ACOG - News - IBM

(31 July 1996; Day 12)

Kur To Decide Equestrian Dressage Medalists

The top 13 dressage riders in the world will take to the ring at the Georgia International Horse Park one more time and it will be to do something that none of them have ever done before- ride a musical freestyle, or Kur, in an Olympic Games.

The Kur has been an accepted part of international dressage for years, but will make its first-ever appearance in the Olympic Games on Saturday, 3 August, when it concludes the competition for the individual dressage medals. Current leader Anky VAN GRUNSVEN and Bonfire of the Netherlands are also the 1995 world champions in the Kur, which was contested separately from the Grand Prix at that event. Isabell WERTH and Gigolo of Germany won gold at the 1995 World Championships in the Grand Prix, and stand in second place after Wednesday's Grand Prix Special.

VAN GRUNSVEN and Bonfire won the world championships with a Kur set to Neil Diamond's "Song Sung Blue," and had a difficult time finding new music for the Olympic Games. The problem was solved, however, when two Dutch composers offered to compose a piece specifically for VAN GRUNSVEN's Kur. The "Bonfire Symphony" will debut on Saturday.

WERTH and Gigolo will counter with another original composition, "Gigolo's Symphony."

"My freestyle will be full of power," said WERTH. "The music is a mixture of original music composed for Gigolo and the songs 'Bright Sides of Life,' and 'Just a Gigolo'."

On Saturday, Michelle GIBSON of the United States will perform a Kur for only the second time in composition. Of course, the first time was at a competition in Munich, when she won the competition. "I try to pick music that I like, and that the audience will like too," said GIBSON of her Kur, which will include tracks from Bruce Springsteen, Peter Gabriel and the artist formerly known as Prince.

All of the riders are excited that the Kur has been included in the competition, as they believe that it will help the popularity of their sport. "Regular dressage," explained VAN GRUNSVEN, "can be boring for people who don't understand it. By adding music, it increases the audience's interest. And for the rider, nothing is better than riding to music."

This is an official publication of the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games Sports Publications Department. Written by Amy H. Symons.


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Closing Ceremony of the 1996 Games involved a crew of 2,100 who worked with more than 3,500 performers as well as thousands of athletes who celebrated on the field of Olympic Stadium.