Friday December 28, 2001

Bye Bye 2001 Celebrated at CDI-W Mechelen, Belgium

The annual Flanders Christmas Horse Show, taking place the last weekend of December, is the World Cup Qualifier for carriage drivers, show jumping and dressage riders and final competition of the year. The CDI-W Mechelen in Malines, Belgium, has been one of victory for the Dutch team riders year after year. Only 30 miles south of the Dutch boarder, Malines is the second home indoor competition ring for many Dutch riders. For 2001, Coby van Baalen, Arjen Teeuwissen and Anky van Grunsven claimed all three first positions in the small and big tour.

In the Prix St Georges, Van Baalen dominated aboard the Westfalian gelding More Magic (by Maraschino xx) with 70.15%. Fellow countryman Bart Bax led in the Intermediaire I with his super talented dark bay Krawall, scoring 71.30%. Anky van Grunsven, who had a poor ride in the PSG (61.00%), spiced up her act in the Intermediaire I freestyle. Aboard Tess Guilders' Salinero (Hannoverian, by Salieri), Van Grunsven received 73.72% from the panel of judges.

Arjen Teeuwissen continued his World Cup success-story at the highest level. After his invincible victory at the CDI-W Amsterdam two weeks ago, the Belgian based Teeuwissen reigned supreme again in the Grand Prix. With his KWPN bred gelding Gestion Goliath T, the pair put 71.27% on the score board, beating Spanish diva Beatriz Ferrer/Salat and her Hanoverian Beauvalais.

Text by Astrid Appels

Complete scores of the CDI-W Mechelen at Eurodressage.com

Image copyrighted Dirk Caremans - No reproduction without payment