The Stable Magazine - April 2016

Acra FEI
ld Cup Final
Words: Louise Parkes Photos: Dirk Caremans/Arnd Bronkhorst/Thomas Johansson/PoolPic/FEI
MINDERHOUD WINS GRAND PRIX AND SETS
SIGHTS ON REEM ACRA 2016 TITLE
The Netherlands’ Hans Peter Minderhoud
steered Glock’s Flirt to victory in the Grand
Prix as the Reem Acra FEI World Cup
Dressage 2016 Final got underway at the
Scandinavium Arena in Gothenburg, Sweden. But
the host nation contenders were hot on the heels of
the Dutch duo, with Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven and
Don Auriello just 0.371 percentage points behind in
second place and Patrik Kittel just 0.1 point further
adrift in third with the veteran Watermill Scandic.
Minderhoud knows he will have to do it all again in
Sunday’s Freestyle if, at his sixth attempt, he is to
take the coveted Reem Acra title at last. But it will
be no easy task for the 42-year-old Dutchman and
his 15-year-old gelding because, as today’s result
clearly demonstrated, there is very little separating
the leading combinations in the 18-strong field.
great start
Denmark’s Agnete Kirk Thinggaard and Jojo AZ got
the competition off to a great start with a test that
earned 73.343, but it was Vilhelmson-Silfven who set
the real target when, third to go with Don Auriello, she
posted 76.500 which really put it up to the rest of them.
The six-time Olympian and her 14-year-old gelding
presented a picture of elegance as always, Don Auriello
showing off his trademark extended trot and elevated
passage and piaffe to great effect.
>
“My horse (Glock’s Flirt) is in great
form and feels good in the arena
here. He’s a hard worker and he
doesn’t want to make mistakes -
I’m really looking forward to the
Freestyle on Sunday now!”
- Hans Peter Minderhoud
© HIPPO FOTO - DIRK CAREMANS
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