Severo Jesus Jurado Lopez and Lorenzo. Photo by Annette Boe Ostergaard/FEI. Odense, Denmark – Oct. 23, 2016 – Spain’s Severo Jesus Jurado Lopez and the 10-year-old gelding Lorenzo were convincing winners of the first leg of the FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2016/2017 Western European League at Odense in Denmark. Throwing down a score of 82.06 percent they pinned Sweden’s seven-time Olympian Tinne Vilhelmson Silfven into runner-up spot with Paridon Magi, while another of the strong Swedish contingent, Rose Mathisen, steered Zuidenwind into third.
“Lorenzo is coming back after his holidays”, explained the 28-year-old Spaniard who made a huge impact when finishing fifth at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games with the horse who only competed in his first international Grand Prix last February.
“At the moment he may not be as sharp as he was earlier in the season but he is coming along nicely,” Lopez continued. “He coped very well with the atmosphere and he enjoyed the applause of the crowd!”
Lopez is based in northern Denmark and works as a trainer at Helgstrand Dressage. He also won Saturday’s Grand Prix test, which earned him maximum qualifying points towards Final in Omaha, Nebraska in March 2017. Mathisen was runner-up in the Grand Prix.
As Lorenzo made his World Cup debut, he turned on the showmanship that set the spectators alight. “I think a freestyle somehow should reflect the personality of the rider, and I very much like guitar music so Santana was an easy choice for me.”
He took the lead with just four left to go, and Mathisen placed behind him when she followed him into the ring to post 76.705 percent with her 12-year-old stallion.
“This was not only Zuidenwind’s first World Cup but also his first international indoor Grand Prix so I am very happy with him” said Mathisen, who originated from Norway but now competes under the Swedish flag.
However she was immediately overtaken by 49-year-old Vilhelmson Silfven who was delighted when she earned a score of 79.555 percent with Paridon Magi.
“He was really super and got his best score ever today. I was a tiny bit behind the music but caught up” she said.
The FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2016/2017 Final will take place in Omaha, Nebraska (USA) next March and the second leg of the Western European League qualifying series will take place next week, in Lyon, France.
CDI-W Odense Grand Prix Freestyle Results
Rider/Horse/Country/Total Score
1. Severo Jesus Jurado Lopez/Lorenzo/ESP/82.06
2. Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven/Parigon Magi/SWE/79.555
3. Rose Mathisen/Zuidenwind/SWE/76.705
4. Kristy Oakley/Du Soleil/AUS/76.705
5. Mads Hendeliowitz/Jimmie Choo Seq/SWE/75.74
6. Marjan van Brunkhorst/Radetzky/NED/74.375
7. Hendrik Lockthowe/Meggle’s Boston/GER/73.505
8. Mai Tofte Olesen/Rustique/DEN/73.365