The Grand Prix Special was ahead for the dressage riders at Markopoulo Equestrian Center today, and an early morning start saw them performing in the Second Qualifier. Twenty-five riders and their mounts posted scores leading into Wednesday’s final day of dressage and the Final Grand Prix Freestyle. And at the end of Wednesday, we will know who will be awarded the 2004 Athens Olympics Individual medals. The U.S. team is coming off their successful bid for a Team medal. They took home the Bronze during this past Saturday’s medal ceremony.

Guenter Seidel from Del Mar, CA, and his Bavarian gelding Aragon were first up for the U.S. team, posting a score of 71.040% today. He went into today’s competition after posting a score of 69.500% in his first round, giving him a Grand Prix and Special combined placing of 70.270% for an overall 14th place, making their way into the Freestyle and last day of competition at Markopoulo. A country can send up to three riders into the Freestyle.

Seidel felt good about his test, especially the beginning. “He halted nice,” he laughed, and added, “I made the first extension a little conservative, but once he was in that he got better and better. The piaffes felt good – very good actually.”

In the canter, Aragon got tighter in the back – perhaps a reaction to the noisy, wind-blow flags atop the stadium seating. The first pirouette after the extension seemed a bit difficult for the pair. “The second pirouette was quite good,” he said. “The transition was a little sticky…overall I thought it was good test.” A bit of a concern over Aragon’s rather swishy tail, which the wind did not help, was also of mention by Seidel. But a more relaxed horse, as opposed to the day of the team competition, was a big benefit this morning – as was evidenced by their score for the Special.

Noticeably absent from Saturday’s Team medal ceremony, Seidel explained that he made the choice not to present the horse because he didn’t want to take the chance of a spirited Aragon “acting up” and making a disturbance.

New Jersey’s Robert Dover and the Baden-Wurttemberg gelding FBW Kennedy were the next to take on the Special, and they put in a very pleasing score of 74.040%. Added to their marks from Saturday’s Grand Prix (71.625%), they now stand on an average of 72.833%. Sixth place going into the Freestyle was their reward for their work.

First out of Dover’s mouth after his ride was a smile and a single comment, “It was fun to ride!” With only about 10 minutes of warm-up work, he couldn’t stress enough the confidence he has found in Kennedy. “He’s that wonderful of an animal. Many of these riders have been partners with these horses for many years,” he said. “[With Kennedy] Every time it has been a little new, but I just loved it.”

Except for a bit of an over-collection on the second pirouette, causing a slight loss of balance, Dover could not have been happier, or more enthused, after the ride. Without the small problem, he felt secure in saying he could have had a mark of 75.000%. But without regret, he said, “I’m very, very happy…. By the time I finished at ‘G,’ I was so happy with my performance. It would not have mattered what they [the judges] did.”

The missing magic from Saturday’s score of 71.625% according to Dover was that today he trusted the horse and rode Kennedy more to the relaxed feeling that he gives when you let him. “The other day [Saturday], I wanted a team score…I wanted to help. I think I over warmed-up for what he needed. I needed to let him come to this arena and pick up. Instead, I was worried he might be too up because he is a ‘hot’ horse, and I rode him just a little too long before the entrance.”

A wide smile on the face of U.S. chef d’equipe Jessica Ransehousen said it all. It was a wonderful ride and an all-around pleasing outing for the