Hans Peter Minderhoud steered Glock’s Flirt to a stylish victory at the ninth and last qualifying leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2015/2016 Western European League on home ground at ‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands. (FEI/Arnd Bronkhorst)
‘s-Hertogenbosch (NED), 12 March 2016 – Hans Peter Minderhoud steered Glock’s Flirt to a stylish victory at the ninth qualifying leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2015/2016 Western European League on home ground at ‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands. And there was even more for the Dutch to celebrate when Diederik van Silfhout finished a close second with a lovely performance from Arlando NOP.
Spanish veteran and reigning European individual bronze medallist, Beatriz Ferrer-Salt, lined up third with Delgado while Belgium’s Fanny Verliefden made a big impression with the mare, Annarico, to fill fourth spot. A total of 14 horse-and-rider combinations from eight nations lined out in this last qualifier ahead of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2016 Final which begins in Gothenburg, Sweden in just 12 days’ time and, for some, there was a lot hanging in the balance. But Minderhoud has enjoyed a great season and today’s result sent him rocketing back up to second place on the Western European League table which has concluded with Germany’s Isabell Werth taking pole position after another winter of great sport.
Led the way
It was Spain’s Morgan Barbancon Mestre who led the way going into the judging break after posting 73.550 with Girasol, but as soon as the action resumed the pair were overtaken by Australia’s Kristy Oatley and du Soleil who scored 75.900. Then The Netherlands’ Marlies van Baalen really got the home crowd going with an exciting routine set to a Big Band musical score, and when she drew to a halt with the big-moving 12-year-old gelding Ratzinger, who seemed to smile his way through his test, a mark of 76.375 went up on the board to put them out in front.
With five left to go, however, it was van Silfhout and Arlando who were next into the arena, and the quality, fluidity, rhythm and energy of their work saw them earn 80.150 which really raised the bar. The pair who finished ninth individually at the FEI European Championships in Aachen (GER) last summer and who were members of the bronze-medal-winning Dutch side at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Normandy (FRA) in 2014 looked super-confident and secure, the 11-year-old stallion showing tremendous athleticism in his piaffe/passage work in particular.
Ferrer-Salat, who produced back-to-back wins with Delgado at Lyon (FRA) in October and Stuttgart (GER) in November, couldn’t overtake them when posting 79.325 for a test that was calm and beautifully executed but which lacked a little sparkle. Then, third-last into the ring, Denmark’s Agnete Kirk Thinggaard showed a real return to form with the charming Jojo Az whose recent performances didn’t seem to reflect his normal enthusiasm, but who worked in complete harmony with his rider, and with a zip in his step, for a strong score of 76.300. The Danish rider’s decision to halve the time spent warming up her 13-year-old Hungarian-bred gelding appeared to pay off handsomely.
Uplifting
Verliefden’s test was also uplifting, her 11-year-old bay mare’s big, open action producing extravagant half-pass and great passage and piaffe. This is a pair just brimming with promise for the future, but as the Belgian put a handsome 77.950 on the board it was van Silfhout who still held the lead with the only mark of 80 percent. Last man in, however, Minderhoud would put paid to that.
Only 0.4 points separated him from Spain’s Ferrer-Salat in yesterday’s Grand Prix, but he enjoyed a bigger winning margin over his fellow-countryman with a Freestyle that oozed class and confidence. The chestnut stallion cruised through his trot work, showed enormous power in piaffe and breezed through his tempi-changes for a winning score of 81.775 and maximum qualifying points. He’s really looking forward to the Reem Acra 2016 Final now.
“It’s happening a month earlier than normal so that’s great because it’s close to the end of the season and my horse is feeling really good!” Minderhoud said. “He’s never difficult, he’s a really hard-working boy, he’s a sweet boy, and I felt we did two really super tests here,” he added.
At Amsterdam in January, where Germany’s Isabell Werth reigned supreme, he had to settle for fifth place while van Silfhout lined up third with Arlando, and coming into the arena he knew that his compatriot had produced another great test to take the lead. “I realised we would have to be really good to beat him, but my horse was really with me; he’s been working great at home, so we just had to go in there and do our job!” Minderhoud pointed out.
