The list of riders nominated to compete in the FEI World Cup dressage qualifier at Olympia Horse Show (16-22 December) has been released and includes 3 of the 4 bronze medal-winning British team riders from this year’s European Championships.
World No.1 Charlotte Dujardin is nominated on both Valegro (pictured) and Uthopia, though H&H columnist Carl Hester has confirmed that Valegro is the more likely starter. Carl will ride Gemma Green’s Florestan stallion Fine Time, with whom he is the current British Dressage national champion.
A total of 9 British riders have made the starting line-up.
Lara Griffith will make her Olympia debut with Laura Tomlinson’s former ride Andretti H. Roland Tong, riding for Ireland, will also make his debut on his Europeans ride Pompidou.
Laura is not competing, but will attend Olympia with Mistral Hojris for an official retirement ceremony.
Emile Faurie partners his new grand prix horse Topolino (by Tip Top), while Michael Eilberg has the choice of either his Europeans ride Half Moon Delphi or Marakov. Judy Harvey, Nikki Crisp and Anna Ross Davies complete the strong British contingent.
Fans of the popular Dutch couple Edward Gal and Hans Peter Minderhoud will be pleased to see that both are set to compete at the popular show, though it is still uncertain which of their massive string of top level horses they will ride. Dutch rising star and Olympia debutante Danielle Heijkoop comes fresh from dual victories at the CDI4* Oldenburg earlier this month on her Gribaldi son Kingsley Siro.
Germany’s sole representative, the multi-talented Ingrid Klimke, will ride the British-owned Dresden Mann. The former breeding stallion, now gelded, is only nine.
British-based Dane Anders Dahl partners his wife Fiona Bigwood’s Wie Weltmeyer gelding Wie Atlantico, while his compatriot Nathalie zu Sayn-Wittgenstein will ride the charismatic and high-scoring Donnerhall gelding, Digby.
The grand prix takes place at 3pm on Monday, 16 December with the freestyle to music the following evening. H&H will be offering free, live, interactive written commentary from the show.
Definite entries will be announced on 6 December.
The nominated entries are:
AUS BERESFORD, Hayley — Jaybee Alabaster
AUS OATLEY, Lyndal — Sandro Boy
BEL MISSIAEN, Simon — Vradin
DEN DAHL, Anders — Wie Atlantico de Ymas
DEN SAYN-WITTGENSTEIN, Nathalie zu — Digby
GBR CRISP, Nikki — Pasoa
GBR DU JARDIN, Charlotte — Uthopia or Valegro
GBR EILBERG, Michael — Half Moon Delphi or Marakov
GBR FAURIE, Emile — Topolino
GBR GRIFFITH, Lara — Andretti H
GBR HARVEY, Judith — Fitzcerraldo
GBR HESTER, Carl — Fine Time
GBR ROSS DAVIES, Anna — Pegasus MK
GBR WATSON, Daniel — Fideramber
GER KLIMKE, Ingrid — Dresden Mann
IRL DWYER, Kate — Reve Dor
IRL TONG, Roland — Pompidou
NED ESSEN, Aat van — Macrider Premier or Sebastian
NED GAL, Edward — Glock’s Undercover or Glock’s Voice or Interfloor Next One
NED GEVERS, Katja — Thriller
NED HEIJKOOP, Danielle — Kingsley Siro
NED HEUITINK, Joyce — Wup
NED MINDERHOUD, Hans Peter — Glock’s Romanov or Glock’s Tango or Glock’s Ziesto
SWE HAMILTON, Malin — Fleetwood
SWE TELDE, Minna — Santana
