Merveldt gets first qualifying score

ON just their second international big tour outing as a combination, Ireland’s Anna Merveldt and the 10-year-old Lusitano gelding Esporim, owned by Giovanna Mazza, scored 68.913% in the Grand Prix class at Mannheim CDI4* in Germany last Friday to achieve the first of two qualifying scores required for the 2019 FEI European Dressage Championships in Rotterdam. The combination finished 18th of the 29 starters, while victory went to German dressage power house Isabell Werth and Don Johnson FRH (74.870%).