Totilas smashes world record

26
Jul
2009

Totilas was unbeatable at Hickstead

Today in the World Dressage Masters series Edward Gal and Moorlands Totilas broke the world freestyle to music record - previoulsy held by Anky van Grunsven and Salinero on 87.93% - with a huge score of 89.40%. The arena was silent as the combination entered, and the drizzle did nothing to dampen the exitement of seeing the black stallion's debut Kur performance outside his native Holland.

As the pair completed their test the Hickstead crowd whooped and gave the performance a standing ovation. Despite his star appeal, the stallion, who is by the Grand Prix dressage sire Gribaldi and out of a Glendale mare, is not available for stud duties. The owners are reported to have turned down multi million pound offers for him.

Edward and Totilas beat their nearest rivals, Adelinde Cornelissen and Parzival, by 7.2%, and gained an artistic mark of 96% from Danish judge Karin Kruger. Laura Bechtolsheimer rode a crisp and powerful test on Mistral Hojris to take third place on a score of 81.80%.

In the Special, Leslie Morse of the USA and the imposing stallion Tip Top headed the field on 71.83% despite going wrong in the test and beginning a line of changes on the diagonal instead of half pass. H&C's blogger Hans Peter Minderhoud took second with Exquis Escapado - the passage work was again strong, but a mistake into the piaffe was very costly.

Richard Davidson improved on his score from yesterday, wining the Future Trophy Grand Prix with Artemis on a score of 72.14%. The test was smooth, with no evidence of the spooks of yesterday.

In the British Young Horse Six Year Old Championship Charlotte Dujardin rode Donald McTaggart's mare Duchess to victory with a score of 83.00%, 8% ahead of her nearest rival.

We will have video highlights of the winning WDM test here before anyone else, so watch this space.