March 6, Loxahatchee, Fla.
Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven hardly knew what to say after sweeping all four Grand Prix CDI classes over the course of the weekend at the Palm Beach Dressage Derby.
“It feels almost a little bit ridiculous. I’m so happy with my horses. I’m so honored to have such nice horses to ride, and I just want to do right by them,” said the five-time Olympian from Sweden.
She started the day with a blue in the Grand Prix Special aboard her 9-year-old Hanoverian Don Auriello (71.83%) over Anna Whitfield Watkins on Oublette (64.77%) and Chris Hickey on Douglas Hilltop (63.35%).
“I was super happy with Don Auriello,” said Vilhelmson-Silfven. “I had stupid mistakes with things that weren’t that important—they weren’t technical mistakes. I missed two single changes. I take that on me because I was so concentrated on all the difficult stuff. I probably rode badly in those points. I’m happy because he made no mistakes, and he was really relaxed, but he had more power today than yesterday, and still he didn’t get tense.”
She finished first in the freestyle aboard Favourit, her partner for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games on 75.10 percent ahead of Elisabeth Austin on Olivier (70.15%) and Shawna Harding on Come On III (69.25%).
“I had a better feeling with Favourit yesterday, but that was the best ride I had ever [in the Grand Prix],” said Vilhelmson-Silfven. “Maybe he was good enough today, but I had such a super feeling yesterday that you always search for the same again.”
Favourit performed to a medley of music from the Eurythmics, and the only place he had trouble came in the two-tempis—he only wanted to do ones. “I’ve never had that before [in the twos],” said Vilhelmson-Silfven. “He’s really easy with them. I guess he was as surprised as I was, so he got really confused. That’s just a thing that can happen. I didn’t do them outside before, because I never miss them, so that must be my mistake too. It’s always my mistake. He felt so good. It doesn’t matter. I just have to train them now so he doesn’t do it next week again [at the World Dressage Masters.]”
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The 12-year-old Rhinelander gelding (Fidermark—Wapita, Worldchamp) is actually afraid of music and noises in general, so the freestyle has been particularly difficult for him. “He was really sensitive to music, so I’ve been careful. I’ve been trying to have a low profile to get him used to it, but he doesn’t react anymore. He’s kind of learned it. I don’t think I need to be afraid of that anymore,” said Vilhelmson-Silfven.
It’s All Canada In The Intermediaire I Freestyle
In the Intermediaire I freestyle, two Canadians led the charge with Crystal Kroetch and Lymrix (71.35%) taking the win over David Marcus on Don Kontes (70.90%).
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Kroetch, who has a farm in Calgary, Alta., usually goes to California for the winter, but she came to Florida for the first time last season and enjoyed the experience.
“I really like Wellington, as there are so many shows in a short period of time in the same area. In California, there’s more driving involved, although their shows are great too,” she said. “Last year I trained with Robert Dover. That was fabulous. He was the Canadian team coach, and he’s helped me out here as well, so it’s been really good.”
Lymrix, a U.S.-bred 10-year-old Hanoverian gelding (Loerke—EM Felicitous, ES Wertherson), is in his second year of the small tour, and Kroetch is aiming him at Grand Prix.
“I had a few mistakes in my Prix St. Georges, which of course you never want. Those were actually pilot errors. That wasn’t his fault,” she said. “I was pretty happy with my I1 yesterday as well, and then of course today was great. You never know when you start riding that freestyle, especially since I haven’t ridden it before. I’ve declared [for the Pan Ams]. We’ll just see.”
For full results, visit the Palm Beach Dressage Derby website.
Read about the first day of CDI-W competition.
