Anky Wins Again

Anky van Grunsven can add another World Cup Dressage Final win to her long list of victories. She has won the event for the ninth time.

Van Grunsven’s mount, IPS Salinero, put in a flawless performance. Riding to music composed by Dutch pianist Wibi Soerjadi, the pair scored 85.20 percent in their final freestyle.

Wrapping up in Holland March 30, the event was an especially sweet win for van Grunsven because she was competing in her own country in front of a very supportive home crowd.

Germany’s Isabell Werth riding Warum Nicht took second place with a score of 82.60 percent, and Finnish rider Kyra Kyrklund took the third spot aboard Max with 78.15 percent.

American rider Janer Hannigan aboard Maksymilian finished 12th in the rankings with 69.45 percent, and fellow American Courtney King and 18-year-old Idocus fell to 17th with a score of 63.40. King made a mistake in the pirouette and consequently received a zero score for that movement, bringing her overall percentage down. Jan Peeters, president of the Ground Jury, commented afterward that he felt the punishment was too harsh for King, and that the scoring system needs review. “We will advise the technical committee to make a rule change as this feels unfair,” he says.