Isabell Werth made her words come true having spoken yesterday. It indeed was another day today and Isabell took her chance. She rode a great test partnering Satchmo. Her forwardness, beautiful extensions and impressive passage were shown to the limits. For her first extended trot and the half pass to the left she even received the mark 9 and 10.
Tiny little mistakes also occurred in the first piaffe rewarded with 6 and at the first change of the two tempi changes, rewarded with a lower score. But the overall impression was a very good one, rewarded with 78,36%.
Anky van Grunsven had a majestic answer on Isabell Werth and Satchmo. Her relaxation in between again was very good, leading to high marks for the halt and the walk again. However, in the last extended trot one misstep was made and in the passage this time Keltec Salinero sometimes was too collected. Anky commented: “My partner and trainer Sjef immediately said when I left the arena that the passage had been to less forward and too collected. I didn’t have that feeling at all, otherwise I would have ridden it differently. But tomorrow I certainly will, you bet!”
BRONZE SURPRISE FOR DUTCH IMKE SCHELLEKENS
Not the battle between Anky and Isabell was the most remarkable of the Grand Prix Special. It was the wonderful test of Imke Schellekens-Bartels who without any tension or high expectations rode to the individual bronze medal.
Yesterday in Grand Prix Swiss Silvia Iklé had been on the third position. Today Salieri lost some impulsion and made too many small mistakes for a medal position. Nadine Capellmann and Elvis did a good job as well, but had some mistakes in the two tempi changes and the piaffe was not to the advantage of Elvis.
Imke Schellekens commented immediately after her test: “My great mare Hunter Douglas Sunrise was a little bit more tired than yesterday, something more riders said today. But after the first half of the test and the first piaffe transition from the walk I really felt I could ask her for more and she in an incredible way answered to that. This is more than I had dreamed of!”
Today an audience of 5000 watched the Special. At the end of the test a final surprise was waiting for the Italian as Italian rider Anna Paprocka also had been qualified for the Freestyle Final tomorrow.