SWEDEN'S MINNA TELDE WITHDRAWS FROM ROLEX FEI WORLD CUPTM DRESSAGE FINAL AND BRENTINA IS OFFICIALLY RETIRED

04/17/2009

Swedish rider, Minna Telde, withdrew from the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Dressage final Friday at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas due to an injury to her horse, Don Charly.

The 34-year-old who hails from Hasselholm finished ninth in Thursday's Grand Prix, achieving a perfect score of 10 for extended walk during the test.

She sensed there was something not quite right with her 12-year-old chestnut stallion after he twisted his foot prior to the class, but he was passed fit on veterinary inspection.

However on re-examination Thursday, Don Charly was found to be unsound on his right foreleg and so, regretfully, Telde withdrew ahead of Saturday's Freestyle class which will determine the fate of the 2009 Rolex FEI World Cup™ Dressage title.

"I am very sad. I was so excited to be here at my first World Cup final," said the rider who finished second behind fellow-Swede Jan Brink and Briar in the Freestyle at CDI-W Gothenburg in February.

BRENTINA RETIRES

It's been a busy Friday at the four-day fixture which runs through Sunday. Spectators were enthralled by the Pas de Deux Challenge in which pairs of riders performed synchronized dressage movements. This was followed by an impressive demonstration by four budding young superstar dressage horses but the highlight of the afternoon was the emotional official retirement of Debbie McDonald's great ride Brentina.

This partnership enjoyed 15 fabulous years together during which time their successes included team and individual gold at the Pan American Games in 1999, the World Cup title in Gothenburg in 2003, team bronze at the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004 where they also finished fourth individually and team bronze at the World Equestrian Games in Aachen in 2006.

Debbie fell in love with the mare the moment she first sat on her back in 1994 and the Idaho rider says that "Brentina has taught me that this sport is not about success; it is about the love, relationship and the journey between horse and rider.” The public affection for Brentina was obvious as many tears were shed when Debbie rode her into the arena accompanied by long-time groom Ruben Palomera.

The mare's saddle was removed and she was decorated with a huge rosette and a cooler rug carrying her name, but the most poignant moment came as she was led away. "This is the last time Brentina will hear a crowd roar, so let her hear you one more time!" said commentator Brian O'Connor. The crowd responded enthusiastically and, to the soundtrack which earned the partnership third place at the Las Vegas final in 2005, the 18-year-old equine heroine broke into a perfect passage movement as she said Goodbye to the bright lights and Hello to a very happy retirement.

A SATURDAY FULL OF ACTION

The Saturday schedule is packed with action beginning with the Las Vegas Grand Prix show jumping competition. This is not a leg of the Rolex FEI World Cup™ final, but riders will be keen to earn some of the $75,000 in prize money.

Many of the world's top dressage and jumping riders have been taking a crash-course in the art of reining over the last few days, and stars including The Netherlands' Anky Van Grunsven, Brazil's Rodrigo Pessoa and America's Will Simpson have signed up for the first-ever International Reining Celebrity Challenge during which they will be paired with National Reining Horse Association professionals Rick Weaver and Ann Fonck.

Nine-time World Cup champion Van Grunsven will be hoping that the sliding stops and mind-blurring spins won't throw her off course ahead of Saturday night's feature event - the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Dressage Freeystyle in which the horses and riders perform to music.