After a Danish victory in the Grand Prix on Saturday Beatriz Ferrer-Salat and Sir Radjah won the CDI4* Grand Prix Freestyle with a score of 76.325 on the final day of Madrid Horse Week 2016. Organizers as well as riders are looking back to two successful days of international Dressage with full stands, enthusiastic spectators and a competition that shows high potential for future development of Dressage competition in the capital of Spain.
Olympic as well as World and European Championship medalist Beatriz Ferrer-Salat, who came to Madrid with her 11-year-old gelding “Sir Radjah”, described MHW as “a wonderful show where organizers take very good care of the athletes”. During the Grand Prix on Saturday “Sir Radjah” was “amazing in the warm-up” but “a little hot” in the arena. However, on Sunday he showed all his quality again when the combination performed their Grand Prix Freestyle. Regarding the facilities, the IFEMA venue “Feria de Madrid” offers, Beatriz stated: “The footing is really good, stabling is good and I like it very much!” She is supporting dressage during MHW since the first edition in 2012 and describes the sport as “growing very much” in Spain. “A lot of young people are riding and many more people are riding Grand Prix already so it is going in a very very nice way”. In December, Beatriz will finish her 2016 season in Geneva/Switzerland.
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Photo: Oxer Sport
After starting with an exhibition in the first year, the competition in Madrid has grown to a CDI4* with international riders from all over Europe. Isabelle Steidle from Germany already competed successfully at international dressage events as the CDIs in Munich and Stuttgart/Germany, Nice/France, Achleiten/Austria, Lipica/Slovenia and Doha/Qatar. The mother of a one-year-old daughter, who celebrated her first birthday during MHW 2016, competed in Spain for the third time. In June 2015 as well as October 2016 Isabelle already competed successfully with her 15 year-old Gelding “Long Drink” at the Balearic Island “Mallorca”. The combination finished the CDI4* Grand Prix Freestyle of Madrid with a score of 74.200 in third position, behind Rikke Svane from Denmark (75.575). Isabell describes MHW 2016 as “a very nice experience with a great organization, good conditions for horse and ride, sufficient time for the Dressage riders and a very welcoming feeling” she enjoyed during the event.
The dressage organizers are closing-up MHW 2016 with 2,300 spectators on the final day and plan an upgrade to a CDI5* for the 5th edition of the event in November 2017, including a Grand Prix and a Grand Prix Freestyle.
Click here for full results from the Madrid Horse Week Kur!
