Victory for Sweden at the CRI * Bokeberg

Vital to the qualification process for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG), riders from across
Northern Europe scrapped their stifled air travel plans due to closed airports across northern Europe
because of Icelandic volcano activity, and instead drove into beautiful Bökeberg facility in hopes of
gaining the compulsory scores at the CRI* necessary for the increasingly intense effort to make their respective
national reining teams for the WEG.

Among the starters the was, three-time Olympic dressage gold-medalist Anky van Grunsven, riding for Holland, joined by reining athletes from Denmark and the home nation.

It was a thrilling conclusion to Sunday's CRI * on Bokeberg. With a first place for Mona Göransson on Mega Jac Dance 71 points and second place to mega dressage star Anky van Grunsven, Netherlands on WHizashingwalla PA, scored 70.

At a press conference Anky when asked to compare the differences between reingning and dressage, chose to focus on the similarities, stating that, “the basics of dressage are the same as in reining. There really is not a major difference at the very basic level. As a matter of fact, there is much we in common.

When speaking of her horse, Whizashiningwalla BB, owned by Cira Baeck from Belgium, Van Grunsven spoke warmly about the palomino quarter horse, saying, “He is a great horse and we are having a lot of fun together. He is really helping me to get the feeling for reining, and he knows his sport – sometimes a little too much”, she laughs.

“As a dressage rider you can gain from reining, but sometimes it is hard to remember, for instance in reining when you stop the horse it is definitely the opposite of dressage: you loosen your reins, sit down and just say ‘whoa’ – and
the horse will stop…. this doesn’t happen in dressage, Anky jokes.

Results (18/04/10)

CRI* Bokeberg – Sweden

1º Mega Jac Dance – Mona Goransson- 71.00
2º Whizashiningwalla BB – Anky van Grunsven – 70.00
3º Ruf Deal – Johan Svensson – 67.50
4º Chic Diesel Olena – Tove Lewenhaupt-Schmidt – 65.00
5º Sheza Flybaby – Helene Hokkanen – 62.00