Cornelissen Edges Out Kittel in 2014 CDI Mechelen Grand Prix

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2014 CDI Mechelen

In a neck-to-neck duel Dutch Adelinde Cornelissen edged out Swedish Patrik Kittel by a fraction of a point in the Grand Prix at the 2014 CDI Mechelen on Saturday 27 December 2014. Aboard her 17-year old Dutch warmblood gelding Parzival (by Jazz x Ulft), she scored 77.740%. Kittel and the 15-year old Dutch stallion Scandic (by Solos Carex x Amiral) finished second with 77.140%.

The panel of judges in Mechelen has three O-judges and two I-judges. The ground jury consisted of Holler, Leyman, Sanders-Van Gansewinkel, Judet and Van Daele but there was little unison to be found in the scoring at the top. Cornelissen was first with two judges, second with one judge and third with two judges. Her marks ranged from 74.60% (Holler) to a whopping 83.500% (Van Daele). Almost 10% difference! Kittel's scores ranged from 75.500 to 79.100%.

“I came in and there was this huge camera," Cornelissen commented about her ride. "Parzival thought ‘wow, I hadn’t seen that one yet’! He stayed a bit tense during the test, but now that he has seen it, I know he will be more relaxed tomorrow and do even better!”

The best Belgian in the Grand Prix was Jeroen Devroe. Aboard the 10-year old Belgian warmblood Eres DL (by Sir Lui x Balzflug) Devroe finished fifth place with 72,720%. WEG team mate Julie de Deken and her 13-year old Hessian stallion Lucky Dance (by Lucky Lionell x Placido Sun) followed in 7th place with 70.960%.

"At the beginning of the year, I obtained 60% with Eres, so we progressed nicely," Devroe commented. "We only rode three or four freestyles, but considering his level of the moment he did well at the Roosendaal Indoor (at the beginning of December). As always, I hope it will be better tomorrow, and I do not hide my ambitions: I want to ride him in Rio."

After winning the CDI Frankfurt last weekend, German Ulla Salzgeber was scheduled to appear in Mechelen as well. Her Rhinelander gelding Herzruf's Erbe (by Herzruf) bit his tongue during the warm up and was unable to compete the Grand Prix, and therefore qualify for the Kur to Music.