Last weekend, Jan Brink won the Swedish Dressage Championships for the fourth time in his career. Aboard the Swedish warmblood stallion Bjorsells Briar (Magini x Krocket), Brink was in the lead from the beginning of the show to the end.
He left no doubt that he would become the Swedish Champion in Grand Prix dressage again, after he had 'lent' the title to Tinne Vilhelmson/Just Mickey last year, when Briar was injured.
Brink and Briar's performance at the 2005 Championships, hosted at the castle of Ericsberg, was a a true show off of quality and none of the other competitors ever came to threaten the duo. Especially as Brink's biggest challengers, Louise Nathhorst and Kristian von Krusenstierna, both dealt with horses turning lame at the show. The 15-year old Guinness became uneven on the first day, Wilson on the second.
Jan Brink and Briar produced a hattrick in Ericsberg, winning all three phases of the championships. He scored 73.00% in the Grand Prix, 75.16% in the Special and 77.05% in the Kur to Music.
"Briar is really fit right now," Jan explained with a huge smile on his face after the kur. "Today [in the kur] Briar was extra hot and that is a bit nerve wrecking, because I never know what is going to happen! Something did happen, Briar saw a little child running beside the arena and suddenly jumped to the side, but there was no more drama than that."
Jan rode his usual Kur to Music at the show, but for the 2005 European Championships in Moscow he has a new musical score in the making which he will present for the first time at the Championships.
Tinne Vilhelmson and Just Mickey became the silver medallists with more than 5 % point advantage to bronze medallist Lotta Wallin on her 17-year old Lafayette.
"He never won a championship medal so I think he really earned this one," Lotta said about her gentleman with whom she achieved numerous wins in the Grand Prix in her career.
The 2005 Swedish Championships had two surprise riders in store. Wiveca Schenholm on Nobel and the 23-year old Caroline Bonde on Largo. Wiveca, rarely seen among the top placed Swedish riders was on fourth place before the kur and ranked fifth overall. A change of saddle is believed to be the reason for this remarkable performance, but, unfortunately, she forgot to do the flying changes every stride in her kür!
Caroline Bonde rode her fourth Grand Prix ever on Friday and improved each day of the Championships, ending sixth overall at her first Swedish Championships ever. "I wasn´t even sure I should start in the championships," Caroline said, but at the same time she admitted that her goal in the beginning of this year was to become one of the top ten dressage riders in Sweden. She made it!
Liane Wachtmeister and Mr Bean finished in fourth place in the overall ranking. Her horse was very nervous at the beginning of the show, but became more relaxed each day. They both put down a really good kür with very few mistakes.
Text and photo by our correspondent from Sweden.
Related Links
Scores 2005 Swedish Dressage Championships
Tinne Vilhelmson Captures Second Swedish National Grand Prix Title
Bjorsells Briar, World's Best Dressage Sire of 2004