Press Release : Topiberian Photography : Topiberian March 21, 2015. – First Big Tour Winners, Spain and Britain take the podium in the at BCN Dressage Tour 2015 The first CDI3*(17th to 22nd) at BCN Dressage Tour is up and running. The two Big Tour - Grand Prix tests already took place. Michael Eilberg this time with MARAKOV (Rufs x Mazepa) and a 71,57% won the Grand Prix classifier for the Special. Breathing up their neck were Ulrik Moelgaard and MICHIGAN (Michellino x Floritta). ‘Michael I´ll be back on Sunday’ were the words of the Danish riders with a twinkle in his eye when he saw the scores a 71,331% placed him second. Stella Hagelstam and her CHOPIN III (Contendro x Synphony x Almox Prints) from Finland became third with a 69,786%. In the Grand Prix qualifier for Freestyle on thursday evening we saw a Spanish combination winning: Lauro Aguiló and his @HIERRO the CDE spanish crossbred out of FERRO and a PRE mother BABIECA XII, reached their personal best score ever with 70,600,% Lauro couldn´t be happier! Six out of seven judges were in agreement on thursday, placing Lauro and @HIERRO first in the test. Lauro was very happy with his win we all could see the big smile on his face. This personal record in an international competition is a good seasoning opener for this rider, who is aiming to gain a place on the national team for the European Championship at Aachen in 2015. They received good marks for their passage a usual highlights. However, there is still scope for them to improve their scoring, as @HIERRO showed some tension. English rider Hayley Watson-Greaves with RUBINS NITE (Rubin Royal x Limbo) became second behind this couple with a 68,586%. Grand Prix qualifier for the Special MARAKOV presented by Michael Eilberg entered their 5th season together at Grand Prix level. MARAKOV showed nice piaffe, expressive passage and some very good transitions, the 14 year old gelding, owned by the Eilberg family was the winner of last years British Championships 2014. Already in their second year back at BCN Dressage Tour was Britain based Danish rider Ulrik Moelgaard and MICHIGAN, a true son of MICHELLINO. They showed real improvement and Moelgaard was very happy with his test as he stated afterwards. He told us with good sense of humour ‘neither Henriette nor Carl were around to hold my hand, so I wanted to do a very relaxed and nice ride. I was very pleased with MICHIGAN today.’ His trainer Carl Hester and partner Henriette Andersen will compete next week at the CDI4* still to come in Barcelona. MICHIGAN, who is owned by Claus Munkedal and Moelgaard, loves the audience stated his rider. For him it is all about entering the centreline and getting the full attention! The couple showed a harmonious test with some highlights for example the half passes and an extended canter with a good transition back to collection, followed by a big flying change. Although 14 years old as well, the couple could still explore improvement in the piaffe which is cadenced but a bit shy, as Moelgaard assures it´ll become better! And another true fan of the BCN Dressage Tour was back on the scene Stella Hagelstam the German based Finish rider presents again several of her horses. In the Grand Prix for Special she showed us her CHOPIN III; we do know the combination from the past WEG in Caen, where they represented Finland on the Dressage Team. Passage and piaffe showed good quality and a lot of expression. The combination has improved since last year when they started the season around 63% - 64%, yesterday they reached 69,357%. And there was another debut yesterday from british Fiona Bigwood and her lovely young ATTERUPGAARDS ORTHILIA (Gribaldi x Donnerschlag), the 10 years old mare is owned by Kristine Munch. The two ladies showed a very nice test with promising passage, very expressive and quite cadenced, it was the international debut of this combination;. it was very nice to see Fiona Bigwood back in competition in Spain on this promising young horse!. We saw UNIVERSALIS (Ferro x Accord II) again competing on Spanish soil, now under the Ukrainian rider Inna Logutenova he became 5th. We used to see UNIVERSALIS under Spanish rider José Raga, with Inna the impressive Kwpn reached 68,514%. Jordi Domingo and his mare WONDER (Waterford x Rose) were the best Spanish combination, finishing 6th place with 68,371%. The mare showed strength and their presentation gained harmony. Intermedia I Belgium