Sweden’s Sandra Dahlin and Ichi continued great performances in Helsinki and took their second win for the weekend in LähiTapiola Grand Prix Freestyle Dressage Final. For Dahlin, this was only the fourth time competing on the GP level so she was very happy with their result 74.105%.

It feels amazing to win for the second time during this weekend. Our program today was good but I made a couple of mistakes, so if I could ride again I could do it right. This was actually the first time ever I ride this programme in a competition so I’m really happy it went so well. The horse was great and stayed with me the whole time, Dahlin said satisfied after the competition.

Dahlin’s coach, Kyra Kyrklund, was very proud of her performance.

Sandra has done a great job both with her own riding and with Ichi. The horse used to have problems with piaffe and passage so it’s amazing to see her performing them now on this level, Kyrklund commented Dahlin’s performance.

The judges again expressed their appreciation of the pair’s performance.

Today was a big improvement from yesterday and also the horse was better today. Again, I have to mention piaffe and passage, which were really great, Christof Umbach, one of the judges commented.

Sandra Dahlin and Ichi. Photo Satu Pirinen.

Dahlin was followed by Estonian Dina Ellermann on Donna Anna and Charlotte Haid Bondergaard on Roberto Des Frettes so the top three was exactly the same as yesterday.

Dina Ellermann and Donna Anna. Photo Satu Pirinen.

Best home rider, Anna von Wendt on Denzel, placed fourth but was much more satisfied with their freestyle performance.  

“Today we could stay on our level and didn’t do as many mistakes. I was able to keep a better energy and I think our program went really well with the music. The horse was great today and she was with me the whole time. Yesterday I made a few mistakes with changes so I’m happy that today I got them right, I actually made 20 of them”, von Wendt said after the competition.

Also the judges saw the pair’s improvement from yesterday.

“Freestyle is a difficult class, the horse was clearly better today and I liked their performance much better today”, Umbach commented the performance.

LähiTapiola International Grand Prix Freestyle. Dressage. Starts 8, placings 5

1) Sandra Dahlin/Ichi, SWE 74.105 %, 2) Dina Ellermann/Donna Anna, EST 72.200 %, 3) Charlotte Haid Bondergaard/Roberto Des Frettes, SWE 71.565 %, 4) Anna von Wendt/Denzel, FIN 70.390 %, 5) Jeanette Sund/Kaiseradler, DEN 69.090 %, 6) Maria Pyykönen/Zelle, FIN 65.250 %, 7) Susanna Hyypiä/Avemmo, FIN 64.795 %, 8) Getter Kangur/Ashwan, EST 64.650 %