Story – Christopher Hector and Photos – Roslyn Neave
After the embarrassment that followed Andreas Helgstrand’s silver medal at the World Young Horse champs, the judges at Germany’s celebration of the young horse, the Bundeschampionate, seemed determined to stomp on any sign of over-the-top riding, right from the first dressage championship, the class for the 6-year-olds.
The German based Norwegian rider, Isabell Bache has been one of my faves for a long time, she has an insouciant personality that is on display whenever she rides, but she paid the price for the somewhat ‘produced’ flavor to her test on the Oldenburger, Fasine (Fürst Romancier / Sir Donnerhall I). The brown mare was very elegant, but the judges were stern: nothing over 7.5 and a 6.5 for ‘Durchlässigkeit’ – one of those German equestrian terms that doesn’t really translate, but measures the correctness of the training.
Isabell and FunSterne
They were a little more mellow later in the day, and awarded four 8s to Isabell’s second ride, another Oldenburger mare, FünSterne (Dimaggio / Karon) in a 7.9 total that left them in 9th.
Heiko and Justify
To underline the message, the judges were severe on Heiko Klausing, one of the last of the old style fire and flash auction riders. Heiko’s chestnut Oldenburg stallion, Justify AS (Jazz / Inselfurst) is a beautiful horse, but so busy is the rider that he makes it hard to see the horse, and is so vigorous in one of the changes that you worry that the horse might fall over. 5.5 for Durchlässigkeit and a 6.5 total, has a few in the crowd whistling their displeasure but there are also a few who applaud the direction the ground jury is taking.
Although we saw a few over-tight nose bands, the ugliest of them all was that of the Hanoverian stallion, Duisenberg (Desperados / Weltmeyer) shown, to his shame, by Raphael Thomas. It was hard to watch as the poor creature tried desperately to free its tongue. It was a pity since the horse could move. The judges hit the rider with a 4.5 for Durchlässigkeit and they finish 34th. Good judging!
Raphael Thomas and Duisenberg
It was truly not a vintage crop. Julia-Katharina von Platen ended in first with a lovely forward, rhythmic, flowing test on the Hanoverian mare, Danza (Dimaggio / Rubin-Royal) marked by big expressive changes. Still while the judges were paying natural work, they weren’t exactly paying a huge amount: 8.5 for trot, 8 for walk, 8 for canter, 9 for Durchlässigkeit, and 8.5 for general impression – an 8.4 total, with Julia’s 9, one of only two 9s in the whole class of 37 horses.
Ines and Fairplay
Ines Knoll had her Württenberg gelding FBW Fairplay (Fürst Hohenstein / Disco-Tanzer) soft and rhythmically forward, really using its body for an 8.3, equal with the highest ranked stallion, the Westfalien, Damon’s Dejaron (Damon Hill out of a Trakehner mare, by the French Anglo Arab, Matcho) who is not the prettiest horse on the block but was a nice enough mover and put together an accurate test for Heiner Schiergen.
Another stylish, tactful rider, Carola Koppelmann with another mare, the Rheinlander, Lady Loxley M (Lord Loxley / Abanos) took 4th with an 8.2. While Stefanie Wolf a Rheinlander, the mare, Saphira Royal NG (San Amour / Monteverdi) was equal 5th with Heiner Schiergen and the stallion, Daley Thompson (Damon Hill / Lauries Crusador – actually Lauries then Bolero, so that’s a fair whack of Thoroughbred.)
It was sad that Jana Freund and the exciting young Hanoverian stallion Bodyguard (Burlington / Pik L) were belled when the judges spotted a touch of blood in the chestnut’s mouth, especially as the work up to that point had been really impressive.
Looking at the breeding, six out of the top 15, are from the D line, with Damon Hill responsible for three, and the most represented stallion. In terms of the balance between the progeny of Grand Prix competitors, and the offspring of stallions whose career peaked at the Young Horse stage, there are the three by Damon Hill, one by Desperados and one by For Compliment who both the countries of their riders at the Euro Champs a few weeks earlier.
Danciano with Anja Engelbart
The next day’s five-year-old class was way more exciting. There were ten scores of 9 scattered through the top ten, even a 9.5 for the glorious trot shown by the black Hanoverian stallion, Danciano (Dancier / Rotspon) shown by Anja Engelbart for the Schockemöhle Empire.
Bellena and Esther Maruhn
The highest score of the class went to another Hanoverian, the chestnut mare, Bellena (Belissimo / Welser) shown beautifully by Esther Maruhn. Lovely outline, big stretchy trot, relaxed through the body, and a great canter. 8.7
Sir Olli and Laura Klein
Second to the cute, perhaps too cute to be a stallion, the Oldenburger, Sir Olli (Sir Donnerhall I / Florestan) brilliantly ridden by Laura Klein. They fall out of the counter canter, but the rest of the test is foot perfect. 8.6.
Smirnoff and Manuel Bammel
Third to another Sir Donnerhall I, this time out of a Florencio dam, the Hanoverian, Smirnoff shown with style by Manuel Bammel. I think this was my favorite test of the day, beautiful transitions, a wonderful Florencio canter, the pair really owned the arena. On 8.5 they were equal with Sandokan (San Amour / His Highness) and Rudolf Widmann. The Hanoverian gelding was in such super balance, lovely contact, light to the ground, and so nice to see a nose just in front of the vertical.
There were two Fürst Romanciers tied for 5th on 8.4 – the chestnut Oldenburger stallion, Fusion (out of a Sion mare) with the tireless Anja Engelbart, and the Hanoverian mare, Florina (out of a Donnerhall mare) shown with style by Claudia Rüscher.
Four were tied in 7th, the aforementioned Danciano, the Westfalien, Rockman Royal NG (Rock Forever / Show Star) and Stefanie Wolf, the Trakehner, Goldmond (Imperio / Latimer) and the only Dutch bred horse to make the top ten, Bluetooth (Bordeaux / Riccione) shown sweetly by Eva Möller, even if she does have the tendency to slip into the upper-body-behind-the-vertical style that is the trademark of the stable (sort of the leaning tower of PSI).
Eva and Bluetooth
There is a little problem for the organizers because the rules say the top 10, or the top 12 horses from this first qualifier go into the final, to be joined by three from the consolation final. In this case there are seven horses in equal 12th and since none of them are on the Klein final list, it is going to be a very very long final if they take three more which will give 20 not the usual 15.