Anna Merveldt wins 3* Grand Prix class in Ornago

Anna Merveldt’s good run of international form continued with a Grand Prix Kür (Freestyle to Music) win at three-star show in Ornago, Italy on Sunday.

Anna and the 13-year-old Lusitano stallion Esporim, owned by Mario Greco and Giovanna Mazza, scored 73.550% for first place, the best of four competitors in the class.  Merveldt and Esporim placed second in the Grand Prix class on Friday scoring 66.457%.

The victorious Italian-based Merveldt said: “I am delighted with the win.  Unfortunately, Esporim’s stabling arrangements meant he was somewhat distracted by a mare in season earlier in the show!

“But he calmed down today, started to focus and was really listening to me.  The choreography of my new freestyle to music floor plan includes the sequencing of advanced dressage movements at a high degree of technical difficulty.

Anna Merveldt has been in terrific form and was victorious on Esporim in Ornago, Itlay

“I am really pleased that FEI level 4/five-star judge Leif Toernblad from Denmark (president of the international ground jury at C) awarded me a score of 75.250%, this is very encouraging as we look forward to the rest of the season. I head home to Ireland for a family wedding and then it is straight back to Italy and I plan to compete Esporim at the four-star show in Wiesbaden, Germany at the end of the month.”

At the three-star international show in Hickstead, Great Britain, Ireland’s Carolyn Mellor placed eighth in the Grand Prix Kür (Freestyle to Music) with twelve-year-old KWPN gelding VSH Gouverneur M on a 68.745% total.

County Offaly native Maeve Deverell scored 68.449% with Annaharvey Dunowen for third place in FEI children on horses individual competition. Irish pony rider Lilly Larkin and Blokland’s Hoeve’s Amor scored 67.883% for fifth place in the FEI pony individual class.

There were two junior Irish international riders competing in Hickstead. Ellen McDonald and Donna Karen Jdj placed seventh in the FEI junior team test class on 63.889%. Cillian Curran placed equal seventh, scoring 66.471% with Dancing Espri, in the FEI junior individual test class.