Christopher Hector reports from Rotterdam – Kenneth Braddick (dressage-news) took the photos
In the run up to my trip to Europe, and at the suggestion of my friend, Susanne Miesner, I read the book, I can’t bear to watch, Julie Taylors’ letter to the IOC in which she argues that equestrian sports should be banned from the Olympic Games. I hope to be discussing the book and the issues raised with Susanne at Aachen, and look forward to publishing a piece that seriously confronts the charges Julie has leveled at the sport. Much of her critique, especially of the FEI, is spot on…
In the meantime, I was interested to learn if what I saw at Rotterdam – in the Nations Cup Grand Prix – in any way looked like the dressage tests Julie describes in her book. You know, frantic ‘spectacular’, horses with their eyes spinning in their heads, covered with a muck lather, front feet frantically waving, tails dancing wildly, and bolting from the arena at the end of the test in an effort to escape. Was it like that? Not at all, there were some really lovely tests, some that were just untidy, some lacking in flair, and a few where the tail got going, and that’s today’s slogan if you have an empty t-shirt looking for a message: THE TAIL IS THE TALE…
Indian Rock
I’ll confess I fell in love with the black stallion, Indian Rock (Apache / Vivaldi) when I saw a still photo of him cantering, love at first sight. Since then I’ve seen more stills, even a bit of video coverage, but today I was treated to the real thing for the first time, and what a treat it was.
Brilliantly ridden by Emmelie Scholtens, the horse is a picture of controlled, languid power, huge super engaged movement just flows over the arena, the transitions so defined, so seamless. Magnificent passage but the judges seem stuck on the 7 button, hey wake up guys, there is an 8 button. 6.9 for one passage is a bad joke, 7.6 for the next one, is still low. The canter is even better than the trot. Right next to me is Kenneth Braddick who through his website. dressage.news hands out browbands to riders who hit the 80 mark – you better start looking for a browband, I suggest, but no, the judges just won’t come to the party. Indian Rock sneaks into provisional first, on 72.783, maybe there is a god, alas no, they finish in eventual 4th place
Saphira Royal
By the time we get to the final break, Indian Rock is in the lead, with the supremely elegant mare, Saphira Royal (San Amour I / Monteverdi) ridden by the equally elegant German, Nicole Wego-Engelmeyer, in second.
If Indian Rock was all controlled power, Saphira Royal, is all about ethereal grace, about riding with finesse and tact. The pair end on 72.457 in 5th.
Hermes
The first to star after the break is another van Uytert stallion, Hermes (Easy Game / Flemmingh) with Dinja Van Liere. There is no denying this is a very attractive horse, but it looks like hard work for horse and rider, she is leaning back and has unforgiving ‘pram’ hands – want to know what they are? rotate your hand until it is ready to push a pram and observe what happens, the elbow locks, there is no give in the arm. And yes, the tail gets agitated in the changes. Very fine piaffe, imposing passage. Is it abusive, no way, just not nice, and of course the judges love it to pieces. 79.739 and it goes to the lead and keeps it for first at the end of the tests.
Valentine
The judges move into happy hour mode after the break and are handing out marks like boiled lollies. Ashley Holzer’s Valentine (Sir Donnerhall I / Regazzo) is nice and what it lacks in flair, the mare makes up for in accuracy. But 72.957 for 3rd – is generous, or as I have hinted, some of those earlier marks are mean…
Blue Hors Zepter
I remember when Zepter (Zack / Wolkentanz II) won the Louisdor at Frankfurt back in 2019, good judges hailed him as the next superstar, since then he has moved from Blue Hors via Helgstrand to Patrik Kittel. The chestnut is still very impressive , he can really move and hits every marker, and yes, he walks out on a loose rein, but I suspect he lost that super super something, when he left Daniel’s care. 76.130 for second.
But wait, there is a dark horse to come, Dark Legend (Zucchero / Tango) ridden by Charlotte Fry. The gelding starts with a lovely flowing trot but he blows up big time at the C box, and will not settle, then he does it again, but somehow isn’t eliminated but finishes on 65.413 which drops the Brits down to fifth, behind the Dutch and the USA in equal first, third to the Swedes, fourth to France. The Swiss are equal sixth with the Belgians.
Before I wind up, I’d like to draw some attention to two American riders who were early in the draw and whose good work got a bit lost – it’s also important in the context of Julie’s charges, to point to Debbie McDonald and the culture of tactful effective riding that she has fostered in the United States.
Paxton
The first American representative Paxton (Dante Weltino / Don Marco) is ridden by Katie Duerrhammer, coached by Debbie’s star pupil, Adrienne Lyle, and it shows, soft subtle hands, the horse really engaged, the tail relaxed all the way, and if at times it is a little behind the vertical, that I hate to tell you, is really not the end of the world.
Serenade
The second rider for the USA is Alice Tarjan, is trained by US based German Marcus Orlab, but her riding shares the same qualities that mark the Debbie McDonald School of Elegance. She is riding the black mare, Serenade MF (Sir Donnerhall / Don Principe). The mare has a wonderful uphill canter, and unlike her Dad, she tracks up behind in the trot. They really dance their way through the test, and leave the arena on the buckle. 71.435 is mean.
I was also happy to see my friend Morgan Barbaçon Mestre with Sir Donnerhall II, alias Gus, looking better than ever, and if Julie Taylor wants an antidote to her tales of uncaring hard hearted dressage rider/owners, I invite her to read Morgan’s story about how she and her family nursed Gus back to health after the vets had declared him a lost cause after an horrific accident. https://www.horsemagazine.com/thm/2019/06/morgan-and-gus-triumph-over-adversity/
Sir Donnerhall II
Today at Rotterdam they score 71.130 for a truly stylish test…
ends
Excellent article, thanks!
Jan Tönnies critisized in St. Georg online (23.06.) the potentially nationally biased judging of Dutch jury member Mariette Sanders van Gansewinkel, who will judge at the World Championships as well. In particular, she had Dinja van Liere and Thamar Zweistra way above the marks from the other judges.
And I totally agree with your description of Saphira Royal and her rider. It was a shame that she ended third in this years Wiesbaden Grans Prix Special behind Isabell Werth´s SuperB, which was tensed and had severe mistakes after a rough preparation.