Rinaldo de Craen/decraen.com (Larry Poulin is competing in his final World Championships in Hungary.)
Mieke van Tergouw, the 1995 World Champion lady driver from The Netherlands, won the dressage, ahead of Switzerland’s Beat Schenk and Sebastian Warneck from Germany. The Netherlands are in the lead of the nations’ standings, followed by Hungary, Germany and the U.S.
Singer, Keady Cadwell and individual competitor Miranda Cadwell drove their dressage tests on Thursday, and it was Larry Poulin’s turn on Friday.
The best Team and Individual result was put down by Larry Poulin who drove Natasha Grigg’s 10-year-old Hanoverian gelding, Wiley, and the 11-year-old Oldenburg gelding, Rivage. Poulin, who will retire after this World Championship, put down a score of 46.08 penalty points and is in sixth position after dressage.
“It was probably one of my best dressage results with this pair,” said Poulin. “I have been competing with Wiley and Rivage as a dressage pair for only one-and-a-half years, so I am very pleased with their performance.”
Singer drove a conservative test with Anne Thorington’s Morgan geldings, Count on Me and LR Ami Bengali: “I am happy with my test. The horses did everything I asked for,” she said. “They went very well in the warm up arena, but they lost some of their braveness when they entered the big arena. But, they came back during the test,” Singer continued, who is competing in her eighth World Championship.
Keady Cadwell drove an impressive test with her pair of young Dutch Warmblood geldings, which took her to the 11th place in the Individual dressage standings. Her personal trainer, Boyd Exell from Australia, was very pleased with her test.
“It was one of her best tests this year, and I am happy with the softness and obedience they showed,” said Exell. “The extensions were impressive and certainly contributed to her good score.”
Keady has been driving this pair for two years and since they are only six and eight years old, they will have a promising future ahead of them.
Miranda has only competed with her pair of Dutch Warmblood geldings in Windsor, Saumur and Riesenbeck this season, but she drove a nice test which was awarded with 56.70 points.
“I am a little disappointed with Miranda’s points, but other than that, I am very happy with her performance,” stated Exell.
Chef d’equipe Ed Young was a happy man after the dressage had finished.
“I am very proud to be so close to the German team,” said Young. “I have great respect for them. It would have been nice if we had been on the third place, but this gives our team a great motivation to go for it in tomorrow’s marathon. All four U.S. drivers are ready for the marathon. It is a type of marathon that suits them all and they are very comfortable with it.”
Since the teams have been staying in Hungary last week as well, the horses are all used to the heat and have acclimatized properly. “The horses are good with the heat, at home it is even warmer, so I do not expect any problems tomorrow,” explained Young.
The competition wraps up with the marathon phase on Saturday, followed by the obstacles driving test on Sunday.
Cindy Timmer
ENDS