Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven and Don Auriello continue to display incredible consistency in Wellington, Florida, as they made another huge statement in their second appearance this week, earning the win in the Grand Prix Freestyle CDI-W on Friday night 26 February 2016.
Vilhelmson-Silfven (SWE) and Don Auriello received a 79.775% for a commanding victory, while Mikala Gundersen (DEN) and My Lady collected second place with a 77.675%. Veteran pair Lars Petersen (DEN) and Mariett finished in third just behind their fellow Danish teammates with a 76.400% for a Scandinavian sweep.
Vilhelmson-Silfven and Don Auriello made the most of their first outing this week, winning the Grand Prix CDI-W on Thursday and improved upon their results in front of a large crowd at The Stadium at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) on a crisp Friday evening. Don Auriello, a 2002 Hanoverian gelding owned by Lövsta Stuteri, the training and breeding operation of Antonia Ax:on Johnson, has a plethora of international competition experience, representing Sweden with Vilhelmson-Silfven at the 2014 World Equestrian Games in Caen, France, and the 2012 Olympic Games in London, England. Only improving with age, Don Auriello and Vilhelmson-Silfven have been nearly unbeatable in Large Tour competition this year in Wellington.
“It was an amazing feeling tonight. When you don’t have any problems in your test you can just let go and ride. You can go with the flow and I think that’s the feeling today, and I was very, very happy,” commented Vilhelmson-Silfven, who has represented her home nation of Sweden at every Olympic Games since 1992 in Barcelona, Spain. She continued, “We’re actually changing the routine the whole time and changing the choreography a bit. We’ve been going back and forth for a while. It’s an ever-changing process.
“I think when you ride a freestyle to the music, the highlight becomes when everything works out and you can follow it along the way it should be. I had that nice feeling today, and it was just right. I was happy with him overall, with the feeling he gave me and the balance we had together. I could move forward easily, and the only thing that I would be a little upset with was the first halt. He’s so on that he has no time to stop. Otherwise, it was great. He’s the kind of horse that always gives his best and is always on my side,” she said. “He wants to please me the whole time and go into the arena with all of the people watching. He’s eager to go and that’s an absolutely stunning feeling to have as a rider, when your horse loves to perform.”
Mikala Gundersen and My Lady, owned by Janne Rumbough, are coming off of their major win in the Grand Prix Freestyle CDI 5* just two weeks ago and also have found themselves consistently atop the leaderboard so far this season.
“I’m really happy with my test tonight. My goal was to have a similar test that I had two weeks ago, and I feel that I did. I was pleased with Lady, and she was very focused. She felt good throughout,” noted Gundersen. A sound malfunction during the pair’s test was a cause for concern, but the pair rode through the rest of their choreography with ease.
Even though Petersen and Mariett have been performed well this season, Petersen noted that tonight’s class felt like the first time the duo found the rhythm that makes them difficult to beat in the Grand Prix Freestyle class. Mariett, who is now 18 years old, was given off for a number of months after the 2015 World Cup Finals in Las Vegas, NV, last April, and it has taken some time for the pair to get back into the swing of things so far this season.
“I’ve had a little bit of a hard time finding that rhythm with her again, so it’s getting better and better. Tonight I was really happy, and I think she was great. I think I could have been a little bit sharper at some points, and I don’t want to blame her because I’m so happy with her,” he said. “She’s 18 and is still fresh and going well.”
Text by Carly Weilminster, edited by Eurodressage
Photo © Sue Stickle
Related Links
Scores 2016 CDI-W Wellington
Vilhelmson and Don Auriello Secure Second Grand Prix Win at 2016 CDI-W Wellington