Posted April 22, 2006

Anky van Grunsven and Keltec Salinero Win FEI World Cup Dressage Final

Anky van Grunsven of The Netherlands riding Keltec Salinero scored 87.75% in the FEI World Cup Dressage Final Grand Prix Freestyle to Music today clinching her victory in the 21st annual FEI Dressage World Cup Final. The win in the Europahal at the RAI Center in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, marks the eighth time van Grunsven has won the World Cup and the third time she has won it with Gestion Salinero. The packed house of 7,400 spectators stood appreciatively as van Grunsven re-entered the brilliantly lit ring for the awards ceremony and after she lofted the glittering silver trophy, she announced to the crowd (in Dutch) that she wanted them to cheer and applaud only for the horse because he had once again amazed her.

“To be honest, I liked the whole test,” said van Grunsven. “So far it’s the best test he’s done since I’ve had him. He was very, very relaxed and still going wherever he had to go. I felt like it was very easy today and that’s what you want in a test, so I was very, very happy.”

Isabell Werth of Germany and the Hannoverian gelding Warum Nicht FRH scored 81.15% to earn second place. Jan Brink of Sweden aboard the Swedish warmblood stallion Bjorsells Briar 899 notched 79.32% for third.

Only the top 12 riders from the 18 who competed in the Grand Prix on Thursday qualified for today’s FEI World Cup Dressage A-Final Grand Prix Freestyle Kur to Music to determine the title. The other six competed in the B-Final this morning with Laura Bechtolsheimer of Great Britain aboard Douglas Dorsey topping that class.

All of the judges placed van Grunsven first in the kur and were tightly in unison in their scoring for both the technical and artistic elements of the ride. Officiating today were Mr. W. Ernes (NED) at E; Mr. G. Rockwell (USA) at H; Mr. V. Truppa (ITA) at C; Mrs. K. Wust (GER) at M; and Mrs. B. Buchler-Keller (SUI) at B.

President of the Ground Jury Truppa said that he told his colleagues who were judging the World Cup in Amsterdam for the first time that the atmosphere of a World Cup is “magic” and that this event lived up to that description. He summed up the competition as “top sport.”

Truppa noted that during van Grunsven’s performance, “I got really moved and I gave her a 10 for the music.” Van Grunsven’s orchestral soundtrack included versions of some contemporary easy listening tunes and was also soft and spare in some segments.

Van Grunsven, who has competed in 12 FEI Dressage World Cup Finals, won aboard Salinero (first called Gestion Salinero and now Keltec Salinero) previously in 2004 and 2005. (She also won with Bonfire in 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, and 2000 – known as Gestion Bonfire for the last two wins.)

Keltec Salinero’s transitions appeared flawless throughout and Van Grunsven acknowledged they were nearly seamless and certainly a strong point in his score. “I must say that I have this wonderful horse that is just a great talent for all these things. He’s amazing for me as well. This morning he was nervous in the warm-up ring because the crowd was there but when I rode him for the test he immediately felt really good. I couldn’t be happier and I don’t know what could have been a weak point today."