Christopher Hector wrote the words
Rebeccsa Ashton took the photos
The first thing to say about the Prix St Georges is that the breeders have got the recipe right – absolutely fine-tuned. Horse after horse is elegant, balanced and with an abundance of movement.
Zhaplin Langlholt
The first horse out, Charlotte Jorst’s Zhaplin Langlholt (Zonik / Stedinger), the frame is sweet, though the lovely deliberate trot is just a bit passagey. The horse is oh-so-comfortable in the test, perhaps just a bit too comfortable. You want the ones who are saying ‘let me out of here, I see Grand Prix just across those mountains…’
Discover
Next out, Benjamin Werndl’s Discover (Don Frederic / Ferragamo) is again the perfect model of a modern dressage mount, perhaps a bit more ambitious than the previous contestant, he is going brilliantly until he stuffs a pirouette, though he nails the next.
Benni will finish on 70.677 just behind Charlotte 71.647.
Flashback
Next in is Dorothee Schneider and Flashback, a son of Ingrid Klimke’s Grand Prix ride, Franziskus from a Sir Donnerhall mare. What a glorious creature this is; elegant, fluid, with a big unhurried trot, but then the stallion has problems in the walk pirouettes and the score drops right down, final score 66.618 but we are sure to see this one starring in the future…
Simone Pearce is in the arena on her seven year old mare Royal and Proud (Radisson / De Niro).
Royal and Proud
Soft, expansive, really tracking up behind and naturally up in front, the walk big and unhurried, they have gone to the lead, when suddenly it all falls apart as they go into the pirouette left, and they drop to 70.530 and seventh – but it looks as if Australia will have an exciting entry in the Seven Year old class in the World Champs in Ermelo, in a couple of months time…
Simone Pearce and Royal and Proud
Next we see the winner of the class
Quizmaster FRH and Frederic Wandres
Frederic Wandres is the consummate professional and he is showing Quizmaster FRH (Quasar de Charry / Velten Third) in grand style. Quizmaster was also a young horse star. Great extended walk – he’s is a real mover and they finish with a perfect halt. 75.059 and they have won the class…
The winners – Quizmaster and Frederic Wandres
Del Curto
Swiss rider, Andrina Suter is another who presents a stylish, correct test, this time on her Hanoverian gelding, Del Curto (Dimaggio / Wolkentanz II). They finish on 72.441 in third.
Freudentanzer.
Ingrid Klimke is riding the gelding Freudentanzer, by her Grand Prix stallion, Franziskus, out of a Rubinstein mare. This is dressage as it should be, loose through the body, no stress, comfortable in the test, but still with that feeling that this one is destined for the big tour.
Not so much as a hint of the spectacular in this test, how lucky we are that Ingrid and her father, Reiner before her, have proven time- after-time on the arenas at Soers, that the classical principles work, and produce winners. This time they finish second of 73.912.
That’s it tonight folks, we’ll be back tomorrow with the Nations Cup Grand Prix
Breeding your own star this season? See the range of top European bloodlines available in Australia
