Helen Langehanenberg and Damon Hill NRW were the sovereign winners of today's Grand Prix test at the 2012 CDI Mechelen in Belgium on 27 December 2012. The winning combination reached a score of 82.468% beating Adelinde Cornelissen and Parzival as well as Dutch Olympic individual member Patrick van der Meer with Uzzo.
In the press conference after the Grand Prix Helen Langehanenberg told the audience that she only had started training towards Mechelen, which became the first indoor World Dressage Masters event, two to three weeks ago. "We have done the World Cup in Stuttgart but Damon Hill is such an easy horse, less is more with him," she said. "I really enjoyed my ride with him today."
Adelinde Cornelissen originally planned to give the 15-year old Parzival (by Jazz x Ulft) a little rest after the Olympics. "He actually enjoys work so much that we have already secured our ticket for the World Cup final with our results in Odense and Lyon and are now in a position to freewheel a little. Parzival loves to go to shows and I can keep him in a good rythm this way," said the Olympic individual silver medallist.
Patrick van der Meer was happy with his result aboard Uzzo (by Lancet x Indoctro). "Unlike Adelinde it is hard for me to get into the international top shows. Mechelen is such a special show for me. I couldn't be happier that Mechelen turned into a WDM show," he stated.
The organizing committee was struck with more bad leading up to the show. After the cancellation of Edward Gal and Hans Peter Minderhoud last Friday, Swedish Patrik Kittel also had to cancel for Mechelen because of a bad case of the flu. "I almost fell of my horse this morning when I was training him. I feel really sad but I had no other choice but to cancel," he wrote on his Facebook page.
This means that a total of 12 riders will battle over a purse of 100,000 euro in Mechelen.
-- WDM Press release, edited by Eurodressage
Photos © Astrid Appels
An extensive Eurodressage report with photos about the Mechelen Grand Prix and Prix St Georges is coming tomorrow.
Related Links
Scores 2012 CDI Mechelen
2012 CDI Mechelen Added to World Dressage Masters Calendar
Mechelen Loses 2012 World Cup Dressage Qualifier