![Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven and Don Auriello (SusanJStickle.com)](/images/articles/4008/tinnevilhelmsensilfvendonauriello3fdc5445copyrightsusanjsticklecom_ 600.jpg)
Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven and Don Auriello (SusanJStickle.com)
Judges for Thursday's CDI class were Sandy Hotz (USA) at E, at H was Jennie Lorison-Clarke (GBR), at C was Jean-Michel Roudier (FRA), at M was Jacques Van Daele (BEL), and at B was Victoire Mandl (AUT).
Watch an interview with Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven
Despite inclement weather and an hour-long delay, Vilhelmson-Silfven and Don Auriello rode a strong test fpr first place. The 11-year-old bay Hanoverian gelding by Don Davidoff x White Star and his rider received a score of 75.511%. Taking second place was Heather Blitz (USA) with her and Robert McKean's Paragon (Don Schufro x Loran). Blitz and the 10-year-old chestnut Danish Warmblood gelding received a 71.128% from the judges. Vilhelmson-Silfven also received third place honors riding Divertimento (Di Versace x Ferragamo) owned by Antonia Ax:son Johnson. With a score of 70.574%, the 11-year-old bay Westfalen gelding and Vilhelmson-Silfven secured the yellow ribbon.
It rained heavily as Vilhelmson-Silfven began her test with Don Auriello. Reflecting on the circumstance, Vilhelmson-Silfven was very impressed with the way he handled the situation. "I have ridden him in the rain before and I'm extremely impressed with how he coped today. I lost a bit of focus; it's almost better if it is already raining as you begin the test. The mistakes that were made were my fault completely. Overall, I was super happy," she stated.
![Heather Blitz and Paragon (SusanJStickle.com)](/images/articles/4009/heatherblitz_fdc4833copyrightsusanjsticklecom_ 600.jpg)
Heather Blitz and Paragon (SusanJStickle.com)
With Friday's Freestyle, each rider has a different plan. Vilhelmson-Silfven will ride Divertimento, who she believed was relaxed Thursday, with a brand-new routine. She plans to ride Don Auriello in the FEI Grand Prix Special on Saturday. "I'm excited to do that class as I don't get to do that test often enough. I've been riding in the World Cups since the Olympics. So I'm excited about getting to showcase another test with him," she said.
Blitz plans to ride Paragon Friday night, with it being the fifth time she has done her freestyle routine and she is "going to attempt to nail it." She added, "I hope to have the same precision of the test with the music as I have had in the past. I want to have more power in piaffes and more precision in the pirouettes. The more electrifying the atmosphere, the better he is. Because he's still green, if he gets too electric he doesn't know what to do with it, so I'm looking forward to seeing how he goes tomorrow night."
In the Open division of Thursday's Prix St. Georges-Open class, first went to George Williams (USA) riding Elizabeth Juliano's Riccidoff (by Riccione) with a score of 65.000% and second went to Ryan R. Yap (USA) riding Elizabeth Cronin's Shadou (by Salamander) with a score of 62.895%.
In the Prix St. Georges-AA class, first went to Sylvia Gugler (AUT) riding Dietmar Gugler Reitsportzentrum GmbH & Co.KG's Heinzi 9 (Harvard x Donatelli) with a score of 62.105% and second went to Megan Glynn (CAN) riding her own mount Everybody's Darling (Dimension x Rubinstein I) with a score of 61.974%.
Winning the USEF Third Level with a score of 70.000% was Ilse Schwarz (AUS) riding Gaye Scarpa's Don Joseph (Don Kennedy).
Friday the show continues with the $3,000 FEI Prix St. Georges sponsored by Havensafe Farm starting at 8:30 am and the always exciting $20,000 FEI Grand Prix Freestyle as the feature event of the week under the lights at 7 pm.