Dutch pair Adelinde Cornelissen and Governor-STR had their grand prix freestyle programme cut short at the European Dressage Championships when they were rung out owing to blood in the mouth.
The combination, who were third to go in the order, were eliminated under FEI blood rules partway through their test after the 10-year-old Totilas x Jazz stallion bit his tongue. The judge at C, Germany’s Henning Lehrmann, rang the bell in the middle of their left double pirouette, and wiped the horse’s mouth to show the blood.
The KWPN stallion, who had attracted attention throughout the week for his resemblance to his famous sire, had helped the Netherlands to finish fifth in the team competition, scoring 72.48% in the grand prix to finish 23rd on the individual leaderboard.
They went forward to the grand prix special where they posted 72.14% and finished 18th, but earned their place among the 15 freestyle contenders after the withdrawal of teammate Hans Peter Minderhoud, who was 16th, and because Germany’s Dorothee Schneider and Britain’s Gareth Hughes, who were 14th and 15th respectively, were unable to go through as only three riders from each nation can contest the freestyle.
Governor only stepped up to international grand prix level earlier this year, having been reserve champion six-year-old at the World Breeding Championships in 2017 under Adelinde. This was the pair’s first international freestyle, and they had been trending around the 73% mark at the point when the bell was rung.
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