On the opening day of the CSI5* LGCT Miami, a highly regarded international equestrian event, Maikel van der Vleuten made an impression by claiming victory in the 1.45-meter main competition. He guided his talented AES mare Elwikke to triumph, narrowly edging out his competitors with a slim margin of just 0.08 seconds.
"After a good performance here last year, I felt more motivated right from the start," Van der Vleuten said afterward. "I'm already looking forward to the Global Champions League stages tomorrow. I hope we can repeat this year!"
"We had a good round today; Elwikke was very focused throughout the entire course and felt very comfortable. I was able to utilize her big gallop, and we skipped a few jumps here and there. We managed to ride a beautifully flowing round without expending too much energy."
The twelve-year-old Elwikke has been in excellent form lately, having placed in the last three competitions (two in Den Bosch and one in Amsterdam).
