MUNICH, Germany, May 15–Overcoming his first day show nerves, Potomac 4 was ridden by Susanne Lebek to win the €30,000 (US$37,000) Exquis World Dressage Masters Grand Prix Special on Saturday, the first time the German has competed in the globe’s richest lineup of dressage shows.

Susanne and the 15-year-old stallion put in an inspired ride to score 75.542 per cent and first place prize money of €8,250 (US$10,200) with Christoph Koschel on Donnperignon second on 72.792 per cent and €6,050 (US$7,480) and Italy’s Valentina Truppa on Eremo del Castegno third with 72.187 per cent and €3,840 (US$4,745).

The 41-year-old rider said she had a lot of fun competing in the WDM, finishing fourth in the Grand Prix on Friday behind the top two Dutch combinations of Edward Gal and Moorlands Totilas and Adelinde Cornelissen and Jerich Parzival and the number one German, Isabell Werth.

“But I am mainly doing my own thing,” said the self-effacing rider who makes light of making the German team at the 2009 European Championships–“it was just because so many of our horses had to drop out; it is difficult for us to be on the team.”

Consequently, she said that making the German team for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky this year “is not a priority.”

The €60,000 (US$74,150) Grand Prix Musical Freestyle will be held Sunday with Edward and Totilas the hot favorites, and a victory would clinch the €25,000 (US$30,900) Nürnburger Versicherungsgruppe WDM Rider Rankings.

The rider award was launched after the inaugural Exquis WDM in Munich in 2009, and includes scores from the other venues, Cannes, France; Hickstead, England, and Palm Beach, Florida.

Clipmyhorse.de will provide live coverage over the Internet of all competitions while Sport 1 will broadcast a highlight program 11:45-12:45 on Saturday, May 22.
NÜRNBERGER Versicherungsgruppe
WDM Rider Rankings
(Prior to Final at Munich)

Rank Rider Nation No. Events Points

1. Anky van Grunsven NED 2 1530
2. Ashley Holzer CAN 2 1380
3. Edward Gal NED 1 1020
4. Leslie Morse USA 2 990
5. Marc Boblet FRA 2 945
6. Anja Plönzke GER 2 932
7. Adelinde Cornelissen NED 1 870
8. Catherine Haddad USA 2 855
9. Daniel Pinto POR 2 855
10. Laura Bechtolsheimer GBR 1 855
11. Imke Schellekens-Bartels NED 1 780
12. Steffen Peters USA 1 765
13. Isabell Werth GER 1 660
14. Hans Peter Minderhoud NED 1 615
15. Kyra Kyrklund FIN 1 615
16. Nathalie zu Sayn Wittgenstein DEN 1 585
17. Fiona Bigwood GBR 1 570
18. Jordi Domingo ESP 1 558
19. Jeroen Devroe BEL 1 540
20. Anders Dahl DEN 1 510
21. Maria Eilberg GBR 1 495
Rank Rider Nation Events Points
22. Christa Laarakkers NED 1 495
23. Michal Rapcewicz POL 1 470
24. Mikala Murster Gundersen NED 1 465
25. Stefan van Ingelgern BEL 1 450
26. Judy Harvey (Qualifier) GBR 1 435
27. Tina Konyot USA 1 435
28. Pierre Saint Jacques USA 1 420
29. Belinda Trussel CAN 1 420
30. Anne van Uylert NED 1 420
31. Evi Strasser CAN 1 405
32. Elisabeth Austin USA 1 405
33. Sarah Jane Elmslie (Qualifier) GBR 1 405
34. Jane Gregory GBR 1 390
35. Constance Menard ISR 1 375
36. Dane Rawlins GBR 1 375
37. Michael Barisone USA 1 375
38. Marc Peter Spahn BEL 1 360
39. Remy Issartel FRA 1 360
40. Aat van Essen NED 1 360
41. Ulla Salzgeber GER 1 285
42. Diane Creech CAN 1 285
Note: In the case of tied points, the best individual result in Grand Prix will be decisive.
Rules can be found on www.worlddressagemasters.com. The finale in Munich will carry double ranking points.

Complete information on the Exquis World Dressage Masters is available on the updated Internet site, www.worlddressagemasters.com.
The 2010 WDM series began in Palm Beach on Feb. 4-6 where The Netherlands’ Anky van Grunsven and Salinero won the Grand Prix Freestyle, USA’s Leslie Morse and Tip Top won the Grand Prix Special and the USA’s Steffen Peters and Ravel won the Grand Prix.
The schedule for the remainder of 2010 is:

* May 13-16 – Munich, Germany;
* June 10-13 – Cannes, France, and
* July 8-11 – Falsterbo, Sweden
* July 29-Aug. 1 – Hickstead, England.