Helsinki International Horse Show saw another double winner on Saturday morning when the top dressage riders took the stage. Anna Tallberg and Grevens Zorro shone in Dressage Grand Prix Freestyle presented by RTV, delivering a beautiful program that earned them 73,52%.
Anna Tallberg and Grevens Zorro – photo Iita-Maria Ahtiainen
This is the first time in Helsinki for the duo, so Tallberg was naturally very happy with the wins from both classes.
“I’m very happy with today’s test. Of course, it was nice to win yesterday but I wasn’t quite there with the result. Today was more on our level so that’s very nice”.
“Today I could put a bit more pressure on him which then cost in the prize giving ceremony where he kind of went overboard (Tallberg laughs). But I could keep him together in the test so that was very nice”, Tallberg tells about their performance.
Tallberg’s Kür program, rode to the music from Walt Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, was made together with her long-time trainer Mikaela “Fia” Fabricius-Bjerre who passed away earlier in 2023, and she has fond memories of their collaboration.
“Fia trained me for 10 years so she of course has a very big role in my riding career. She also helped me find Zorro and trained us for the first five years. I owe her very much”.
The top three was exactly the same as in the Dressage Grand Prix yesterday with the Swedes Mads Hendeliowitz on Autograf Q and Sofia Möller on Flawless placing second and third.
Mads Hendeliowitz and Autograf Q – photo Aino Tervonen
Hendeliowitz reflected their performances from yesterday and today, finding place for improvement but also things to be satisfied with.
“Yesterday I made some mistakes. He (Autograf) was more relaxed yesterday but I lost the counting at one point. Today I put a bit more pressure on him and we had some challenges in the beginning of the test but then he came back to me. So there was some very nice stuff but some tensions as well”.
“This is Autograf’s first season at Grand Prix level and the first in this atmosphere. I’m really pleased that he is handling everything around him; he’s a really really sensitive horse but with some high qualities. It’s a learning progress”, Hendeliowitz praised his horse.
This year we saw many artistically different programs in the Freestyle and also judges enjoyed the performances.
“For me, the most important thing in the freestyle is that the emotion must come through. Of course choreography and difficulty are important as well, and I think today we saw some really nice things in these freestyles; good music, good rhythm and good piaffe and passage”, foreign judge Dr. Evi Eisenhardt told in an interview.
Paula Nysten, President of the Grand Jury, praised also the horses of the top two riders.
“Anna’s horse was clearly more fresh today, more active, it looked really nice and beautiful. And Mads’ horse showed quality in the last piaffe, was very good on the short side”.
Dressage Grand Prix Freestyle Presented by RTV. Starts 6, placings 5.
1) Anna Tallberg – Grevens Zorro, FIN 73.52 %
2) Mads Hendeliowitz – Autograf Q, SWE 71.92 %
3) Sofia Möller – Flawless, SWE 70.68 %
4) Dina Ellermann – Donna Anna, EST 70.56 %
5) Siiri Kyrö – Kyro Hot Flow, FIN 68.65 %
Complete results: https://www.longinestiming.com/equestrian/2023/helsinki-international-horse-show-helsinki/resultlist_D2.html
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