential and was holding the lead at the
halfway stage, but Schellekens-Bartels blew away the German rider's score of
75.50% with a wonderful show from Hunter Douglas Sunrise.  The charm and poise
of the 16 year old mare is perfectly reflected in the beautifully choreographed
musical score and this was a partnership in complete unison, and clearly
relishing the challenge, as they set the new target at 79.75%.  Matthias
Alexander Rath and Triviant earned a good mark of 76.40%, and fellow-Germans
Carola Koppelmann and Le Bo were rewarded with 75.50% for their rhythmic
Carribbean-influenced performance which included a great flourish of one-time
changes down the centre line before Van Grunsven took her turn with just four
horses left to go.

The 13 year old stallion, Painted Black, shook his head tensely in the first halt and although highly expressive through some of
the test was more than two marks behind Schellekens-Bartels when the scores were
posted.  This seemed to leave the reigning Olympic champion looking vulnerable
with Cornelissen yet to go.

MASSIVE SURPRISE
However before Van Grunsven's team-mate came into the ring Patrick Kittel would spring a massive surprise when executing
a spectacular test with Watermill Scandic.  The 11 year old stallion was
impressive enough when second behind Parzival in Saturday's Grand Prix in which
Van Grunsven and Painted Black finished third, but the winner was well below par
in that class and tonight's competition was a completely different story. 
Watermill Scandic raised his game to a whole new level, and with youth on his
side looks to have a big future - his great passage and piaffe, together with
the partnership's good rapport and tremendous dynamism, put them out in front
with a score of 79.80%.  "A personal best in both the Grand Prix yesterday and
again today in the Kur - I couldn't be happier!" said Kittel
afterwards.

His advantage wouldn't last long however as Cornelissen followed him into the ring and Parzival, tonight, was completely composed.  The
sensitive gelding had been overwhelmed by the sights and sounds of the
Scandinavium Arena in Saturday's competition - "he tried to turn around and run
back out of the arena yesterday he was so frightened" said Cornelissen, but
today it held no horrors for the big chestnut who strode in, cool as a breeze,
and didn't even seem to notice the 11,000 screaming spectators who were still
celebrating Kittel's inspiring display.  With consummate ease he set about his
business after the din died down and with absolute authority posted a mark of
84.40% to seal the deal.

SO RELAXED
"He was so relaxed I knew I could just get on with it" said Cornelissen afterwards.  She
explained that, due to the show programme, there was no opportunity to train in
the arena prior to the Grand Prix so she knew she just had to ride the storm in
Saturday's competition.  "He's always like that, he looks at everything the
first time and I had to use the Grand Prix as my training run but once he's seen
things then he doesn't worry any more and he normally settles down well like he
did tonight" she pointed out.

Schellekens-Bartels was surprised when Sunrise also took a dislike to things in the arena during the Grand Prix.  "I
had a very different ride yesterday" she said.  "My mare was very afraid of the
Judge at C - she's not normally spooky so I didn't expect that - but she was
really good today" she pointed out.  She was delighted with her result - "for me
this is fantastic - I had to kick out Anky and I'm sorry about that but I'm
happy I have made it to the final!" she said.

Kittel admitted that the roars from the crowd as he came into the ring made his horse tense but once he
began the test Watermill Scandic was more relaxed.  And he was delighted to find
himself qualified for 's-Hertogenbosch. "This will be my first final" he pointed
out.  He had been informed by FEI Director of Dressage Trond Asmyr that he
needed to get at least two more points if he was to have any chance of making it
to the Final - "I did it, and I did it well - because I got 17!" he added.  He's
not going to rest on his laurels though.  "I'm going to keep my music - Depeche
Mode is cool for me - but I will change my programme and change the line in the
canter, I'm not entirely happy with it. I want to show cleaner lines to the
judges" he explained. 

Schellkens-Bartels has no intention of changing anything.  "I don't think there is music more fitting for my horse than the one
we have now" she insisted, but Cornelissen has a bit of a surprise up her
sleeve.  "It should have been a secret" she said when asked if her programme and
score would remain the same, "I'm not changing my programme but I am going to
change my music.  I won't tell you what it is though, you'll have to wait and
see..."

