For this year's edition of World Dressage Masters in Sweden, Falsterbo, the audience is in for a real treat.
With a starting field including Olympic Champion Anky van Grunsven, Swedish ace Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfvén, Anja Plönzke who won the WDM Nürnberger ranking just a month ago in Munich and WDM Munich GP winner Patrik Kittel – it will be an epic dressage battle to remember.
Moreover the field consists of nonetheless than 8 nations, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Holland, Germany, Austria, USA and Poland, that all will fight for the crown. For just a year ago, the trio Anky, Tinne and Patrik met last year at the World Dressage Masters in Falsterbo, where Anky won with Painted Black on the remarkable score 82,400% before Ulla Salzgeber with Wakana and Tinne Vilhelmson Silfvén with Favourit.
This year, the field is stronger than ever. Anky is bringing her old star Salinero with her, Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfvén is this trying out her new supertalant, Don Auriello and Kittel is taking no chances but bringing his best horse with him, Watermill Scandic. Polands Michal Rapcewicz, who won the third place in the WDM Nürnberger riders ranking, is coming with his gelding Randon who is a veteran by now in the WDM circuit. With riders like Christa Laarkers, Holland, Jim Rasmusen, Denmark and newly wed Catherine Haddad-Staller , USA, the third of four WDM-events during 2011 promises to be a spectacle.
Salinero and Anky van Grunsven make their comeback
Anky, who is accompanied by her husband and trainer Sjef Jansen, has global as well as a lot of local support and is a clear favourite amongst the crowds of dressage lovers, something she obviously reciprocates:
“Falsterbo is a fantastic venue and I look forward to compete for the second year in a row”.
Swedish rider Patrik Kittel, who brings his GP winner from WDM Munich, Watermill Scandic, said on the Falsterbo Horse Show press conference earlier yesterday:
“I have scheduled to go to both Falsterbo and Hickstead for the World Dressage Masters, it is indeed a fantastic competition and I prioritize the World Dressage Masters for other shows this year. Especially now, I look forward to WDM in Falsterbo, for me there is no summer without Falsterbo Horse Show!”
Riders entries
Sweden
Patrik Kittel – Watermill Scandic
Kristian von Krusenstierna – Biggles 1015
Rose Mathisen – Bocelli 1044
Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfvén – Don Auriello.
Charlotte Haid Bondergaard – Lydianus
Denmark
Bo Höstrup – Cajo
Jim Rasmussen – Broholms Highlight
Holland
Aat van Essen – Premier
Anky van Grunsven – Salinero
Christa Laarakers – Divoza Horseworld Ovation
Jenny Schreven – Krawall
Norway
Siril Helljesen – Dorina
Poland
Michal Rapcewicz – Randon
Germany
Anja Plönzke – Le Mont d´Or
USA
Catherine Haddad-Staller – Winyamaro
Austria
Andrea John – Esperanto
Renate Voglsang – Fabriano