Desperados, Zaire-E and Blue Hors Zepter - top of today's CDI4 Grand Prix Special

Blue Hors Zepter and Daniel Bachmann Andersen - photo credit: Thomas Bisgaard

Blue Hors Zepter and Daniel Bachmann Andersen - photo credit: Thomas Bisgaard

The very routined combinations in front of young Blue Hors Zepter today

It looked like a bit of confusion before the first combination was about to start. Judge at C was missing, instead one of the “spectators” jumped into the presidents seat and took over the bell. Unfortunately Mr. Christoph Umbach did not show up at the right time as he had overslept, and luckily American 5-star judge Janet Foy was ready, and Dorothee Schneider could start her test with just 2 minutes delay.

Desperados and Kristina Bröring-Sprehe did a strong comeback with today’s victory, but from H2R point of view there were more things that did not bring them as far as for 78%.

Desperados FRH GER - nice start, good diagonal, lack bit more suppleness for half pass right, few steps lacking more clear push for passage, nice in and out with good extensions, good walk tour, good 1st piaffe, lack more regularity for passage after 1st piaffe, nice 2nd piaffe, early transition to canter, nice canter half passes, last change 2 times with parallel hind, nice 1 times, super extended canter full risk, super control balance 1st pirouette, nice one times, super sit and canter quality 2nd pirouette, nice transition to trot, good final piaffe some tense final passage steps.

Zaire-E showed top qualities from H2R point of view today’s winner.

Zaire E GER - sharp trot tour, lots of power for the extension/passage tours, supple half passes with nice forward energy, good walk tour, easy 1st piaffe, 2nd piaffe active on the spot with nice transitions, nice canter half passes, good 2 times, small tensions for 1 times, nice centerline with good pirouettes, easy in/out final piaffe and with super passage all the way.

Young Blue Hors Zepter was like Heike Kemmer said during the test a bit affected about the entire event today. And as Kemmer explained it is a very busy event and so much going on every time the horses are out of their box, and for a young horse like the top talented Zepter it did affect him today. Daniel Bachmann Andersen was of course very pleased about his young star and at the same time fully agreed about the considerations from Kemmer. “Today Zepter felt a little bit tired for some moments during our test, and with him it is shown with some tensions, but he is still trying his heart out all the way for me, and I’m very proud of him. This was our final centerline for 2018 and he will have have a well deserved Christmas holiday, and I feel we have made our debut into the big international stage this year being able to show his potential and qualities the best way,” Daniel says.

H2R comments during the test:

Blue Hors Zepter DEN - super halt and forward, good extension, supple half pass left, nice transition to passage, nice in and out passage/extensions, begin of passage with some smaller tensions hind, becomes better during the test, good walk tour, nice 1st piaffe many steps, 2nd piaffe nice and good transitions, tension at transition for canter, nice half passes canter, nice 2 times 1st change tiny smaller, ok 1 times small tensions, bit stocked out 1st pirouette, error 9 one times, tension 2nd pirouette, super extension long side, super final centerline. 

See the entire results here.