Cannes on the French Riviera has been confirmed for the 2010 lineup of Exquis World Dressage Masters events with the
Euro 100,000 (US$136,000) competition scheduled for June 10-13.
The WDM event that began the world's richest dressage events in Cannes two years ago will be held at the same time as the Global Champions Tour CSI5*. The Cannes WDM competition had been in doubt because of conflicts with dates of other major dressage shows.
The glamorous Cannes competition, which was won in the inaugural year of 2008 and in 2009 by Anky van Grunsven of The Netherlands, is one of the four CDI5* competitions sponsored by Exquis, Moorlands Stables and Moorlands Investments, Nürnberger Versicherungsgruppe and Jerich International.
It will also kick off the second year of the Nürnberger WDM Rider Rankings offering a bonus of Euro 25,000 (US$34,000).
The 2010 WDM series began in Palm Beach on Feb. 4-6 where Anky van Grunsven on her Olympic mount Salinero posted her second freestyle victory, beating Steffen Peters and Ravel of the United States and Isabell Werth and Satchmo of Germany. The USA's Leslie Morse and Tip Top won the Grand Prix Special.
The schedule for the remainder of 2010 is:
* May 13-16 in Munich, Germany;
* June 10-13 in Cannes, France, and
* July 29-Aug. 1 in Hickstead, England.
WDM at the Olympic Stadium in Munich will mark the final of the inaugural year of the Nürnberger Versicherungsgruppe
Rider Rankings and its award of Euro 25,000 (US$36,000). For the final at Munich, riders can earn double points. Points awarded are based on the regular World Ranking points of the FEI multiplied by a factor of 1.5.
Standings after Palm Beach are:
* (in case of ex aequo situations the best individual result in the GP is decisive)
1. Anky van Grunsven NED – 1530
2. Ashley Holzer CAN – 1380
3. Edward Gal NED – 1020
4. Leslie Morse USA – 990
5. Marc Boblet FRA – 945
6. Anja Plönzke GER – 932
7. Adelinde Cornelissen NED – 870
8T Catherine Haddad USA – 855*
8T Daniel Pinto POR – 855*
8T Laura Bechtolsheimer GBR -855*
11. Imke Schellekens-Bartels NED – 780
12. Steffen Peters USA – 765
13. Isabell Werth GER – 660
14T Hans-Peter Minderhoud NED – 615*
14T Kyra Kyrklund FIN – 615*
16. Nathalie zu Sayn Wittgenstein DEN -585
17. Fiona Bigwood GBR – 570
18. Jordi Domingo ESP – 558
19. Jeroen Devroe BEL – 540
20. Anders Dahl DEN – 510