Dressage – Merveldt Looking Good At European Championships

IRISH dressage rider Anna Merveldt and her 13 year-old gelding ‘Coryolano’ registered a dressage score of 68.426 per cent at the European Championships in Windsor, England this afternoon (Wednesday) and is now certain to go through to Thursday’s Grand Prix Special competition. With a total of 53 of Europe’s best dressage riders competing in the Grand Prix, the 46 year-old Canadian-born rider had to finish in the top 30 today, and ended up with a 24th place. Ireland’s other dressage competitor, Yvette Truesdale with ‘Has To be Fun’, finished the competition in 50th place on a score of 60.894 per cent. If Merveldt performs successfully on Thursday and finishes in the top 15 of the rankings, she will then go through to Saturday’s Freestyle competition and the chance of a top European place.

Mervldt said after her performance today: ““I’d love to ride over 70 per cent in the Grand Prix Special tomorrow. Scoring 68.426 per cent today with issues in two halts, the rein back and the half passes shows what a score Coryolano is capable of. He is such a generous horse and was born to do this job. We’ll be going for it tomorrow to try to qualify for the Grand Prix Kur.”