New Irish record for Judy Reynolds and Vancouver K in Grand Prix Special at Aachen in Germany

Ireland’s Judy Reynolds and the Joe & Kathleen Reynolds-owned Vancouver K have set a new Irish international Dressage Grand Prix Special record score of 75.784%, when finishing fifth in today’s (Saturday) competition at Aachen in Germany.

Judy Reynolds and Vancouver K in action in Aachen (Photo: Joe Reynolds)

Anna Merveldt had held the previous Irish Grand Prix Special record score of 74.20% with Bossonova, set in Munich in 1995. Judy Reynolds narrowly missed out on breaking that record when scoring 74.09% in the Grand Prix Special during the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. However today’s score of 75.784% means Reynolds and the 15-year-old gelding Vancouver K, now hold all three Irish international Dressage records in Grand Prix, Grand Prix Freestyle to Music and Grand Prix Special.

A delighted Judy Reynolds said:

“We are really happy. This was by far his [Vancouver K] best Grand Prix Special test up to now. He was really confident and felt very secure in the ring. To finish fifth again here today in this company and ahead of two of the German team riders was really good and you couldn’t pick a better place than Aachen to break an Irish record.”

Today’s competition was won by America’s Laura Graves with Verdades after they scored 81.824%. Germany’s Isabel Werth and Weihegold OLD finished second (81.059), with another German rider, Sönke Rothenberger, finishing third with Cosmo (78.314%). Denmark’s Cathrine Dufour and Atterupgaards Cassidy took fourth place (78.118%) just ahead of Judy Reynolds.

Judy Reynolds and Vancouver K will again be in action at Aachen on Sunday in the final Deutsche Bank Prize Grand Prix.