Dressage
Eilberg shines in Gloucestershire

Buy photos » Michael Eilberg on board Torino. (s)

BEOLEY'S leading dressage rider Michael Eilberg continued his season of good form with a strong showing as he rode four horses at the Hartpury Festival of Dressage in Gloucestershire (July 4-8).

The 25-year-old is on the British Equestrian Federation's (BEF) UK Sport-funded World Class Programme which works with talented riders to maximise success.

He won the Intermediate II class on Woodlander Dornroeschen, owned by the Woodlander Stud and Michael's father Ferdi Eilberg, as well as the CDI3* FEI Intermediate I Freestyle riding Torino, again owned by his father.

He also picked up three second placings with his father's horses - Marakov in the FEI Grand Prix 2009 class and Torino in the CDI3* Prix St Georges and the CDI Intermediate I.

The results were completed by two third placings, both riding Half Moon Delphi, owned by Julie and John Deverill. The first was in the CDI Grand Prix which was followed by the CDI Superflex FEI Grand Prix Freestyle, the horse's first ever musical test.

"I'm thrilled with how all four horses performed," said Michael. "It was Rosie's (Woodlander Dornroeschen's stable name) first outing at Inter II level so to win was beyond all my expectations and I now think she could make a great Grand Prix horse.

"Marakov has been very consistent lately and continued that with a solid 70 per cent, while Torino hasn't competed since the start of the year so to pick up a win and two second placings was fantastic.

"Half Moon Delphi also recorded her highest International Grand Prix score of 72 per cent and, given that we were performing our new freestyle test, makes it even more impressive."

The World Class Development Programme underpins World Class Performance and, together with the Equine Pathway, they comprise the Equestrian World Class Programme.

It incorporates the three Olympic sports of dressage, eventing, showjumping and the Paralympic sport of para-equestrian dressage.

The Programme has been funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, through Exchequer and National Lottery funds, via UK Sport since 1998.

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