Brits Fiona Bigwood and Michael Eilberg cleaned up the big tour classes at the 2016 CDIO Saumur which concluded on Sunday 1 May 2016 with the Grand Prix Special. Bigwood continued to ride personal best marks on her Danish mare Atterupgaards Orthilia is now on the verge of cracking the 80% while Eilberg swept Saturday's freestyle division.
Michael Eilberg and his 16-year old Latvian warmblood Marakov (by Rufs) were first in the Kur to Music with 76.050%. The judges placed the pair first unanimously with Luxembourg's Veronique Henschen following in second place in a distance with 72.950%. Henschen partnered with her long-time mount Fontalero, a 19-year old Hanoverian by Werther. Irish Roland Tong and the Dutch bred 11-year old Ambience (by Trento B) were third with 72.175%.
Eilberg had a great week in Saumur, winning the small tour on the Russian owned Sa Coeur and the medium tour on the British bred Half Moon Dynasty.
"Mollie (Half Moon Dynasty) kept up her great form to win the Inter B this morning with 69.5% It was her first time going through this test so she found it a bit more challenging not knowing where she was going. She tried hard and we are all very pleased with her progress. Sa Coeur was really good in the Inter 1 and managed to win the class with 74.9% in the pouring rain. There were 42 horses into the Grand Prix and Marco (Marakov) coped well to come 2nd with 70.4%," Eilberg said on Friday afternoon.
In the Grand Prix Special, Bigwood continued her winning ways on the 11-year old Danish bred Atterupgaards Orthilia (by Gribaldi x Donnerschlag), scoring a personal best of 79.196%. Her husband, Danish Anders Dahl on the 12-year old American bred Hanoverian Selten HW (by Sandro Hit x Hohenstein) were the runners-up with 73.431%, while Belgian Jorinde Verwimp was third on her 16-year old Dutch Tiamo (by Lester) on 69.706%.
"Selten HW competed in his first International Grand Prix and Special," Anders Dahl explained at the end of the day. "In the Grand Prix due to my warm up plan it didn't go so well and affected the test resulting in some mistakes but still gave us a score of 69.2% and fouth place from 42 starters. After analyzing everything I had a rethink and approached Selten's warm up for the Special differently. It worked and I'm super happy with him and we achieved 73.4% and second place behind Fiona who scored a dream score of 79.1%. I'm really looking forward to the future with Selten HW."
Photos © Eilberg - Carde
Related Links
Scores 2016 CDIO Saumur
Bigwood and Orthilia Keep Winning, Nail 2016 CDIO Saumur Grand Prix