Teams Day Two ended in a most predictable way…Germany gold. Silver went to the youngest team in the competition, the Danish who edged out home team Sweden to third.
Isabell, Dorothee, Helen and Sönke, predictably the Germans take Gold
Danish coach Princess Natalie’s trust in her fabulous riders was confirmed and she later confided in the press conference, “When we got here and I saw the other teams train, then I knew we were going for silver not bronze.”
Cathrine Dufour – member of Princess Nathalie’s Danish team, going for Silver
However it must have been ‘Be Careful Day’ here in Gothenburg. I know it was teams day, but there were really only three inspiring rides, and they were the top three place getters. Here’s hoping things spark up a bit more for the individual competition.
The perfect Isabell and Weihegold…
Isabell and Weihegold are perfect. The test was basically perfect. It wasn’t as fiery as their Rio Grand Prix Special win; rather more quiet and controlled..…but perfect. The clapping began with the last passage on the centreline. It started in the riders’ stand, and that says a lot. Isabell is respected by everyone. There were lots of 9s for the passage and a couple of 10s for the pirouettes. The final centreline was just 9s and 10s bar a couple of 8s and the three judges who gave her 9 for the rider marks were probably being mean. She later said, “I’m really happy about today and how we were in the test. It was really fun to ride her.”
Cathrine and Cassidy, a breath of fresh air
Danish combination Cathrine Dufour and Atterupgaards Cassidy are just a breath of fresh air; an absolute pleasure to watch. They’re what you want to see when you watch a test; the combination you’d show your non-horsey friend to covert them to dressage. It’s so easy and flowing, you can tell they know each other well. Cathrine explained afterwards, “I heard Patrik’s (Kittel) score and knew what I had to do. I felt under pressure but I love that. Cassidy was on fire when I first went around the arena, but he soon settled. The piaffe/ passage was some of the best I’ve had.” Despite that and a great score of 78.3%, the 25 year old believes they’ve got more in the tank and although she sees Isabell as being untouchable at the moment, she’s got Sönke and Cosmo in her sights.
Cosmo the panther
The German combination were able to beat her today though. Cosmo glided into the arena. The horse is like a panther and Sönke Rothenberger is one cool customer. The sound of the garbage bins being dragged out of the stadium caused a spook early in the test but they still managed to nudge 80% most of the way until the canter zig zag where there was a striding error and then a counting mistake in the ones. Such a shame and the score deflated to 78.343%. Oh that elusive 80%! Surely they’ll be there soon. Despite this, Sönke was still incredibly happy with his Van Gogh gelding.
The extended trots scored 9-9.5 and the two tempis were awarded some 10s and the 23 year old Sönke was relieved to get that first test of the competition out of the way.
Swede Therese Nilshagen overcame her nerves and put up a solid score of 74.429% with Dante Weltino OLD, despite a mistake in the two tempis. The rest of the test went well and landed her individual 7th place which lead to a team bronze on home soil.
Valegro was at home in the field, but Charlotte was eyes on the ground for Carl
It was not Team GB’s competition, although an overall 4th place is nothing to be scoffed at with the team at their first championships without Charlotte and Valegro. After the withdrawal of Don Carissimo pre competition, Super Nova II and Spencer Wilton just had a bad test.
Spencer, and Super Nova, not their day…
The big bay gelding is such a bold looking horse but little errors started to creep in early on with a messy rein back and resistance in the canter transition, but still they were managing to hold onto 76% for the first half of the test. Then the horse broke into passage after the first pirouette and our collective hearts sank for him. There was no coming back from that and the podium started to look a little too far away for the Brits with a final score of 72.086%.
Ooh, there’s the scary corner, says Barney, and amuses the penciller
Later in the comp, Nip Tuck found his scary corner at M and Carl seemed cautious in the extensions, but it was a correct test all up for 74.9% and 5th place individually.
The Dutch failed to shine. Cennin and Madeleine Witte-Vrees had lost the sparkle they’d shown in the arena familiarisation and rode their lowest ever Grand Prix score. Edward Gal and Glock’s Voice had, in his own words, “…a bad day” with just too may mistakes. They ended the teams comp in 5th place.
