Ulla Salzgeber (Germany), who won Olympic team gold in 2000 and 2004, triumphed in the Prize of the Firma IMD at the 27th International STUTTGART GERMAN MASTERS Horse Show on Friday morning. On top of Herzruf’s Erbe, a 12-year-old chestnut gelding bred in Rhineland, the two-time World and six-time European Champion was awarded 1,832.5 points (77.979 per cent) to secure the 2,500 Euro prize for coming first. Last year she finished second in the same class – behind fellow German, Isabell Werth.
This time around Ulla Salzgeber turned the tables and relegated the “Dressage Queen” to second place. Saddled on Don Johnson, a nine-year-old Hanoverian gelding, Isabell Werth was given 1,756.0 points (74.723 per cent) before the score was topped by Ulla Salzgeber as the penultimate rider to go.
Riding in the Carabinieri uniform, the Italian Valentina Truppa received 1,723.0 points (73.319 per cent) for her performance on Eremo del Castegno to take third.
The ten top placed pairs in the class are now qualified for the freestyle on Saturday at 3.45 pm.