Story Christopher Hector

Photos K-H Frieler

It started right with the first horse down the centre line, Dorothee Schneider’s Mister-C was looking a million euros until he decided that he wasn’t going to have anything to do with this piaffe stuff, and Doro waved to the crowd and retired. For some time I’ve been marveling at the fact that showjumpers regularly retire when they feel their horse is not up to the challenge, yet dressage riders just persist in getting their horse more and more upset. It proves that Dorothee is at least as bright as the average showjumper…

Senta Kirchoff and L’Arbuste

Which was super strange because the next combination into the ring, Senta Kirchoff and her nine-year-old brown gelding L’Arbuste (Skovens Rafael / Zardin Firfod) had also made a dignified exit in the first round when it was all too much for the horse. This time there were no problems, he’s a very elegant, refined creature, with a super trot and a very fine piaffe. Today the gelding looked so comfortable, well prepared, well conditioned and well ridden, they score 73.22 and will hold the lead right until the end.

Insa Hansen puts together a solid, super professional test on Rebroff (Robespierrot / Oula Owl xx), a little boring but correct, and they will finish the day in third spot on a score of 71.98.

Lena and Fiderdance

Lena Waldmann continues on her merry way with Fiderdance (Fidertanz / Don Schufro), super outline, elegant unhurried extensions, they are a little tentative in the piaffe / passage tour but the basics are there, they just need strength and confidence. Super tight pirouttes and a lovely final centre line, and they will end up second with 72.3. How nice when Lena got off the horse to hand him to the groom so she could do the little end-of-test interview she gave him a genuine two handed pat – I will throw up if I have to watch another rider slapping their horse and then wildly pointing at it while they mug for the crowd, so cheap.

Kira Wulferding was another of the pre-class favorites to run a wreck. Soiree d’Amour  (San Amour / Latimer) was seeing lions in every corner, and then stalled in the middle of the final piaffe. Last on 66.16.

Dorothee had a much nicer time on her second ride, Quantum Vis MW (Quaterback / Gloster). This one is all stallion but Dorothee seems to be able to channel that matcho. A mistake in the twos drags the score down to 71.16 and fourth.

Jessica and Ferdinand ‘shit happens but I still love him…’

Then Ferdinand BB (Florencio / Lanciano) and Jessica von Bredow-Wendl, winners out of the first round, and looking so assured and comfortable, right up to a disastrous piaffe attempt and a non-transition, a mistake in the canter  changes of hand, and then followed a good final line piaffe with a hideous transition out. It was Jessica who gave me my headline in her interview with Clip My Horse…

And Senta, the winner? She was glowing when I caught up with her just after she got off the horse, but just a bit surprised:

You didn’t expect that?

“Not at all, especially after what happened on Friday, of course Friday didn’t go to plan. When I drove here I had big expectations as I know what is in the horse, and I had such a high qualification score, but after Friday’s test I was happy to make it a second time to X.”

The atmosphere got to him in the first round…

“Yeah, he has never been in such an atmosphere and I think he just got super afraid. Normally he really trusts me, when I say it’s fine to go there, he goes, but on Friday I somehow didn’t get him on my side, everything just got worse and worse, he got more and more afraid, that’s why I gave up because I knew it would not be good for him.”

But today he looked so comfortable in the test today …

“Nothing is a problem for him, nothing is difficult for him, he really just does it as play, he has it from nature all the things he has to do. He is a really sensitive horse so he really just has to stay calm and relax. I really spend a lot of time with him in the arena, also giving him sugar and he just relaxes. Yesterday I just stood with him in the middle of the arena for a long time, feeding him sugar, until he was comfortable and obviously that strategy worked out.” Senta is gently giggling…

How long have you had him?

“We bought him when he was four, so he has been with us five years.”

Who helps you train him ?

“My husband, my husband is my trainer and mentor and my big idol.”

Senta’s husband is Henri Ruoste, a member of the Finnish dressage team at the Herning European champs, he and Senta run the Gut Bertingloh equestrian centre.

Are you a professional rider?

“Well, half. Half the time I also have a normal job, I work in the marketing department of my family’s company, and half the day I ride. I don’t earn my money with riding but I spend a lot of time in the saddle.”

How ambitious are you – how far do you want to go?

“As far as possible. I’m over-ambitious. The biggest dream would be to ride in the German team but of course the air is thin there and I know how difficult it is, but I will try my best of one day maybe fulfill my dream.”

See also –

Day 3 Frankfurt: Burg-Pokal Final