Christopher Hector reports from Aachen, Kenneth Braddick took the photos

(photo courtesy of my friend Thomas Hartwig)

What a privilege it is to be at Aachen. It is, without  question, the greatest horse show in the world, a contest that produces extraordinary performances, time after time. Thus it was in this year’s Freestyle. Double the privilege then to be sitting with two of the greatest horsemen in the history of equestrian sport: George Morris and Harry Boldt. But Aachen is like that, a fabulous blend of history and cutting edge performance.

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Therese Nilshagen’s exquisite black stallion, Dante Weltino, looked to be the next big thing at season or two ago, then he seemed to lose the edge. Well he had it back on the final Sunday of this year’s Aachen. Wonderful horse work, cool, tactful riding. They end up on a score of 83.395 in seventh place.

I am a fully paid up member of the Adrienne Lyle fan club, although I suspect that her big success will come not with her current front-liner, Salvino, but with the grey she rode in the 4 star, Harmony’s Duval. Look at that grey horse, look how naturally up in front he is, that’s a wonderful horse… growled George as we watched the riders’ warm-ups on the Wednesday warm up day.

Still Salvino is a very classy creature and Adrienne’s Kür rocks along with a bit of soul music. Such delicate passage, great extended trot, the judges are still asleep but gradually come to their senses and start giving the pair the marks they deserve. It has been a super test. 83.58 and into sixth.

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Dorothee Schneider’s Showtime is, like Salvino, by Sandro Hit but while Salvino is out of a Donnerhall mare, the dam sire for Showtime is the Rubinstein son, Rotspon. Her Kür starts with the announcement, Ladies and Gentlemen, it’s show time, and what a show it is. Dorothee has always been a super professional rider, but right now she seems to have broken through and is riding on another level altogether. So refined, so elegant, so soft, we are seeing a great combination at its peak. Every step is in perfect rhythm, they well deserve the standing ovation from a full house. Three judges are over 90, two chicken out so they score 89.66, it could have been higher, maybe it should have been the winning score, as it is they have to settle for second.

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Cathrine Dufour has recently been nominated for the 2019 Danish Rainbow award, recognizing her role as a prominent member of the LGBT community, while we have many male dressage riders who are openly gay, Cathrine is the first woman rider to my knowledge who has outed herself. Hopefully one day someone will write a history of the gay horseperson to celebrate the extraordinary rôle gay riders and trainers have played in our sport. Cathrine has a new horse, a wonderful new chestnut horse, Bohemian to take the place when the time comes, of her wonderful Cassidy. The Dane is the sort of rider who makes your heart sing, this is dressage as art, dressage as harmony, they too are in perfect rhythm. They will finish the day fourth on a score of 85.39.

I am sorry I cannot add my voice to the chorus of acclaim for Charlotte Dujardin and Erhlentanz. Sure it is impressive, but for mine, it lacks the softness and harmony that has been Charlotte’s trademark. The judges like the test well enough, 83.995 for fifth spot.

Jessica von Bredow Werndl is another who makes use of voice in her kür, and it works, I could never understand the prejudice against the voice in the past. Jessica’s mare, TSF Dalera BB is another who has taken the great leap forward, there’s a bit of tail swishing that we could do without, but the rest is super. What an amazing team the Germans are going to have at the Euros in Rotterdam… They finish the day in third spot on 87.595.

Okay time for the birthday girl, Isabell (fifty if you don’t mind, is seems only yesterday that I interviewed the just turned twenty something up-and-coming rider here at Aachen), and Bella Rose to strut their stuff. They are using wonderful music from Puccini’s Madam Butterfly, light, bright, the perfect complement to the awesome power and scope of the chestnut mare. It’s not perfect, there’s a glitch in the ones, and a few lower scores on the extended trot, but the passage work, like the music is ethereal. The crowd is clapping along for the final centre line. Isabell has done it again, 90.45, what a day, what a winner, what a contest!

Want to join me next year at Aachen and visit a few wonderful trainers along the way? Just click here for our Aachen + 2020 program… HERE