Scores: 2009 CDI Cannes

Sat, 06/13/2009 - 00:00
2009 CDI Cannes - 11 - 13 June 2009

Grand Prix

  • 1. Anky van Grunsven - Salinero - 77.021 (Holland)
  • 2. Kyra Kyrklund - Max - 71.744 (Finland)
  • 3. Nathalie Zu Saeyn Wittgenstein - Rigoletto - 71.361 (Denmark)
  • 4. Jordi Domingo Coll - Prestige - 71.149 (Spain)
  • 5. Jeroen Devroe - Apollo van het Vijverhof - 68.978 (Belgium)
  • 6. Marc Boblet - Whitni Star - 67.787 (France)
  • 7. Catherine Haddad - Cadillac - 67.106 (USA)
  • 7. Anja Plonzke - Le Mont d'Or - 67.106 (Germany)
  • 9. Stefan van Ingelgem - Withney van 't Genthof - 67.063 (Belgium)
  • 10. Daniel Pinto - Galopin de la Font - 67.021 (Portugal)
  • 11. Constance Menard - Lianca- 65.276 (Israel)
  • 12. Anne van Uytert - Lucky Times - 64.978 (Holland)
  • 13. Dane Rawlins - Sydney - 64.510 (England)
  • 14. Remy Issartel - Hilton du Clotobie - 63.319 (France)

Anky van Grunsven won the Grand Prix at the World Dressage Masters CDI Cannes in the South of France today Thursday June 11, 2009. Last Sunday Salinero wrapped up the Dutch Dressage Championships, where he took the silver medal, only to be trailered 1200 kilometers south for another competition on Monday with the aim of getting more show routine before the European Championships (and collecting a purse of 100,000 euro price money). Anky and Salinero were a league of their own in Cannes with no real competition threatening them for the victory. The pair entered the ring with a good first halt, but the end halt was executed with clear hand aids. The horse stood stretched out and it was not immobile. The highlight of Anky's test were the piaffe and passage which were always rhythmical, engaged and very much off the ground. Smooth transitions made the scores go up. The trot extensions were very disappointing. They were ridden extremely conservatively, totally lacking overtrack and mainly had the front legs flying up in the air and the horse nicely bouncing off the ground instead of lengthening stride and frame. How can this score 8s?? The canter pirouettes were absolutely lovely and the tempi changes, which can pose a problem, were now well executed. Anky's ride looked very controlled and relaxed. She scored 77.021% to take 3000 euro of prize money with this victory. Jumping Cannes offered live streaming of the test but the quality was poor and the feed was very irregular with several stops and delays in each ride.

Grand Prix Special

  • 1. Anja Plonzke - Le Mont d'Or - 68.000 (Germany)
  • 2. Anne van Uytert - Lucky Times - 66.166 (Holland)
  • 3. Stefan van Ingelgem - Withney van 't Genthof - 65.916 (Belgium)
  • 4. Catherine Haddad - Cadillac - 65.250 (USA)
  • 5. Remy Issartel - Hilton du Clotobie - 63.416 (France)
  • 6. Dane Rawlins - Sydney - 63.041 (England)
  • 7. Constance Menard - Lianca - 62.291 (Israel)

Grand Prix Kur to Music

  • 1. Anky van Grunsven - Salinero - 79.850 (Holland)
  • 2. Kyra Kyrklund - Max - 76.050 (Finland)
  • 3. Jeroen Devroe - Apollo van het Vijverhof - 74.200 (Belgium)
  • 4. Nathalie Zu Saeyn Wittgenstein - Rigoletto - 74.000 (Denmark)
  • 5. Jordi Domingo - Prestige - 72.200 (Spain)
  • 6. Daniel Pinto - Galopin de la Font - 69.900 (Portugal)
  • 7. Marc Boblet - Whitni Star - 69.000 (France)

Anky van Grunsven and Salinero have won the 2009 World Dressage Masters in Cannes. They took home 20,000€ for the win of the 60,000€ purse for the Freestyle class. Anky van Grunsven, the winner of the inaugural WDM in Palm Beach on Painted Black, was very much looking forward to ride her second WDM show in Cannes partnering Salinero. “Cannes was only the second international show for Salinero after the Olympic Games in Hong Kong. And as I noticed last week at the Dutch national championships, we definitely need to build up the show routine again as quick as possible. So after Cannes, it will be CHIO Rotterdam straight away! And later on we have fitted in WDM Hickstead at the end of July in our schedule. Jumping riders do that more often, ride a series of shows in a row for the rhythm and the routine! Salinero really needs that now too”, said the Olympic champion. She wishes to work steadily on his condition, leading towards a climax at the European Championship in Windsor in August.

WDM Cannes attracted an amazing audience. As the schedule had the Global Tour just before the Freestyle of the WDM, it was sold out. Anky commented: “It’s a great and very special atmosphere in Cannes. I must say, the arena is not the easiest. It was daylight when the Grand Prix on Thursday was scheduled. But the Freestyle at night was something different. I had to convince Salinero that this could be done as well. When we started, he was a bit reluctant and tense. This certainly was not my best ride. However to be compared with the Global Champions Tour for the show jumpers is not a bad thing at all of course. I like to emphasize that the initiative of this WDM series is really fantastic for us dressage riders. It lifts the dressage as a sport up. And in between in Cannes you almost feel like having a luxurious holiday, with swimming and lots of fun for our children!”

Kyra Kyrklund became the runner up. She was on her way riding Max to a very high score when Max made a heavily punished mistake breaking into trot in a canter pirouette to the right. Her second place still earned her 15,000€ and she was happy with her achievement after all. For the British based Finnish rider the WDM show in Hickstead is on her schedule. Belgian Jeroen Devroe became third riding on the music created by Roel de Ruyter with his talented nine year old stallion Apollo van het Vijverhof. He was just a smal point difference of 0,20% ahead of Danish Princess Nathalie zu Sayn Wittgenstein showing her home bred Rigoletto.

Unfortunately due to the busy international show schedule and the German national championships in Balve the German riders had other priorities this weekend. However German teamchef Holger Schmezer advised Anja Plönzke to compete in the WDM Cannes and this decision proved to be the right one. She won the Grand Prix Special showing her horse Le Mont d’Or to his advantage. The 10 year old Oldenburg bred gelding took 10,000€ home for his win (68,0%). He showed a very good uphill frame and wonderful movements.

The new Dutch champion Edward Gal and his partner Hans Peter Minderhoud showed their support for the WDM by visiting Cannes without their horses.

So just like three weeks ago in Munich a German and a Dutch win in unity was celebrated in this special 100,000 € competition. The win of Dutch Anky van Grunsven in Cannes is the first to count for the extra bonus of € 25.000 rewarded by the new official WDM partner Nürnberger for the best rider over the four shows, starting in Cannes and ending in Munich 2010. Pferd International in Munich will therefore be the highest endowed WDM show in 2010.