• Save

Nominations for Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Leg at Olympia Horse Show Announced

The world’s most successful dressage partnership, Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro, is amongst the nominations for the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Leg supported by Horse & Hound at Olympia, The London International Horse Show on 16-22 December. It will be the first time Valegro has competed in the UK this year.

Dujardin, who was crowned Sunday Times & Sky Sports Sportswoman of the Year yesterday, last competed on Valegro in the UK at Olympia Horse Show in 2013. The formidable pair not only won both the World Cup Grand Prix and Freestyle but sent the Olympia audience into raptures by setting a new freestyle World Record with their London 2012 routine. Since then, Dujardin has added even more titles to her already impressive record, by winning the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Final in April before taking the World Championship title in Normandy in August.

Dujardin said: “I am very excited about taking Valegro to Olympia this year. I can’t wait to do my new floor plan in front of the home crowd. I actually think it is harder than my Olympic routine and so if I can get it right on the night I could possibly beat the world record I set last year. But obviously saying it and doing it are two very different things.”

Joining Dujardin at Olympia will be her mentor and GBR team mate Carl Hester who will be riding 10-year-old gelding, Nip Tuck, on whom he won Team Silver at the World Equestrian Games. Completing the British line-up are Spencer Wilton, making his Olympia debut with his exciting new ride Numberto, Nikki Crisp with her own mare Passoa, and Hannah Biggs with stallion Weltzin.

Dutch riders, Edward Gal and Danielle Heijkoop, who were placed second and third respectively behind Dujardin last year, have been nominated this year alongside fellow Dutchman, Hans Peter Minderhoud, with his stallion, Glock’s Johnson, who took the team bronze medal at the World Equestrian Games.

There are plenty of promising up and coming riders amongst the nominations, including brother and sister, Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and Benjamin Werndl from Germany. The siblings dominated in Pony and Young Rider Championships and Jessica has twice been German Champion since. Fellow German, Sonke Rothenberger – son of dressage riders Sven and Gonnelien Rothenberger – is also nominated to compete at Olympia for the first time. The 20-year-old won Team Gold at the European Young Riders and was seventh in his World Cup debut in Odense this year and could be one to watch for the future.

Potential new Olympia debuts this year are Rikke Svane (DEN), Agnete Kirk Thinggaard (DEN), Judy Reynolds (IRL), Juan Antonio Jiménez Cobo (ESP), Katja Gevers (NED) and Robert Schmerglatt (AUS).

The Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Grand Prix takes place on Tuesday 16 December and concludes with the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Freestyle on Wednesday 17 December. The Freestyle on Wednesday will be televised live on the BBC Red Button, Online & Connected TV starting at 20:00.

Nominations for the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Leg at Olympia, The London International Horse Show

Kristy Oatley (AUS) – Ronan 2
Robert Schmerglatt (AUS) – Fonteyne
Simon Missiaen (BEL) – Vradin
Agnete Kirk Thinggaard (DEN) – Jojo AZ
Anders Dahl (DEN) – Wie-Atlantico De Ymas
Rikke Svane (DEN) – Finckenstein TSF
Ulrick Moelgaard (DEN) – Michigan
Juan Antonio Jimenez Cobo (ESP) – Sunny Boy
Morgan Barbancon Mestre (ESP) – Painted Black
Terhi Stegars (FIN) – Axis TSF
Carl Hester (GBR) – Nip Tuck
Charlotte Dujardin (GBR) – Valegro
Hannah Biggs (GBR) – Weltzin
Nikki Crisp (GBR) – Passoa
Spencer Wilton (GBR) – Numberto
Benjamin Werndl (GER) – Der Hit
Dorothee Schneider (GER) – Forward Looking / Silvano 71
Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (GER) – Unee BB
Sonke Rothenberger – (GER) – Favourit
Dane Rawlins (IRL) – Sydney
Judy Reynolds (IRL) – Vancouver K
Danielle Heijkoop (NED) – Kingsley Siro N.O.P.
Edward Gal (NED) – Glock’s Undercover / Glock’s Voice
Hans Peter Minderhoud (NED) – Glock’s Johnson TN
Katja Gevers (NED) – Thriller
Minna Telde (SWE) – Santana

Link to video: http://youtu.be/tDI3vJwj3tA

For more information and to purchase tickets online, visit the website at www.olympiahorseshow.com or telephone the box office on 0871 230 5580.

For more information, please contact Hannah Grissell hannah@revolutionsports.co.uk or +44 (0)207 592 1207.

Olympia, The London International Horse Show
The first international horse show took place in the Olympia halls in 1907. Olympia, The London International Horse Show, the event we see today, was started by Raymond Brooks-Ward in 1971. This year’s show takes place on 16-22 December 2014 in the Olympia Exhibition Hall, located in West Kensington London. The show will play host to a packed timetable of all things equestrian and is expected to welcome over 90,000 visitors. It is regarded as one of Europe’s oldest and most prestigious equine competitions. The show mixes top class equestrian action, including FEI World Cup™ Jumping, Dressage and Driving, with family entertainment, such as the Osborne Refrigerators Shetland Pony Grand National which raises money for Great Ormond Street Hospital and The Kennel Club Dog Agility. The show’s official charity for 2014 is The Injured Jockeys Fund.

Leave a Reply