Laurens van Lieren Goes Full Blast at the 2013 CDIO Vidauban

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2013 CDIO Vidauban

With three horses entered in the Grand Prix tours at the 2013 CDIO Vidauban on 17-19 May 2013, Dutch rider Laurens van Lieren made a clean sweep of the CDI tour on two of his horses Tyara and Ulysses La Haya and claimed two seconds and a third place in the CDIO section on his third horse Wellnetta.

"I was very happy with all three of my horses in Vidauban," Laurens told Eurodressage. “The show was very well organized and despite the awful rain on Saturday -- I got wet through to the bone twice -- we had a great time during the show and of course at the party on Saturday evening."

Second in the CDIO Grand Prix with 70.383, third in the Grand Prix Special with 68.771%, and second again in the kur on 72.350%, Laurens gave it his best on his promising, home bred mare Welnetta (by Louisville x Rubiquil). The pair was part of the FEI Nations Cup winning Dutch team.

Laurens on Tyara "Our victory in the Nations Cup enhanced the atmosphere. My Nations Cup horse, Hexagon's Welnetta has an absolutely amazing work ethic and really wants to perform in the arena."

Laurens expects big things from her in the future. "This was her first big outdoor competition," he said adding that, "she was quite excited. Nevertheless she performed a great Grand Prix test and earned the victory for The Netherlands in the first competition for the Nations Cup. She is still developing and very promising for the future."

Victorious in all three CDI tests, Laurens took out the Grand Prix and Grand Prix sSpecial on the chestnut Dutch warmblood mare Tyara who was making her international debut. "Tyara really showed her best form so far and I was so pleased to have her win two tests in her first ever international show," he explained.

Sired by Farrington out of an old-fashioned dam line (Guelderlander Studbook), Tyara is a "really safe Grand Prix horse" and an easier competition ride than Laurens’ CDI kur winning horse, Ulysses La Haya (by Gribaldi).

Laurens and Ulysses in the pouring rain "My other horse, Ulysses La Haya is out of a full sister to Ferro. He is very promising, but still not at his best in the arena. However, we are getting there," said the hopeful rider.

Feeling that Ulysses is really close to giving it his all, Laurens predicts that once the dark bay gelding can show his true potential, this horse will be hard to beat.

Eurodressage photographer Astrid Appels took photos of all combinations competing at the CDI0 Vidauban. Contact us if you are interested in prints of your photos!