Swedish Grand Prix rider Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven won the Grand Prix kur to music at the 2015 CDI Aachen on 30 - 31 May 2015. Aachen ran a slimmed down version in May this year as a dress rehearsal for the 2015 European Championships in August. Only 19 riders were entered to compete with mainly German B-team riders. With exception of Werth and Vilhelmson the "real" big names were missing.
However, that didn't spoil the magic that the dressage stadium at the holy Aachen show grounds can conjure up. Despite rainy weather on Sunday, the dressage part ran smoothly on the weekend and the judges put numerous 70% scores on the board.
The 47-year-old Tinne Vilhelmson won the Kur to Music on Sunday aboard her number one, Hanoverian gelding Don Auriello (by Don Davidoff x White Star). The pair was awarded a score of 82.475%.
“We had a good ride and my horse was very relaxed. I think that was the most important thing,” said Tinne.
Isabell Werth won the Grand Prix on her Hanoverian gelding Don Johnson (by Don Frederico x Warkant) but landed behind Vilhelmson in the Kur with 81.200%. Werth has been cashing the big bucks with Don Johnson lately, competing him non stop in May at three big events: Munich, Wiesbaden and now Aachen.
With her second place in the Kur Werth missed out on the chance of winning the famous Deutsche Bank Prize for the 11th time. She rode to victory in Aachen last in 2008 with Satchmo. Nevertheless, she was pleased with her result: “Of course, it is a shame, when you have been so close to the victory. But I am satisfied. Don Johnson is on the right track and performed consistently.”
The 20-year old Sönke Rothenberger is on a roll with the Rhinelander bred gelding Favourit (by Fidermark x World Champ), who was launched on the international Grand Prix scene by Tinne Vilhelmson. The new pair finished third on a score of 77.375%, a result the young rider hadn’t reckoned with.
“If anyone would have told me beforehand that I would do so well in my first appearance in Aachen, I probably wouldn’t have believed them," said a baffled Rothenberger.
Photos © Barbara Schnell
Related Link
Scores 2015 CDI Aachen