Christopher Hector reports from the World Young Horse Championships in Holland…
How bad is the climate crisis? Ermelo, the scene of the World Young Dressage Horse Championships, is usually essence of green, with rolling hills of purple heath, this year, the area is in the middle of a crippling drought, the heath has all turned brown and the trees are looking sad. So when the thunder roars at about six in the morning, and the heavens open, you are not about to complain, although perhaps the timing might have been better.
It’s wet and cold all day, but through the gloom, two tests shine and both are thanks to an incredibly talented 26 year old German rider, Leonie Richter – a member of Germany’s gold medal winning U21 team in 2016, where she also took home individual bronze and freestyle silver, riding Babylon, a horse she had had since a four year old, and trained herself. Now she is riding for the Helgstrand stable in Germany.
In My Mind
Leonie rode the first test of the first day, on the black stallion, In My Mind, by the buzz stallion, Asgard’s Ibiza out of a Fidermark mare. The test was just so finished, so stylish, and as the stallion relaxed and stretched, it got even better. The score of 8.68 (trot – 9.2, walk – 7.9, canter – 9.4, submission, 8.2 and 8.6 for perspective) would probably have been better later in the day when the coffee hit in and the judges warmed to the task.
Nice too, not a hint of a protesting tail, indeed the overwhelming majority of the horses also showed relaxed, unstressed tails with just a couple of exceptions. In truth the riding throughout was on the whole tactful and correct (even if there were still too many short necks). Gone the frantic super spectacular paces of yesteryear, and good riddance to all that!
Lynbergs St Paris (photo Lily Forado)
In My Mind held the lead for much of the morning, only pipped by the elegant Danish mare, Lynbergs St Paris by Blue Hors St Schufro out of a mare by Blue Hors Rockerfeller. Ridden by Victoria E Vallentin, another incredibly talented, correct young Danish rider, and the world needs as many of these as possible… Score 8.82 (9.2 / 7.8 / 9.3 / 9 /8.8 )
Vitalos (photo Ilse Schwarz – Dressage News)
But Leonie Richter was not to be outdone, she came out on the glorious chestnut stallion, Vitalos (Vitalis / De Niro) and suddenly there was sunshine, as the pair lit up the arena. Nicest, this was the most open frame we’d seen all day, and it allowed the movement to just flow through the softest of backs. So much soft, controlled power, what a horse! Into the lead – 8.86 (9.4 /8.2/ 9/8.7/ 9)
Fashion Prinz (photo – Lily Forado)
The fat lady might have been running through her scales, but there was still one more combination to compete, the elegant liver chestnut stallion, Fashion Prinz (Fürst Romancier / Sarkozy) and another rider who has been on a wave, Frederic Wandres. Here was another horse on song, and in the end it all came down to the walk, Fashion Prinz scored 9.5, while Vitalos was on 8.2. That gave Fashion Prinz a score of 89.0 (9 / 9.5 /8.5 /8.5 /9) and they will go into the final as leaders…