World number one Moorlands Totilas continued his unbeatable form at the Munich, Germany (16 May) leg of the Exquis Dressage World Masters.
Crowds of 6000 crammed into the stadium to witness Edward Gal’s 88.45% grand prix freestyle win on Moorland Stables and Moorland Investments black stallion.
Edward picked up the inaugural €25,000 riders award in the process, based on his results at Cannes, Hickstead, Palm Beach and Munich.
Only six horse and rider combinations contested this the “richest competition in dressage” — the prize fund is €100,000 at each of the five shows in the league.
World Dressage Masters CEO Anthony Kies was unconcerned by the lack of entries, explaining that the goal of the competition was to get quality not quantity.
Edward Gal said: “To get so much money for six minutes of riding is amazing.”
Totilas was “a little excited” in his test, Edward said, due to the proximity of the large crowd.
“So many people love the horse and want to see him perform,” said Edward, who added that, although semen is being collected from Totilas three times a week, it has “not really made any difference” to his attitude.
This was the pair’s first outdoor competition since they took gold at Windsor Europeans last August. Adelinde Cornelissen and Jerich Parzival beat them there in the special, but could not surpass them again in Munich — scoring 83.1% with some minor mistakes.
Germany’s Isabell Werth was third on Warum Nicht FRH with 81.9%, and Austria’s Victoria Max-Theurer (Augustin 13) fourth on 79.25.
The next competition in the World Dressage Masters calendar is Cannes, France (10-13 June), followed by Falsterbo, Sweden (8-11 July) and finally Hickstead (29 July – 1 Aug).
