The Grand Prix Special is a favourite test for many riders. It shows off the horse’s ability to go from the high collection of passage to the maximum lengthening of extended trot and then back to the gathered frame of the passage. It also gives the rider the chance to show the horse’s lateral suppleness to best advantage with long flowing trot and canter half passes.

Formerly, team medals were decided in the Grand Prix only. For the first time, the points from the Grand Prix Special and the Grand Prix will be added to decide the team medals. The Grand Prix Special is also the qualifying event for the individual medal competition, the Grand Prix Freestyle.

First into the arena will be the wonderful Dablino with Anabel Balkenhol, individual for Germany. Nobody doubts that they are capable of great things, but they did have a shaky start in the Grand Prix.

Two former World Young Horse Champions will compete, for The Netherlands, Uzzo with Patrick van der Meer and for Germany, Damon Hill with Helen Langehanenberg. Patrick also trained Breaking Dawn who is being ridden by Ashley Holzer for Canada. Helen and Damon Hill (formerly trained by Olympic eventing rider, Ingrid Klimke) did a superb Grand Prix. The Westphalian stallion has three wonderful paces and gained top marks for walk and passage although he gained a little ground in an otherwise high quality piaffe and needed more energy in the left canter pirouette. Helen is sure to put in a claim on an individual medal.

Leading competitors from the last World Championships, bronze medalist, Steffen Peters from the USA and Juan Manuel Munoz Diaz from Spain, are bound to be crowd pleasers.

Also from Spain, 19 year old Morgan Barbancon Mestres will ride, the Anky van Grunsven trained, Painted Black. Morgan rode her first Grand Prix test just twelve months ago and has progressed spectacularly under Anky’s guidance. Anky herself had a super Grand Prix with her twice individual gold medal horse, Salinero. She has won the last three Individual Gold Medals but it would be a very big ask for her to win her fourth in London. Anky is riding in her seventh Olympics; her first was Seoul in 1988. The Netherlands is currently in third place in the team medal standings. If they can hold onto this place Anky will win a Dressage record, ninth medal. (Canadian, Ian Millar is competing in his 10^th Olympics in showjumping!)  

Also for the Netherlands, Edward Gal will saddle Undercover. The reigning World Champion has only ridden the Ferro x Donnerhall, 11 year old gelding for seven months. The horse was purchased for Edward by his new Austrian sponsor, Glock  (of Glock Firearms). Adelinde Cornelissen will ride the super horse, Parzival. The Jazz x Ulft gelding is now 15 years old. She was very unlucky not to be selected to ride at Beijing. She was then terribly unlucky to be eliminating automatically after he bled from his mouth at the Worlds in 2010. Will London be her time?

Young Danish rider, Anna Kasprzak will ride Donnperignon for Denmark. This horse was ridden in the bronze medal winning team at the 2010 World Champs by his trainer, Christoph Koschel for Germany. Anna rode a great test in heavy rain in the Grand Prix, four days ago. The Danish judge gave a very high mark to Dutch rider Edward Gal, which will make it just a little bit harder for Danes to overtake the Dutch in the contest for the bronze medal.

For Austria, Vicci Max-Theurer will present the very elastic and powerful Augustin, bred by her mother, Moscow 1980 gold medalist, Sissy Theurer. Princess Nathalie is bound to present a very harmonious test with Digby, bred by her mother, Princess Benidikte of Denmark. Valentina Truppa will present the very supple and strong, Eremo del Castegno who she has had since he was six months old.

Dorothee Schneider, for Germany, showed a mistake free test on the young Diva Royal in the Grand Prix. Kristina Sprehe showed the gorgeous young stallion, Desperados for top marks also. Both will be ones to watch in the Special.

Last but not least we will see Team GB with superstar, Karl Hestor and Uthopia, his student and gold medal favourite riding his horse Valegro and the top combination of Laura Bechtolsheimer and Mistral Hojris. Laura may have been unlucky not to score more in the Grand Prix although some said her marks evened out across the seven judges.

Great Britain is currently leading the team medal standings with Germany in second place. Sweden is in seventh place and is favoured to move up the rankings. One of their riders had a bad day with many mistakes in the Grand Prix and should do better In the Special.

The new format is clearly a success with the best 30 riders from the Grand Prix going through to the Special and just two lower ranked riders progressing to give their teams a chance to compete for medals. The standard in the Grand Prix was very high with 30 of the 50 riders gaining 70% or more and 12 riders achieving 75% or more.

The scene is set for a spectacular Grand Prix Special. 

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