Danish Rikke Svane and Spanish Beatriz Ferrer-Salat became the winners of the two CDI 4* big tour classesheld at the 2016 Madrid Horse Week on 25 - 27 November 2016. Twelve Grand Prix riders from Denmark, France, Germany, Luxemburg, Portugal and Spain came to Madrid for this major indoor competition.
Organizers as well as riders are looking back to two successful days of international Dressage with full stands, enthusiastic spectators and a competition that shows high potential for future development of Dressage competition in the capital of Spain.
Danish Rikke Svane and the 14-year old stallion Finckenstein TSF won the Grand Prix with a score of 72.920, followed by German Isabelle Steidle on Long Drink (70.900) and Beatriz Ferrer-Salat on Sir Radjah (70.400).
Svane moved to Luxembourg six years ago and came to Madrid together with her trainer Sascha Schulz, who rides for Luxembourg and finished 4th in the Grand Prix on Luizao. For student and trainer it was their first ever competition in Spain and both were very satisfied with Rikke’s accurate ride in the Grand. Svane will conclude her 2016 season with the CDI in Salzburg/Austria in two weeks.
Olympic, World and European Championship medal winner Beatriz Ferrer-Salat, who came to Madrid with her 11-year-old gelding Sir Radjah, placed second in the Grand Prix and won the Kur to Music with 76.325%.
During the Grand Prix on Saturday Sir Radjah was "amazing in the warm-up" but "a little hot" in the arena. However, on Sunday he showed all his quality again when the combination performed their Grand Prix Freestyle. Beatriz was pleased with the conditions and facilities the Madrid CDI offered: "The footing is really good, stabling is good and I like it very much!" Ferrer-Salat has supporting dressage during the Madrid Horse Week since the first edition in 2012 and describes the sport as "growing very much" in Spain. "A lot of young people are riding and many more people are riding Grand Prix already so it is going in a very very nice way”. In December, Beatriz will finish her 2016 season in Geneva, Switzerland.
The 2016 Madrid Horse Week finished on Sunday with the Grand Prix Kur in attendance of 2,300 spectators. There is the plan to upgrade to a CDI5* for the 5th edition of the event in November 2017.
Photos: Oxer Sport
Related Links
Scores 2016 CDI Madrid
Svane and Schulz In the Winner's Circle at 2016 CDI Biarritz
Beatriz Ferrer-Salat Honoured in Madrid as Best Dressage Rider of 2015
2014 CDI Madrid: A wonderful Festival de Doma Clasica at Villa de Madrid
