The wonderful international dressage competition at the French National Equitation centre in Saumur, France, kicked of on Thursday 26 April 2012 with a title match in the Grand Prix for Special between the PRE star Fuego de Cardenas and double Olympic champion and oldtimer Salinero. The shining grey star from Spain outclassed the 18-year old Hanoverian with his expression, fitness and flow.
At the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, Spanish rider Juan Manual Munoz Diaz achieved the same celebrity status as country mate Ignacio Rambla by enthusing the crowds with his dancing Fuego. The Spaniard confirmed his power status with a kur of a lifetime at the 2011 European Championships and proved yesterday in Saumur that he is one of the top riders from Europe.
Munoz Diaz and Fuego (by Utrerano VII out of Mundana) radiated confidence, routine and elegance in their Grand Prix test. Remaining totaly faultfree, this star duo made their show come back since August 2011 and looked well rested and prepared for this 2012 Olympic season. The entire test was relaxed and looked confident. The trot extensions were expressive with good reach in the front leg but lacked some overtrack. The half passes were very nice, flowing and balanced. The piaffe and passage was always rhythmical and off the ground but the transitions to and from piaffe could be smoother. Some tension crept into the extended walk when the stallion got distracted and whinnied, but the collected walk was clean and clear in rhythm. The two tempi changes were delightful with much elevation in the shoulder and good ground cover. The pirouettes were nice and small, though the horse could have shifted more weight on the haunches. The final centerline was secure and capped off a beautiful, winning test.
The panel of judges included Umbach (LUX), Kruger (DEN), Withages (BEL), Engel (GER), and Mouw (NED) and gave Munoz Diaz the winning score of 74.021%.Three judges placed the Spanish pair first, two second. His high mark was 75,213% from Kruger and the low score was 73,298% from Umbach, though overall the judges were quite unanimous with the scores. (see video of Munoz Diaz' ride)
Except for Beatriz Ferrer-Salat the entire Spanish team is in Saumur with Munoz Diaz as anchor. "Fuego is in the form of his life. He came very well through the winter and is super fit," said Spanish team trainer Jan Bemelmans commented.
Anky van Grunsven, who announced her Olympic contention with Salinero for a Dutch team spot two weeks ago, made her 2012 outdoor show debut with Salinero (by Salieri x Lungau) in Saumur, after cancelling her entry at the CDI 's Hertogenbosch last week due to fitness issues. In Saumur, the dark bay gelding looked certainly frisky in the windy weather, but his almost 10 years of international Grand Prix mileage are clearly showing on his hind legs, especially in walk.
Wisdom seems to have come with age and Salinero finally halted properly three times, though he stood behind the vertical. The very muscled and shiny gelding was electric and sharp on the aids of his rider but their test was mistake-filled. Right at the start he already broke into center on the centerline. The trot extensions were ridden conservatively. They had much expression in the front leg and was just enough in overtrack. The half passes were large in cross over, but in the one to the left the horse lost its balance right before H. The rein back was crooked, hitting the fence, and Salinero dragged his legs. Salinero's signature movements -- the piaffe and passage -- were very rhythmical and steady as clockwork with off the ground bounce, but the piaffe could have showed more sit in general. The lowpoint of Anky's test was certainly the walk. In the extended walk the horse was lateral and paced all over the diagonal and the collected walk was irregular behind (shorter steps with left hind leg). It was a slowed down walk instead of a collected one, unclear in rhythm. The second piaffe and passage were very nice and clean though the horse opened his mouth a lot. The canter work was solid with clear tempi changes and a correct zig zag, although there was much tail swoosh going on. The pirouettes were tiny and on the spot but were rather flat, lacking in lift from the shoulder. In the final trot exensions there was once again a break into canter before K. Overall Anky produced a routine ride but the polish seemed to have gone off with age.
Due the mistakes the 73.681% was still generous, though judge at C Mariette Withages contributed much to the inflation with her 76.915% personal mark. Anky's low score was 71.170% from Peter Engel, a score difference of more than 5% but in fact a more realistic mark. Knowing van Grunsven, she will certainly step it up in the Grand Prix Special and attempt to improve on her performance. (see video of Anky's performance)
"Too many mistakes, but it's ok. It was the first time outdoors," Van Grunsven tweeted.
Spanish Jordi Domingo also made his outdoor come back with Prestige (by Ferro) and landed a third place. The Dutch bred black gelding showed no overtrack at all in the trot extensions. The moment of suspension should improve in the half passes even though the cross over was nice. The passage was elegant and the piaffe rhythmical though the horse could jump more off the ground. The extended walk was clear in rhythm but restricted in overtrack and stride. The collected walk should have been more 4-beat. The second passage was elegant with a good transition to a good piaffe, but the transition back to passage could have been more flowing. The canter work was the highlight of the test with fabulous, straight tempi changes, a well ridden zig zag and nice pirouettes. The pair scored 71.362% but had score differences between 68.191% and 73.936%.
Belgian Jeroen Devroe scratched from competing at the 2012 World Cup Finals in order to prepare for the 2012 CDIO Saumur, where the rider had to score one more time 70% to secure his Olympic individual qualification for the Belgian Olympic International Committee (BOIC). It was mission accomplished for Devroe as his ride on the Belgian warmblood Apollo van het Vijverhof earned him 70.234%.
"We are super happy," Jeroen's life partner and 'eyes on the ground' Carmen de Bondt stated."Tomorrow Apollo will be trained lightly and on Saturday we compete in the Special. "
See all videos of the Grand Prix in Saumur on Top Iberian.com
Embedded video top right corner by Rui Pedro Godinho
Photos © Katharina Braren/Top Iberian
Related Links
Scores 2012 CDIO Saumur
Jeroen Devroe Withdraws from 2012 World Cup Finals
Van Grunsven Withdraws from 2012 CDI-W 's Hertogenbosch