Story – Christopher Hector

Photos – Kenneth Braddick dressage-news.com

By the time the second qualification, the one for the six year olds, rolls around, I am feeling a little more comfortable with what’s happening in the arena. Is it because my sensibilities have been hopelessly compromised by watching over-cooked babies being rewarded by bad judging? Or has the judging improved? Or is it that as the horses get older, the ‘training’ looks more appropriate to the level? Or a mixture of all the above…

Severo and his five year old, Springbank!

In the Five Year old qualification, Severo’s Springbank II VH (Skoven’s Rafael / De Niro) looked wildly out of place. Now we have five year old Grand Prix horses, our little press gallery muttered in one voice. In that instance, the jury was not fooled and the horse finished 12th with a score of 8.44. By the time we got to the Seven Year old qualifier, Severo’s d’Avie (Don Juan de Hus / Londonderry) looks more or less like he’s in the right place for his age, although I seem to remember him looking very similar two years back, and you wonder if the horse’s long term career will survive this sort of training. Question, name the horses from Helgstrand Dressage that have gone on to be a Grand Prix stars? There is Kasey Perry-Glass’ Dublet, who has gone very well at Games and WEG level, although  it is not clear how long the horse spent in Helgstrand’s care, but you might have expected rather more than that for the money that has exchanged hands…

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Zum Gluck and Robin van Lierop

The first horse out in the Six Year old class, Zum Gluck (Zonik NOP / Florestan) is living breathing proof of how far dressage breeding has come, perhaps the problem is that the horses are more brilliant than the riders or the judges? The contact is a bit strong, and the rider leans back for the lengthened trot, yuck!, but it is a fine test: trot – 9, walk – 9.5, canter – 9, submission – 8.8, perspective – 9.5 = 9.16, and they will hold the lead for most of the day.

Destacado FRH and Matthias Rath

I have not been a fan of Matthias Rath’s riding in the past, but he is doing a very sweet, correct test on the chestnut stallion, Destacado FRH (Desperados / Londonderry – have we been noticing how often Londonderry is featuring on the dam side? He was a disappointment as a performance and sire sire, but seems to have had a positive influence on the mares…). It is a lovely normal trot, the sort you like to see a young horse doing. Big relaxed walk, lovely soft, engaged canter. What a nice test, and at last a six year old that looks like a six year old. Trot – 8.8, walk – 10, canter – 8.5, submission – 8.7, perspective – 9 = 9. and they will finish the qualifier in fourth place.

Fredric Wandres and Zucchero

Zucchero OLD is an interesting amalgam of Dutch and German lines, produced by one of Hanover’s leading breeders, Hans-Heinrich Brüning, and registered with the Oldenburg Verband.  He is by Zonik, a son of Zack (Ferro, Roemer, Jazz) out of Romanik who combines two of the best German stallions of modern times, Romanov and Don Schufro. Zucchero is out of Performance (by the influential Thoroughbred stallion, Prince Thatch) out of a mare that combines Donnerhall and Pik Bube I. Fredric Wandres is showing the young stallion brilliantly, powerful, forward, but still natural. There are occasional contact issues, but the canter is lovely, changes straight and clean. It’s a fine test, and goes to the lead. Trot – 9.5, walk – 9.5, canter – 9.5, submission – 9, perspective – 9.8 = 9.46.

Andreas Helgstrand and last year’s, somewhat controversial, winner, Revolution (Rocky Lee / Rouletto). It does seem that Andreas’ New Year’s resolution was to ride a bit quieter and the picture is all the nicer for it. The black stallion has an ethereal beauty, but there is still more happening in front than behind, though the angles are actually more correct in the big trot than in the ‘working’ trot. A big relaxed walk and a super canter. Trot – 9.8, walk – 9, canter – 9.5, submission – 9, perspective – 9.8, for 9.42 and second place, but it is going to be a battle royal in the final.

The rain seems to have disappeared as we swing into Saturday. I am interested in seeing the four year old class later (which is not to say looking forward to it) and the five year old final blasts off at 4.30…