The New Black: Totilas and Matthias Rath Win Debut CDI*** Class in Munich, Germany

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Matthias Rath and Totilas? won their debut class, the CDI ***- Grand Prix, today at the Pferd International in Munich, Germany, with a score of 76.79%. It was the pair’s first performance since Totilas was bought by a German partnership of Paul Schockemohle and Ann-Kathrin Linsenhoff. Rath is Linsenhoff’s stepson.

The Pferd International is a multiple-sport show and exposition that includes the highest level of international dressage, hosted by World Dressage Masters. However, Totilas is not competing at his former level due to a qualification technicality.

According to a statement from World Dressage Masters, Rath and Totilas will not be allowed to start in the World Dressage Masters CDI5* this weekend.? “FEI rules allow a rider to start in a 5* event only after achieving a score of at least 64%, twice prior to their entry. Unfortunately this is not yet a reality for Matthias and his black stallion,” the statement said.

John van de Laar, Managing Director of WDM, said that these rules apply to all riders and “we have to respect them, although I would have loved to see Matthias compete in the 5*.”

Rath and Totilas will show again tomorrow in the Preis der N?rnberger Versicherungsgruppe: CDI *** Grand Prix Special – International.

Totilas was the winner of the CDI5* last year with his former rider, Edward Gal of The Netherlands.

The second place horse in the class today scored ten points behind Totilas and Rath, who recently completed his undergraduate work at college.

The best video of the Totilas-Rath premiere performance can be seen at the NDR.de website.

You can watch Totilas perform live at the show Friday morning on the Germany website www.clipmyhorse.de.