Upon request of the Aachen organisation, Van Grunsven competed her 10-year-old black stallion Painted Black in the CDI Grand Prix Kur to Music instead of the Grand Prix Special and this decision brought her good fortune.
Anky and Painted Black did piaffe and passage to tango music and danced his way to the top in the Philips Prize at the CHIO Aachen 2007.
"This is Painted Black's first freestyle victory and I am thrilled. He was a bit nervous, but in spite of that everything went very well. I have had the music for some time, he hasn't got his own music yet. But I think we will have to choose something for him now," the 39-year-old Freestyle World Champion of the FEI World Equestrian Games Aachen 2006 said happily. She was awarded a score of 77.85 percent.
Painted Black's forefathers are also successful in the dressage sport at international level: His sire Gribaldi became the Dutch Vice Champion in 2006 with Edward Gal, his maternal sire, Ferro, was a member of the Dutch silver medallist team at the Olympic Games in Sydney (2000) with his rider Coby van Baalen.
Painted Black already caught attention as a young horse, placing second at the World Championships for Young Dressage Horses as a six-year-old.
Second place went to Hubertus Schmidt with the 13-year-old Don Primero x Raimondo son, Dow Jones. The pair that rode to a medley by Udo Jürgens scored 74.25 percent.
"Dow Jones was a little overwhelmed by the atmosphere at the start. He was rather reserved, but once he settled down, he showed some very good elements," the team World Champion of Aachen 2006 explained.
The British rider, Laura Bechtolsheimer, was placed third with her 16-year-old Donnerhall son. The 22-year-old received 71 percent for her performance.
Fourth place went to the American rider, Catherine Haddad and her Danish gelding Maximus JSS with a score of 68.95 percent. The dressage rider lives in Vechta, Germany.
Klaus Husenbeth, who had saddled his 15-year-old Prince Thatch xx son, Piccolino, finished fifth with 68.2 percent. The pair were members of the victorious German European Championship team twice and were also members of the gold medallist team at the World Equestrian Games in Jerez in 2002.
Photos copyrighted: Barbara Schnell
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