The FINAL of the 2009/2010 FEI World Cup™ Dressage series takes place at 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands from
25-27 March.  For further information check out website www.indoorbrabant.nl or contact Press Officer Denise
van der Net at +31 627 03 16 74 or email
denisene@xs4all.nl

RESULT: 1, Jerich Parzival (Adelinde Cornelissen) NED 84.40%; 2, Watermill Scandic (Patrik Kittel) Swe
79.80%; 3, Hunter Douglas Sunrise (Imke Schellekens-Bartels) Ned 79.75%; 4, IPS
Painted Black (Anky Van Grunsven) Ned 77.25%; 5, Triviant (Matthias Alexander)
76.40%; 6, Le Bo (Carola Koppelmann) Ger 75.50%; 7, El Santo NRW (Isabell Werth)
Ger 75.50%; 8, Favourit (Tinne Wilhelmson-Silfven) Swe 74.90%; 9, Randon (Michal
Rapcewicz 73.35%; 10, Lydianus (Charlotte Haid Bondergaard) Swe 71.30%; 11,
Fitou (Lone Bang Larsen) Den 70.95%; 12, Larina (Minna Telde) Swe 69.45%; 13,
Normandie JB (Anette Christensson) Swe 68.00%; 14, Fryso Huys Cas (Marc Peter
Spahn) Bel 67.25%; 15, Le Beau (Philippe Jorissen) Bel 67.20%.

2009/2010 FEI WORLD CUP™ DRESSAGE - STANDINGS after Round 9 at
Goteborg (Swe) - (Provisional)
1.    Edward Gal            -        75
2.    Adelinde Cornelissen    -        72
3.    Imke Schellekens-Bartels-        70
4.    Anky van Grunsven        -        60
5.    Isabell Werth            -        54
6.    Patrik Kittel            -        53
7.    Jeannette Haazen        -        50
8.    Matthias Alexander Rath    -        49
9.    Carola Koppelmann        -        47
10.    Monica Theodorescu    -        41
11.    Aat Van Essen            -        38
12.    Jeroen Devroe            -        37
12.    Nathalie Zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-    37
14.    Tinne Vilhelmson Silfven    -        35
15.    Hubertus Schmidt        -        32
15.    Laura Bechtolsheimer    -        32
17.    Hans Peter Minderhoud    -        30
18.    Peter Gmoser            -        25
19.    Catherine Haddad        -        24
20.    Charlotte Haid-Bondergaard-        22
20.    Marc Peter Spahn        -        22  
Full standings at www.scg-nl.nl

FACTS AND FIGURES:
Sweden 's Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven retired her Olympic horse Solos Carex following tonight's competition.  Solos
Carex once stood as a stallion and is sire of Watermill Scandic HBC which
competed tonight wiht Sweden 's Patrik Kittel on board.
There was a full house of 11,000 spectators.
Horses are stabled in four different arenas below the Scandinavium arena in 210 stalls
Prizemoney at the Gothenburg show this year is approx €400,000
There were 18 starters in Friday's Grand Prix won by The Netherlands' Adelinde Cornelissen and Jerich Parzival.
The judges in tonight's Grand Prix Freestyle competition were - at E, Susanne Baarup (Den), at
H, Wim Ernes (Ned), at C, Katrina Wust (Ger), at M, Gustaf Svalling (Swe), at B,
Annette Fransen Iacobaeus (Swe).

QUOTES:
Katrina Wust, Ground Jury member, - "Today was top sport - people should know it has never
been better and give the riders credit - and the judges too!"

Patrik Kittel, talking about Watermill Scandic HBC - "he did his best two tests so far
here but he's got a lot more improvement in him, he's not been all that strong
and he needs to be uphill in his tests but he tries his best he is more
consistent and there is plenty more to come from him I
think".

WEBSITE: www.goteborghorseshow.com

Western European League Calendar 2009/2010:
1 Odense (DEN), 17 – 18 October
2 Lyon (FRA), 29 – 30 October
3 Stockholm (SWE), 28-29 November
4 London Olympia (GBR), 15-16 December
5 Frankfurt (GER), 19-20 December
6 Mechelen (BEL), 26-27 December
7 Amsterdam (NED), 22-23 January
8 Neumünster (GER), 20-21 February
9 Göteborg (SWE), 26-27 February
FINAL 's-Hertogenbosch (NED), 25-27 March
 
FEI World Cup™ Dressage, the only worldwide series in this
discipline, has entered its 25th season. The series, created in 1985, comprises
four leagues: Western European, Central European, North American (including
Canada ) and Pacific ( Australia , New Zealand , Asia ). Each FEI World Cup™
Dressage qualifier consists of a Grand Prix test, which in turn is a
qualification for the Freestyle to music competition, where league points are
accumulated towards places in the Final. Judged on both technical and artistic
merit, the FEI World Cup™ Dressage combines art, sport and partnership between
horse and rider at the highest level and consistently proves a winning formula
with audiences all over the world.
 
Technical Note: The FEI World Cup Dressage™ Champion does not earn points in his/her starts but is
automatically qualified to the next Final with two FEI World Cup™ Dressage
qualifiers completed. Riders not belonging to the Western European League (WEL)
or Central European League (CEL) cannot earn points in the WEL unless they have
declared to compete in the WEL 2009/2010. These riders may however transfer the
results from a maximum of three (3) WEL qualifiers to their own League. Points
earned by CEL riders will be transferred to the CEL standings.
 
THE COMPLETE RULES CAN BE DOWNLOADED
FROM www.feiworldcup.org