Catherine Haddad Finishes Second in German Dressage Event

The USA's Catherine Haddad on Cadillac was reserve champion behind Sander Marijnissen of The Netherlands on Moedwil in the Exquis World Dressage Masters Grand Prix Special to Music CDI***** in Munich, Germany on Saturday, May 23.

Marijnissen and the 15-year-old gelding were the unanimous choice of the five judges for first place and gave the pair a score of 71.500%. The USA's Haddad on her 12-year-old Danish warmblood gelding scored 68.292% for second place with Imke Schellekens-Bartels of The Netherlands on Ferero third on 67.542%.

An estimated 4,000 spectators turned out in hot, sunny weather to watch the Grand Prix Special to Music in the refurbished 1972 Olympic equestrian facility. Similar-sized crowds watched international jumping where the USA's Georgina Bloomberg was competing, along with reining and other events at the sprawling facility.

Haddad, who lives in Vechta, Germany, and was the reserve with her other grand prix horse, Maximus JSS, for the U.S. team at the FEI World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany, in 2006, said that Cadillac is improving with each competition.

She said she competed Cadillac or Maximus for the entire schedule of 2008/2009 West European League World Cup shows.

"Cadillac, as he showed today, is a serious prospect for U.S. teams," Haddad said. She said she will take Cadillac to Aachen to compete with the U.S. team at the World Equestrian Festival. Steffen Peters and Ravel will be making their only 2009 European appearance at Aachen.