Rachel Dowley

FOR the first time since 2002, Ireland will be represented by a dressage team at the World Equestrian Games and this will also be the first ever four-man squad.

Anna Merveldt and Judy Reynolds both head to Caen with previous World Equestrian Games experience, Reynolds having taken the now-retired Remember to the most recent games in Kentucky. Merveldt first took part in a World Equestrian Games in Vejer de la Frontera in 2002, and later participated at Aachen in 2006. Her most recent appearance at a major championships was London 2012. However, her most notable international achievement was at the Barcelona Olympics, where, with Rapallo, she became the first Irish rider to qualify for the individual final and finished 11th overall.

The pair are joined by James Connor with Casino Royal and reigning National Champion, Roland Tong, with Pompidou. The reserve combination is Dane Rawlins and Sydney.

Like Merveldt, Connor is also based in Italy, and has enjoyed successful international appearances there in recent years. His mount Casino Royal- with the very original stable name of Bond - is new to the level, having only made his international Grand Prix debut in February of this year. He has notched up some impressive results which reflect this horse’s potential however, including two top 10 finishes in the Grand Prix Special at CDI*** level.

After declaring for Ireland last year, Roland Tong quickly moved into the elite group of Irish riders to have won at the highest level. At the CDI Compiegne, he won the Kur on board his WEG-bound partner Pompidou, and went to represent Ireland with a polished performance at the last year’s European Championships in Hernig.

Tong started his campaign this year in Barcelona, earning good scores over the two weeks and finishing in the top 10 in the three-star Kur. Since then he has had a relatively quiet international season with the focus being firmly kept on WEG preparation, and this is already reaping rewards with three top 10 finishes at Windsor and Hartpury.

Merveldt and Reynolds have both shown some good form in the run-in to these championships, with the former winning the Grand Prix Special at the CDI Nice last weekend with her WEG-bound ride Vancouver.

This horse is a new ride for Merveldt, as she only made her competitive debut with him in June of this year, but as trainer to his previous rider she has quickly established a rapport with him. In a such a short space of time they have already achieved notable results, including a ninth at the CDI**** Fritzens, and 14th at CDI**** Perl.

Meanwhile, at Cappeln CDI**** recently, Judy Reynolds took fourth in both the Grand Prix and the Kur with Vancouver K, finishing on an impressive 72.575% in the latter.

This result consolidates the form she has shown all year, as the German-based rider has earned no less than five top 10 finishes at international level with this horse.

Recently-appointed chef d’equipe for the Irish dressage team at WEG, Amanda Renouard, says her squad is “a blend of young Grand Prix horses and those with senior championship experience.”

She continued: “Our preparation has involved continual training and competition exposure, and WEG will be a steep learning curve and a superb stepping stone from which to develop and hone this talent for the future.”

DOMINANT FORCE

German riders proved once again that they are the dominant force in dressage at the 2014 CDIO***** at Aachen, ahead of next week’s World Equestrian Games.

Spearheaded by Matthias Alexander Rath and the famous black stallion Totilas, who were making a welcome return to five-star level after a two year absence, the team was unbeatable in the Nations Cup competition.

Originally it seemed that they would be the only team contesting WEG with all four members inside the top 10 in the FEI World Dressage Rankings, with Helen Langehanenberg leading the charge as world number two. Isabelle Werth and her nine-year-old Belissimo M mare Bella Rose are new entries to the ranking list in seventh, while Kristina Sprehe and her experienced stallion Desperados lie eighth ahead of the championships.

However, at the German training camp in Gestut Peterhof this week, Totilas incurred a small injury to an existing splint and has been withdrawn from the championships. Their place on the team will now be taken by Fabienne Lukemeier and D’Agostino, and despite the relative youth of this combination, they already have extensive international experience and competed at last year’s European championships.

A below-par performance from the Dutch team at Aachen saw them finish second, almost 20% behind their German rivals, and the team was dealt a huge blow earlier this week when Edward Gal’s Glock’s Undercover and Danielle Heijkoop’s Kingsley Siro NOP were withdrawn at the final vet check. Edward Gal will now ride Glock’s Voice and Diederik van Silfhout will replace Heijkoop with Arlando NH NOP. Adelinde Cornelisson and her veteran campaigner Parzival, and Hans Peter Mindehoud with Johnson complete the team. Reigning Olympic, European and World Cup champion Charlotte Dujardin will be joined on the British team by her mentor Carl Hester, riding the relatively inexperienced Nip Tuck, as well as by Micheal Eilberg with Half Moon Delphi and Gareth Hughes with DV Stenkjers Nadonna.

Hester enjoyed success at the WEG test event in the D’Ornano Stadium, and speaking after the announcement of the team, he said: “I know that if we can all post our best scores on the day we’re in with a great shot of a medal.”

Denmark, Sweden and America are also looking strong. Danish team captain Kimi Nielson said his squad was aiming for a top five finish. Nathalie zu Sayn Wittgenstein is back on this team with Digby, back from his 2013-announced retirement, and Anna Kraspazak is likely to finish near the top of the field with Donnerpignon.

Swedish rider Tinne Vilhelmson has had a string of good results with Don Auriello and she is joined on the team by Patrick Kittel with the very experienced Scandic, as well as Minna Telde with Santana and and Jeanna Hogberg with Darcia.

American shooting star Laura Graves posted some excellent 70%+ scores at Aachen and looks to be consolidating the form that allowed her finish second to team mate Steffen Peters at the American National Championships. Tina Konyot and Adrienne Lyle complete this team.