Christopher Hector analyses the two crucial tests for German horses preparing for Grand Prix….
One of the very great strengths of German dressage is the thoughtful way in which younger horses at introduced to the FEI tests. Reiner Klimke was not only a great rider and trainer, but also a great horseman, and he conceived the format of the Nürnberger Burg-Pokal, a class for eight-year-old horses at a Prix St Georges level.
Since the event started in 1992, the winners include:
Rubinstein (Rosenkavalier / Angelo xx, 1992). Here with Martina Hannover
Chacomo (Calypso I / Marmor,97), Olympic Medal winner
Relevant (Rubinstein / Goldlöwe, 98) Olympic Medal winner
Plus Bonaparte (Bon Bonaparte / Consul,01), Wahajama (Warkant / Acapulco,02), Elvis (Espri / Garibaldi), 04), Whisper (Welt Hit I / Weltstar, 05), Augustin (August der Starke / Rohdiamant, 07), El Santo (Ehrentusch / Rhythmus, 08), Blind Date (Breitling W / Donnerhall, 09), Weihegold (Don Schufro / Sandro Hit, 13) and Vitalis (Vivaldi / D-Day)in 2016. Among them, a select group of these winners have claimed eight Olympic gold medals, five silver and four bronze.
Isabell Werth and Weihegold, a Burg-Pokal winner herself, multi Medal winner, and dam of this year’s winner, Total Hope
One of the winners – Relevant – was sired by Rubinstein, who also won the first Nürnberger Burg-Pokal in 1992. 2019 saw another first, a winner out of a mare who had previously won the class, Total Hope is by Totilas (Gribaldi / Glendale) out of Weihegold (Don Schufro / Sandro Hit) who won the title in 2013.
Did I hear you say, of course that combination will produce a star, think again. Since 2009, when four of her embryos became foals, Weihegold has produced 14 progeny, yet Total Hope is the only one to go Grand Prix of the eight foaled between 2009 and 2012 – and they were the products of a smorgasbord of top stallions: Sir Donnerhall I, Fürst Romancier, Blue Hors Zack, Fürst Heinrich and Quarterback – along with the two by Totilas.
Of late, Weihegold’s affections have drifted west, across the border to Holland, with three of her four most recent foals being Dutch bred with Jazz, Apache and Vitalis, joining Totilas. Time will tell if any of them will make it to the big sport…
Actually the record of star dressage mares as broodmares is pretty dismal. Brentina (Brentano II / Lungau) was retired with great fanfare and produced two foals, one by Kingston, one by Damsey, neither of which competed internationally.
Nadine and Hans Peter Minderhoud competing at Grand Prix level
Exquis Nadine (Partout / Roemer) produced two mares, one of which, Salvia (Havidoff) went on to produce two licensed stallions that quickly faded into obscurity, and a Prix St Georges competitor. Sunrise (Singular Joter / Werther), who was part of several Dutch teams, lived until she was 27, but declined when it came to producing babies.
Matine (Silvermoon / Matador) a star in the Kür at the WEG in 2006 with Andreas Helgstrand, died in a paddock accident before she could be covered.
To add to this wonderful transition competition for young horses entering FEI levels, the Louisdor Prize was added in 2012. The Louisdor is an FN series for eight to ten-year-olds, the sponsor right from the start has been the Liselott and Klaus Rheinberger Foundation. And like the Burg-Pokal, the concept worked – previous winners include El Santo NRW, Dablino FRH, Weihegold OLD, Emilio, DSP Sammy Davis jr. and TSF Dalera BB, all of whom became, a little later, members of German Championship teams.
Annabelle Balkenhol and Dablino at the London Olympics
Although the movements in the Louisdor Prize contain all the elements of the Grand Prix, the requirements are somewhat reduced. Up until now, the class consisted of an Intermediaire II and the short Grand Prix, with the ‘long’ Grand Prix as the final stage. There will be a change in the 2022 season: Instead of the short Grand Prix, a new test will be ridden, the Louisdor Grand Prix. “We have adapted the special task even more to the demands of the young Grand Prix horses,” says national dressage trainer Monica Theodorescu.
Current German coach, Monica Theodorescu and Whisper, Burg-Pokal winners, with her late father, Georg Theodorescu.
At this year’s Frankfurt show, held behind closed doors at the Linsenhof-Rath private facility, Schafhof, Total Hope returned, ridden again by the very talented Isabel Freese to win the Louisdor.
