Dorothee Schneider, Carl Hester and Beatriz Ferrer-Salat aced the big tour classes at the 2012 CDI Fritzens, held at Haim-Swavorski's beautiful equestrian centre in the Austrian alps near Salzburg on 8 - 10 June. Rain showers didn't dampen the spirit of the riders and top scores flashed on the scoreboard from small tour level to Grand Prix.
German Olympic A-team rider Dorothee Schneider brought Gabriele Kipper's 11-year old Westfalian mare Forward Looking (by Florestan) to Fritzens to dominate the Grand prix for Kur tour. She won the Grand Prix with 69.277% beating Spanish Daniel Martin Dockx on the American owned stallion Grandioso. Schneider topped the leader board again in the Kur to Music with 75.625% and fended off Spanish Beatriz Ferrer-Salat on her long-time Hanoverian partner Faberge (by Falkland). Riding her brand new Tango freestyle was a bit challenging for Schneider, who had only received her music on Monday. She practised the kur once on Tuesday and left for Fritzens the next day on Wednesday.
In the Grand Prix Special tour a strong duel took place between 2011 European Championship silver medallist Carl Hester on Uthopia (by Metall) and Spanish Beatriz Ferrer-Salat on her top horse Delgado (by De Niro). Competing at a CDI for the first time in 2012 in the lead-up to the London Olympic Games, Hester did not yet produce a peak performance but was certainly good enough for the victory with his 77.340% earning Grand Prix score. In the Grand Prix Special the tables were turned and Ferrer-Salat rose to the top on Delgado with a 75.756 % score. Hester finished second with 74.356 %. Spanish Juan Manuel Munoz Diaz and his favoured PRE stallion Fuego were second in the Grand Prix and third in the Special.
"This was the first outdoor of the season for us, and only our second show after a fairly long break, so Uthopia was suffering a little from nerves and tension," Hester told Horse & Hound. "He still gave me a great ride, and the mistakes in the pirouettes were mine."
Photos © Selene Scarsi
Related Links
Scores 2012 CDI Fritzens
Brits On Magical Form at the 2011 CDI Fritzens