Delighted
Van Silfhout was delighted with his second-place finish, and with his horse, Arlando. “He gave me a great feeling all through the test and we had no mistakes. The passage and piaffe were really amazing and the canter work was much better than yesterday (in the Grand Prix). Arlando is a real worker; he’s always happy to do his work! In the yard I always look after him the first; he likes that and he’s very happy right now!
“It was really nice to be here. I wanted to see how his form was, how his body is, how he would be in the ring, and how he reacts to the atmosphere. I wanted to know how prepared we are because my target of course is the Olympic Games,” van Silfhout said. This Dutch rider will not compete at the Reem Acra 2016 Final, however.
“We competed in Amsterdam and Den Bosch, but I made the decision not to go to the Final because I want to keep my horse for the Olympic selection at Rotterdam and the Dutch Championships at Ermelo,” he explained.
In contrast, Minderhoud is completely focused on travelling to the Final with Flirt who also competed at the Reem Acra 2015 Final in Las Vegas (USA) where the pair finished fifth. And he will be joined at the Swedish venue by his partner and 2010 Reem Acra champion Edward Gal who missed ‘s-Hertogenbosch this weekend after taking a fall from a young horse at home during the week. “It’s three days later now and Edward is still sore and stiff but there are no broken bones, so he’s definitely going to be in Gothenburg!” Minderhoud said.
For further information on the ninth leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2015/2016 Western European League at ‘s-Hertogenbosch, visit www.indoorbrabant.com or contact Press Officer Denise van der Net, info@denisevandernet.nl, +31 6270 31674.
The Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2016 Final will take place in Gothenburg (SWE) from 23 to 28 March. For details of the Swedish, fixture visit www.gothenburghorseshow.com or contact Press Office Mayvor Thorin, mayvor.thorin@gotevent.se, +46 705 828420.
Detailed result here.
Facts and Figures:
The Brabanthallen in ’s-Hertogenbosch (NED) was the venue for today’s ninth and last qualifying leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2015/2016 Western European League.
Dutch riders Hans Peter Minderhoud (Glock’s Flirt) and Diederik van Silfhout (Arlando NOP) claimed the top two places.
14 riders representing 8 nations – Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, Japan, Netherlands, Spain and Turkey – lined out in today’s Freestyle competition.
Hans Peter Minderhoud and Glock’s Flirt also won yesterday’s Grand Prix in which reigning European bronze medallist, Beatriz Ferrer-Salat from Spain, was runner-up with Delgado.
The panel of judges consisted of: At E – Peter Holler GER; At H, Susanne Baarup DEN; At C, Mariette Sanders van Gansewinkel NED; At M, Susan Hoevenaars AUS; At B, Adriaan F. Hamoen NED.
Today’s result has decided the nine Western European League riders who have qualified for the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2016 Final which will take place in Gothenburg, Sweden from 23 to 28 March.
Spain’s Beatriz Ferrer-Salat has finished fifth and The Netherlands’ Diederik van Silfhout has finished equal-eighth in the final Western European League standings but neither will travel to Gothenburg for the Reem Acra Final 2016.
Quotes:
Diederik van Silfhout NED (2nd), talking about his plans for Arlando over the coming months: “Now he will have a nice break for a few weeks and then he will just do some training with maybe a small show a few weeks before Rotterdam. The Dutch championships take place three weeks before the Olympic Games.”
Diederik van Silfhout NED (2nd), when asked about the battle for places on the Dutch team for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games: “First (on the list) is Edward (Gal), then Hans Peter (Minderhoud) and then Arlando and me!”
FEI YouTube here.
By Louise Parkes
Media contacts:
At ‘s-Hertogenbosch:
Denise van der Net
Press Officer
info@denisevandernet.nl
+31 6270 31674
At FEI:
Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
Email: ruth.grundy@fei.org
Tel: +41 787 506 145
Shannon Gibbons
Manager Press Relations
shannon.gibbons@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 46