Total Hope wins this year’s Louisdor (Photo – Stefan Lafrentz)
Isabel also rode one of the two leading sires of the 2021 Louisdor placegetters, Vitalis (Vivaldi / D-Day), to victory in the Nürnberger Burg-Pokal back in 2016. Vitalis is the sire of Fabienne Müller-Lütkemeier’s two rides who finished in second – Valencia AS (Hotline) – and third – Valesco 50 (Douceur) in this year’s Louisdor.
Vitalis and Isabell Freese winning the Burg-Pokal in 2016
While Vitalis was something of a young horse star, dam sire Hotline was certainly not, but when the high priced stallion produced somewhat plain foals, Hotline was set for a Grand Prix career to tempt the mare owners, and went on to a fairly successful one at that. Hotline (Hofrat / De Niro) was the dam sire of the second placegetter Valencia AS, and sire of the fifth placegetter, Hot Hit (Diamond Hit).
The fourth placed High Five was a cause for celebration at the Klosterhof Medingen stud, since the gelding carries the blood of two of their famous stallions, he is by the Trakehner, Hohenstein (bred by the stud) out of a mare by De Niro.
Sixth to Dorothee Schneider and Sisters Act who is by Sandro Hit out of a mare by Royal Diamond. This year, Sandro Hit was the great grandsire of the eighth placed SilberStern (Silbermond / Raphael) and the dam sire of the eleventh placed Filligrano (Fürstenball / Sandro Hit).
Millennium working at home at Gestuet Sprehe with Simone Pearce
The other stallion with two into the Louisdor final was the man-of-the-moment, Millennium, sire of the seventh placed Mist of Titanium (Diamonit) and ninth placed, Morricone (Rubin Royal).
Foundation with Mathias Alexander Rath was also a placegetter in the Burg-Pokal
Foundation was responsible for the tenth placed Florine, out of a Lauries Crusader xx mare.
Twelfth was another Klosterhof Medingen triumph, Feldrose II is by one of their stallions, Feuerspiel (Fidertanz / De Niro) out of a mare by Latimer (Saint Cloud / Caprimond) who also stood at the stud.
Winning this year’s Burg Pokal, Straight Horse Ascenzione (Photo – Stefan Lafrenz)
The 2021 Nürnberger Burg-Pokal was a triumph for Helen Langhanenberg who rode the champion and reserve. The winner was the Danish mare Straight Horse Ascenzione who is by Zack out of the Don Schufro mare, Don Romina.
Triple Young Horse Champion Sezuan and Dorothee Schneider
This makes Ascenzione a full-sister to triple world young horse champion, Sezuan, and a half sister to the Prix St Georges competitor, Straight Horse Don Tamino (by Totilas).
Helen placed second on the Hanoverian mare, Schöne Scarlett who is by the Sandro Hit son, Scolari (De Niro) out of a Londonderry (Lauries Crusader xx / Warkant) mare.
Third to another Hanoverian, this time the stallion, Quizmaster, who is by the Quaterback son, Quasar de Charry out of a Velten Third mare. Fourth to the Danish gelding, Absinth (aka Tailormade Pay Attention) by Tailormade Attention out of a Donnerschlag mare. Fifth, Leo Löwenherz (Licosto / Rockwell), and sixth to Thiago GS.
Thiago
Thiago is a chestnut stallion by Totilas out of Wahajama UNICEF (Warkant) and he was bred by Ann-Katrin Linsenhoff and Klaus Martin Rath. Wahajama how could I have forgotten her on my earlier list of great dressage mares, especially as she was one of the first Bundeschampionate stars I witnessed in action???
Wahajama and Ann-Kathrin Linsenhoff
Wahajama, a young horse star with Holga Finken
A young horse star with Holga Finken, she won the 2002 Burg-Pokal with Ann-Kathrin, and went on to compete Grand Prix with her. So far as I can tell, Wahajama produced only two foals, both in 2013 – the other, Timeless (also by Totilas), is a two-star eventer with French rider, Olivia Pleysier.
Seventh to a grey Holsteiner stallion, Caracciola MT with a pedigree that is all jump. He is by the Chin Chin son, Chin Champ out of a Calido mare. Eighth to the Dutch stallion, Imposantos by the Jazz son, Wynton out of a Krack C mare. Tenth to S Rokyna by Sir Donnerhall I out of a Feuerschein I mare, and rounding out the final, Citation who is by Zack out of a Don Gregory mare.
Alas, this year’s trip to Frankfurt had to be cancelled due to Covid, let’s hope we can travel again in December 2022…