In an exciting finale to the 2004 World Cup Final, in the run-up to Athens Olympic Games, Holland's Anky van Grunsven won the title for the an unequaled sixth time with her new superstar, Gestion Salinero.
The 5 Judhes were unanimous in their scoring with Anky finishing with 83.45% and to add to the sweetness of her victory, her star pupil Edward Gal took second place just 3% behind Anky, riding the Dutch stallion Gestion Lingh.
Anky commented afterwards "I could not believe it could go so well" after admitting to feeling nervous at the beginning of her winning freestyle in what she described as Salinero's "best performance yet" but she did have to wait until both Edward and Guenter Seidel had ridden to have her victory confirmed.
At the press conference afterwards Anky joked that she had told Edward he "could be very good as long as he did not beat her!" There is no greater compliment to a trainer than to have your student up in the placings and this has established Anky as, not only one of, if not the, best Dressage riders in the world but she also an excellent Trainer - and with Edward placing second in his first ever appearance at an FEI World Cup Final the celebrations are sure to go well into the night tonight!
When asked about Gestion Salinero, Anky said "he is a perfectionist like me!" while when Edward Gal was asked for comment on Gestion Lingh he laughingly said "He's an athlete, his own person. He works when necessary but whenever he can, he rests."
Third place went to Germany's Hubertus Schmidt who produced a beautiful performance showing rhythm and harmony on board the beautiful mare Wansuela Suerte and he only beat fellow German, Heike Kemmer on Bonaprte by the narrowest of margins.
Hubertus Schmidt who was thrilled with Wansuela Suerte said afterwards at the press conference that his mare "is a prima ballerina, she needs her space.......and she loves carrots!"
Dr. Volker Moritz who had the tough job of judging at C commented after the competition, which saw all finalists score over 70% that "it was a fascinating competition, fantastic sport. Everyone went better than in the Grand Prix and the winners produced both power and harmony."
The final
results for the FEI World Cup Dressage Final 2004 are
1, Gestion Salinero (Anky Van Grunsven NED) 83.45
2, Gestion Lingh (Edward Gal NED) 80.62
3, Wansuela Suerte (Hubertus Schmidt GER) 78.87
4, Bonaparte (Heike Kemmer GER) 78.65
5, Wahajama UNICEF (Ann Kathrin Linsenhoff GER) 77.27
6, Nikolaus (Guenter Seidel USA) 76.97
7, Blom’s Idocus (Marlies van Baalen NED) 76.90
8, Artax Condor (Elena Sidneva RUS) 75.80
9, Apache (Isabell Werth GER) 74.70
10, Just Mickey (Tinne Wilhelmson SWE) 72.47
11, Wie Weltmeyer (Emma Hindle GBR) 72.45
12, Guinness (Louise Nathhorst SWE) 71.97
Australian
rider, Kristy Oatley-Nist and Rosemount Quando Quando won the B final and
rode a super Grand Prix Freestyle finishing with 71.62% with all judges close
in their scores other than the Russian Judge, Dr Elena Putushkova who had
her placed lowest of the five judges. There were six in the B Final and Sven
Rothenburger for Holland
took second to Kristy with the Brentano II gelding, Barclay II.
