Kirsten Brouwer’s Eye Catcher – he’s fun!
Story – Christopher Hector and Photos – Roz Neave
It is just a perfect final day after the qualifying days have been marred by first searing heat, followed by pouring rain, Today the sun shines on the competition arena in the middle of the Verden racecourse and soccer complex. The champs have been here for the last 14 years, but one thing for sure, next year they will be in Holland, at Ermelo, so they go out on a high.
After yesterday’s unpleasantness in the five-year-old class, we are hoping for a wonderful Six-year-old final, and we are not let down.
Kirsten Brouwer’s Eye Catcher (Vivaldi / Partout) is just that, an eye catching bounding bubbly bundle of fun. The pair explode onto the arena in the nicest possible way – Hey, I’m here! – the bright chestnut proclaims.
Okay, the contact might be just a touch tight at times, but the stallion is going somewhere, super trot for 9.3, solid walk for a 9, the canter is down a little, 8.5 but there is an 8.8 for submission and a 9.2 for general impression for an 8.96 total. As the speaker judge, Liselot Fore puts it, there are lots of highlights. But there are two exceptional stallions to come…
DSB Belantis (above) is by Benetton Dream and out of my favorite brood mare of all time, the exquisite Philharmonie (by Expo’se). She is part of the exceptional mare built up by that great leader of the stud at Neustadt-Dosse, the recently retired, Dr Jürgen Müller.
The grey stallion has the fragile beauty of a ballet dancer, but as we know, the ballet dancer’s body hides sinews of steel, and Belantis has such great balance and self-carriage, and Beatrice is one of the most elegant of riders. A couple of less-than-perfect changes, but the rest is great. The crowd is clapping as he comes down the centre line at the end of test.
“I think he’s a dancing horse,” says Ms Fore, “A pleasure to watch.”
9.8 for trot, 9.4 for walk, 9.5 for canter. The problems in the changes cost, just 9 for submission, a 9.8 for general impression for a 9.5.
Can the hot favourite, last year’s 5-year-old winner, Sezuan (Zack / Don Schufro) go round that?
Sezuan and Dorothee
We’ve had the bouncing ball, the ballet dancer, and now the… it’s hard to describe Sezuan, he has such a towering presence in the arena. The fantasy Black Stallion made real, and Dorothee Schneider is one of those great riders who you just don’t see until the final halt, they merge with the horse, their aids are invisible.
As the test goes on, the tension builds, the silence hangs heavy, just the sound of the cameras in overdrive.
Suddenly the dam breaks as the pair come up the final centre line, they are on their feet clapping. And the black stallion is so calm, like a statue in the halt, Dorothee throws him the rein, and he strolls off, gazing at the roaring crowd with interest.
9.7 trot, 9.1 walk, 10 for canter, 9.8 for submission, 10 for general appearance, 8.7 and Sezuan is once again champion at Verden.
It is such a pleasure to watch Sezuan with Schneider! What a relief to know he did not have to follow in the ruined, arrhythmic hooftracks of Akeem and Casmir under Helgstrand.
It is so refreshing to see this horse mature into a 6yo showing a much improved and relaxed way of going when compared even to last year. Showing a cleaner throat line and often just in front of the vertical with such expression in the changes. As for that final centre line – breathtaking. The relief and happiness on Schneider face said it all. I have loved this horse since I saw him as a 3yo and I am so glad he moved to Germany, mostly because Australia has access to this amazing talent via his frozen semen (it was never going to happen if he stayed in Denmark). I haven’t seen a horse who stamps his foal quite like Sezuan does.