Françoise Hologne-Joux was not only third in the Grand Prix for freestyle but also became the winner in the Intermediate I with her second horse WARHOL (Warkant x Solana) they reached a score of 70.842%. The combination showed nice medium trot and good three tempi changes. Stella Hagelstam and NEW HIL JULITRA (Revan x Julerose) climbed up to the second place; the hindlegs are always ready and very active, the score was a 69,921%. María Eilberg and ROYAL CONCERT (Royal Diamond x Ricona) finished third this time (69,658%). Five year Old Finals The winner of the FINAL test was a son of Damon Hill, DER ZAUBERER (79,200) ridden by the young Russian competitor Polina Afanasieva. These two had achieved their top score earlier behind SAN DIEGO in the preliminary FEI test with an 8.2, in the trot, leading to a total score of 80.800%. Lauro Aguilo was not only the winner of the Grand Prix but also was successful in the test for five-year-olds, where he presented SAN DIEGO (San Amour x Donna Doria) of his pupil Timofei Rusakov. The combination took the lead, with an extraordinary 82.200%, including 8.6 for the trot and 8.5 for the canter. Regina Isachkina with PIMPOLLO (Sandro Hit x Romisdafanory) another Russian rider had already finished third in the Preliminary tests (76,200) and became second in the Final with 76,400. The best Spanish combination in the Final was SAROTTI (Sarkosy x Sanira) presented by Juan Carlos Díaz Amor. Beatriz Ferrer Salats lovely FIRST LADY (Sir Donnerhall x Johnson) became 4th presented by Villa Equus rider Laura Turbeau with 73,600%. The 6 year old FINAL ADAMA DE SUSA Wilma Wenders from the Netherlands presented two promising Kwpn horses in this class, ESTUPENDO (Prel: 80,400% Final: 83,600%) a son of Ziesto x Scandic and ELMAR (Serrano Gold x Jazz) with an 78% in the final on the third place, two promising horses, that show very elastic gaits. Spanish rider Judith Sarda Mañe presented DON PRIMUS (Prel.77,800 Final: 80,200). Intermediate B The winner of the Intermediate of the U25 was the young French competitor Corentin Pottier with Hanoverian horse GOTCHA (Goethe x Cora), scoring 67.524%; this pairing was part of the French team in the young riders' category, having made their debut at this level at Saumur last season. Second position was taken by Swiss participant Simona Aeberhard with ACTIVE PRIVATE DANCER (Jazz x Formateur), boasting a score of 66.786%, while Russian rider Polina Afanasieva with WINSTON (Gribaldi x Jazz) was placed third based on her score of 65.952%. Young Spaniard Laura Mangado Salvatierra made her debut at this level, on TEMPO (Metall x Eviola), achieving fourth place with a score of 63.214%. Classica 3 We can´t finish without mentioning the hat trick of Nuria Vila and LONDON PRIDE on the house! Barcelona Horses ruled the podium of the Classic 1, 2 and 3 during three days, all three members of the host-team achieved great results. Nuria won throughout the three days with the marvellous LONDON PRIDE (70.147%), owned by Marta Gonzalez. Annabelle Collins and DIMACHO (68.480%) once again followed their lead, placing second, beating Augustí Elias with PRE JOYERO F (Corinto x Joyera) with a 66.127% who climbed up then to the 2nd position in the Classica 3. French rider Corentin Pottier also stood out at this level with DEWI M and a forth place with 65.539%. And we have seen lots of promising young riders, juniors and children, the future is still to come in the final wrap up of the BCN Dressage Tour CDI3*. Today we will have the Intermediate A, the Grand Prix Freestyle and the Intermediate Freestyle on the programme don´t miss it at BCN Dressage Tour. The event is Live streamed on www.topiberian.com with comments from Bobby Fernandez de Bobadilla, the former director of Dressage at the Royal Spanish Federation. For any additional information please go to www.eventos.topiberian.com. Scores can be followed in real time on scores.topiberian.com. Very soon more to come on BCN Dressage Tour 2015 The event has live streaming on www.topiberian.com with commentary from Bobby Fernandez de Bobadilla, the former director of Dressage at the Royal Spanish Federation. For any additional information please go to http://eventos.topiberian.com orwww.events-barcelonahorses.com. Scores can be followed in real time onscores.topiberian.com. Very soon more to come on BCN Dressage Tour 2015. The show starts tomorrow with the vet check for the CDI3*.
