Grand Prix Special In Class 2 Of WEG Dressage Selection Trials (Page 2)

Guenter Seidel on Dick and Jane Brown's Nikolaus 7 placed second in the Special with a score of 72.28%. Combined with his second place score in the Grand Prix (70.440%), Seidel is now in second place overall.

The judges also addressed Seidel's ride. Judge Knipp said that Seidel and Nikolaus 7 had a "better performance yesterday. It was not as sparkling today." Judge Valentin concurred, "It was not as expressive as yesterday," she said, then added, "But it was a very high level. We're not being negative, we're talking details."

Seidel said that Nikolaus was more tired in the Special but is exuberant by nature, so when he felt that the horse was not quite active enough after he started the test, he did not want to take a chance in the arena to urge him on too much and risk over-exciting him. Seidel said he was pleased with how relaxed the horse was. "He should be more brilliant. It's always been a problem for that horse to be too exuberant."

Blinks First Overall After First Weekend

In third place in the Special were Sue Blinks and Flim Flam, scoring 71.56%. The pair is in first place overall for the Selection Trials.

Blinks and Flim Flam had two highly unusual mistakes in the Special - in the transition from passage to canter, Flim Flam took the wrong lead and had to add a flying change; but even more uncharacteristic were the bobbles in the ones. "I have to say we're having flying change issues," said Blinks good-naturedly. "We have to clear that up before next weekend." She said she did not know what the problem stemmed from, but that she planned on fixing it before next Sunday's Freestyle where she performs a long steady stream of ones - Flim Flam's specialty. "I plan to do them and get them!" said Blinks.

The judges did not award any 10s in the Special, but Valentin said she awarded two scores of 9; the first one went to Betsy Steiner on Rainier for the first halt, salute and out; Knipp said he also awarded his sole 9 for this same instance. Valentin awarded only one other 9, and that was to Seidel for the extension and transition to passage, which she described as "so soft and smooth - beautiful."

Judge Knipp said, "Fifty percent of the whole test is extensions. The riders should work more on these transitions." If they are supple in the transitions, they will have better scores, according to Knipp.