The CDI 3* and World Cup in Lipica successful for Fleur TSF & Ruling Olivia

After a busy few weeks of international competitions, the weekend is quieter in Europe, partly due to the ongoing national championships: following Vierzon a few days ago, Belgium and the Netherlands are currently crowning their champions. However, in Eastern Europe, the World Cup continues: Olomouc last week, Lipica this week, and Brno and Gosciszow next week.

So it was just a stone's throw from the Italian border and the tourist town of Trieste that the dressage riders met, in the heartland of the Lipizzan horse. On Friday, the CDI 3* Grand Prix went to Austria with a victory for Ulrike Prunthaller and her mare Fleur TSF. Sometimes with her hindquarters too far back in her halts, the 14-year-old bay mare lacked a bit of energy in her piaffes. Besides a contact that could occasionally be improved, she particularly showed a faulty two times changes line. They left the arena with a score of 69.130%, their second-best result to date, and then went on to win the Grand Prix Special in the early afternoon with a score of 70.277%.

A regular at the Slovenian competition in Lipica, which he first participated in in 2015 and where he had been winning over the years with Lights of Londonderry, Zo What and Jolene, Alexandre Ayache had once again chosen this competition to continue his preparation for the World Championships in Aachen with his Ruling mare Olivia and, incidentally, a second World Cup experience for the 2025 French Pro Elite Champion. Very active and expressive on her first extended trot, the daughter of Olivia, bred by Harli Seifert, showed a good halt/ rein back , two small canter pirouettes and an otherwise consistent performance with, despite everything, a joined change in th'e one time changes line ; a test evaluated at 70%, as at the World Cup stage in Lyon, which allowed them to win. Jolene was also on the trip: ridden by the young Australian Jazi French, seen earlier this year in the saddle on Syriana, the former Grand Prix mare of the famous Mary Hannah in Young Riders events: Johnson's daughter allowed the 21-year-old rider to win the Inter II U25.

The Franco-Israeli Constance Ménard also returns to Lipica: she competed in this competition in 2003 with Vanine Avé, Lion and Aladin, in 2005 with Lianca where she won the Grand Prix Spécial and again in 2007. This year she presents Donara des Blancs in the Petit Tour and Friedrich Schiller, the former mount of Charlotte Chalvignac Vesin in the Grand Prix.

Full results HERE