The double Olympic golden pair Anky van Grunsven and IPS Salinero have won the Exquis World Dressage Masters in Cannes. They took home €20.000 for the win of the €60.000 dotated Freestyle class. Anky van Grunsven, the winner of the inaugural Exquis WDM in Palm Beach on IPS Painted Black, was very much looking forward to ride her second Exquis WDM show in Cannes partnering IPS Salinero.
“Cannes was only the second international show for IPS 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! IPS Salinero really needs that now too”, said the Olympic champion. She wishes to steadily work on his condition, leading towards a climax at the European Championship in Windsor in August.
Exquis 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 IPS Salinero that this could be done as well. When we started, he was a bit reluctant and tensed. 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 Exquis 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 felling 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 just like Anky the Exquis 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 only nine year old stallion Apollo van het Vijverhof. He was just the smallest difference of 0,20% ahead of Danish Princess Nathalie zu Sayn Wittgenstein showing her hone 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 Exquis WDM Cannes and the decision made proved to be a right one. She won the Grand Prix Special showing her horse Le Mont d’Or to his advantage. The only 10 year old Oldenburg bred gelding took € 10.000 home for his win (68,0%). He showed a very good uphill statue 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 again just like three weeks ago in Munich a German and a Dutch win in unity could be celebrated in this special € 100.000 dotated 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.