Hong Kong: Dutchwoman Anky van Grunsven and Germany's Isabell Werth will renew their great rivalry when they battle it out for individual dressage gold here late Tuesday.

The only question of the competition is who will take bronze in the Grand Prix Freestyle that will showcase the world s top 15 dressage riders.

Van Grunsven and Werth both made costly mistakes in last week's Grand Prix Special, the first round of the individual contest.

Werth and her horse Satchmo scored 75.20 percent, and van Grunsven on Salinero finished with 74.96 percent.

In third place was Germany's Heike Kemmer on Bonaparte with 72.96 percent.

Van Grunsven comes here defending the individual gold she won in Athens in 2004,which she also took in Sydney in 2000.

Werth took the silver in Sydney and the gold in Atlanta in 1996.

Germany won the gold medal for the team dressage last Thursday, with the Netherlands taking silver and Denmark bronze.

Germany has won three of the four equestrian gold medals so far, with the team and individual eventing and team dressage. The United States won the team jumping gold on Monday.

Tuesday's final is the second of the two-part individual dressage contest. The first is formulaic, with 25 riders following a set routine set to music.

The second part will see the finalists performing freestyle routines set to music of their choosing.

All three leaders have said they will perform routines they have already ridden in international competition.

Werth had looked unassailable last week, until Satchmo inexplicably shied half way through her routine and started to move backwards.

Until then, scores for each movement had been above 80 percent, but her mistake cost her around eight percent.

While van Grunsven also faltered, her scores were not nearly as high throughout the test and Werths error has enhanced her chance for gold, as the final score is calculated by adding then halving percentages from both sessions -- and the Dutchwoman is considered a master of the freestyle.

Dressage is a complex sport that can seem esoteric but involves strict discipline and control as the rider puts the horse through a series of 36 movements based on cavalry training techniques developed in Europe in the Middle Ages.

With barely perceptible movements, the rider instructs the horse to demonstrate obedience, relaxation and agility in a routine lasting around six minutes and set to music, to which the horse appears to dance.

In fourth place after Saturday's first round is Steffen Peters of the United States on Ravel, who scored 71.8 percent, followed by Alexandra Korelova on Balagur on 71.40 percent.
Source : AFP