It was a case of sixth time lucky for the Netherlands’ Hans Peter Minderhoud, who won the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage title after years of being a contender, but never the champion.
‘Very emotional’
Hans Peter scored 82.357% with Glock’s Flirt to win the final, just 0.928% ahead of the home crowd favourite Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfen in second place.
“This was my sixth final and I’ve never been on the podium, although I was twice really close,” said Hans Peter. “I started off as a groom and it was always my dream to win it, so it’s very emotional.”
Tinne was the first rider in the competition to score more than 80%. Riding the 14-year-old Don Auriello, she was awarded 81.429%, which piled the pressure on the remaining riders.
Faultless performance
Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl came close, posting a mark of 80.350% with Unee BB to come third. Next in was Hans Peter, who put in a faultless performance with his 15-year-old gelding to take the top spot.
All hopes of the host nation were then resting on Patrik Kittel and Watermill Scandic, who were last to go, but the pair couldn’t match the competition and came fourth on 78.946%.
Hans Peter, who also won Friday’s Grand Prix, admits he didn’t expect Glock’s Flirt to be so successful when he got him two years ago.
‘Like a dog’
“When I got him he was a nice Grand Prix horse but I didn’t expect him to be a winner, but he’s just getting better and better,” said the 42-year-old. “He’s such a great honest horse in the ring, he doesn’t want to make any mistakes – you really feel that he gives just everything to you.”
“He is almost like a dog, you can take him everywhere. It’s so much fun to have a horse like him. You can really rely on him, and that’s an amazing feeling.”
‘Special relationship’
It was this special relationship that caught the eye of ground jury president, Sweden’s Gustav Svalling.
“This horse is a very obedient horse, but it is also the combination between the rider and horse – you can see they really like each other,” he said.
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