A special Special at Aachen

Words – Christopher Hector

Photos – Hippo Foto Media

I was a little concerned coming into Aachen. After the glorious revival of civilized riding that peaked at the London Games, over the last couple of years, we seemed to be slipping back to the bad old days of jammed, tense horses winning big classes. What would I find at the world’s greatest horse show?

For starters, the Prix St Georges was lovely: soft, relaxed tests in the main, with victory to the very stylish Quizmaster FRH ridden beautifully by Frederic Wandres. The ugly backwards lean, that has been a signature of his stables (the leaning tower of PSI) has gone completely, the young man is sitting perfectly.

Dante’s Pearl and Charlott-Maria Schürman

They were just in front of my favourites, the exquisite black mare Dante’s Pearl and Charlott-Maria Schürmann. This is dressage to make the heart glad…

So it was in also the 5* Special, the first half dozen were all comfortable in their work, not one protesting tail or jaw-breaking ‘half’ halt, they are all on the vertical or very close to it, and leave the arena cool-as, on a lovely long rein – all of them nudging 70%.

Katherina Hemmer and Denoix PCH 

I loved Katherina Hemmer and Denoix PCH in the Grand Prix, and so did the judges, the handsome chestnut gelding was grabbing the lead right up to the halt / piaffe at I, step back, levade, and that’s it. Alas it is the same in the Special, same spot, same result. It’s a pity because the pair are real stars of the future. The horse holds a special place for a few of us, since when last year’s THM/OU travel group visited the stables of Hubertus Schmidt, the great man rode Denoix, just for us, through a full working session.

German dressage fans love Katherina, they know she did it tough, no wealthy family, cleaning stalls, begging rides, deciding not to go to university, but to follow her dream. I caught up with Hubertus in the break: he’s not a gushy, emotional guy, but he was clearly shattered. “The horse warmed in perfectly… I have no words.”

Denise Neckeman and Boston STH

Are those orange jackets a warning signal? The spirit of Sjef lurks here! Looks that way when Denise Neckeman and Boston STH hit the floor. It’s awful – jammed, behind the vertical, tail protesting, mouth protesting, at least the judges are marking them down this time.

Johan and Jen…

I really don’t know what it is about the Dutch riders… in the last week our THM/OU travel group has visited two stables in Holland, Johan Hamminga and Jennifer Sékreve in Elspeet, and Bert Rutten in Weert, where we had the privilege of watching dressage training that was sympathetic, systematic, classical, and producing wonderful work. Why why why aren’t they listening to trainers like these two?

And we watched Bert school this rather special youngster – full story to follow (photo Sanne Wiering)

I didn’t see the four-star dressage but I am told that Charlotte Fry is riding Glamourdale more sympathetically, in a nice frame, that’s good, but you don’t get lots of brownie points for fixing a problem you created in the first place. I did see her five-star Grand Prix entry, Especial. The grey was super tense but still managed 10^th place on 71.935, though the judges were in a right muddle with their placings: 10 – 15 – 7 – 14 – 9.

Sadly about half way through the class, the judges in a rare (very rare) display of unity, decide they will ignore the tail, and the contact issues, and crown a new leader – Marieke van der Putten and Torveslettens Titanium with a score of 68.255 luckily the big kids haven’t come out to play yet.

Especial and Lottie, the horse is super tense, the neck gets shorter as the test goes on, this is not a nice test, he finally gets sick of Charlotte leaning back on the bits, and in the piaffe throws in a little levade. Once again, the judges are divided amongst themselves: 10 – 15 – 7 – 14 – 9.

I can still remember the old Aachen dressage arena and the line of famous trainers sitting on the short side and keeping an eye on everything that moved, and I suspect, keeping the judges in line. Then there were trainers whose views were law: Rehbein, Theodorescu, Schulten-Baumer, Boldt, Günter. Can you think of any trainer in the world today whose words carry the weight of those oldish masters?

Nadja Aaboe Sloth and Favour Gersdorf 

It would seem the Danes have unearthed a new star, 32 year old Nadja Aaboe Sloth who rode as an amateur until two years ago, before switching to international senior ranks, with her first big tour win in April of 2023 at Troisdorf. Nadja is riding Favour Gersdorf by Foundation out of a Danish jumping bred mare by the Landgraf son, Leandro. The work is calm and correct, sweetly ridden for fifth place on a 74.170 with some much better known combinations placed below them. The Danes are going to be tough at Paris.

And there standing in the support box is someone who looks very like Princess Nathalie, it would seem she has won the battle for the soul of Danish dressage.

Bluetooth and Frederic Wandres

The first time I saw Bluetooth he looked a bit like a dachshund, the wonderful outline he shows today is a tribute to Frederic Wandres’ training and riding. Everything is in rhythm, even in fairly heavy rain they shine, and go into third with a score of 76.851, just a smidgeon behind the top Dutch pair, Dinja Van Liere and Vita di Lusso.

Dinja Van Liere and Vita di Lusso

The gelding is owned by the father of the V line, Eugène Reesink, who bred his sire, Vitalis. It was in truth, a lovely test, super half passes, 8s for passage and piaffe, relaxed, correct and accurate. A well-deserved 8.3 for the final piaffe for a 76.872 final score and second place.

Isabell and Wendy

Today Isabell Werth was not looking quite so comfortable on Wendy as they circle the ring, but she is just such a competitor, so determined to fight for every point. From where I was sitting the pirouette looked large, not to the judges, 8.5. There’s a miss in the ones, you think there goes any chance of an 80 but they get very very close, 78.085 with a 79.149 from Magnus Ringmark at C, and all the judges have them first.

They are also largely in agreement on Vita di Lusso, three 2s, two 3s, but what about Frederic and Bluetooth? Are they 1^st (Isobel Wessels) or 5^th (Magnus Ringmark)? Were Especial and Lottie, 18^th (Henning Lehrmann) or 9^th (Magnus Ringmark at C – his judging reminds one of the Dorothy Parker line, ‘it doesn’t take courage to sit on the fence, just a fat arse.’)

Pity the poor judges, so many of the names that dominate their little black books, have decided to rest up for the Olympics: With Jessica, Cathrine, Steffen, Charlotte, Carl and Daniel missing, they don’t know who they should be giving the marks to. That in my opinion, is the greatest threat to dressage at future Games, the fact that the FEI is unable to produce a competent judging panel that can agree on what is right and what is wrong…