British World Equestrian Games silver medallists Laura Bechtolsheimer and Mistral Hojris head a competitive international field in the nominations for this year’s World Cup dressage qualifier at Olympia, The London International Horse Show
on 14-20 December. The four WEG team gold medallists from the Netherlands; Edward Gal, Adelinde Cornelissen, Hans Peter Minderhoud and Imke Schellekens-Bartels are also among the entries.
While Gal no longer has his record breaking partner Totilas, with whom he won the Olympia Qualifier in front of a full-house last year, he will be bringing one of his two future stars; the 11-year-old mare Sisther de Jeu, like Totilas by the Trakehner sire Gribaldi, who has always been in the top three in her last six competitions or Interfloor Next One. With Gal, this stallion by the leading sire Jazz was an easy winner of the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Freestyle in Oslo in October.
British riders will be out in force too, as Olympia is the only qualifier on home soil. While Laura Bechtolsheimer will no doubt be a favourite for the class if she brings Mistral Hojris, her other option is Andretti H - with whom she won this year’s British National Championship in September. Olympic rider Richard Davison (Hiscox Artemis), who won the first World Cup Qualifier of the season in Lipica and also gained World Cup ranking points at the second qualifier in Lyon and Stephanie Croxford (Mr President) are also top of the British entries.
Round one of the Dressage Qualifier, held on Tuesday 14th December, the opening day of the Show, is the World Cup Dressage Grand Prix. The top 15 combinations will then qualify for the World Cup Dressage Grand Prix Freestyle to Music, held on Wednesday 15th December.
In addition, as a real treat for Dressage fans and visitors to the Show on Wednesday evening, Laura Bechtolsheimer will be performing a Dressage Display, where she will be presenting one of her upcoming star horses and showing how she works with them in training. This is a first for Laura at Olympia and she is really looking forward to it.
“I love Olympia and the great Christmas buzz it has and I’m delighted to be attending. It will be strange doing a demonstration in the arena, just hours ahead of the Freestyle, but I hope it will help me to keep my cool!” she said.
Eurodressage Coverage of the 2010-2011 World Cup Season