Only 14 contenders for first leg of FEI World Cup in Herning
The expectations for the Danish combinations were of course high as it was the Olympic girls back in the arena.
The short Grand Prix format suits the World Cup pretty well (when watching from the side line).
Cathrine Dufour and her 18 year old Atterupgaards Cassidy did their job. Cassidy looked fit even though they performed their trot half passes way under tempo like more of the other combinations also did. Dufour showed an effortless, high quality canter tour and not least what made the clear victory in Friday evenings World Cup Grand Prix an error free test.
Heiline´s Danciera and Carina Cassøe Krüth were on fire, more settled with stronger piaffe tours but unfortunately she like lost momentum just like out of the blue after the first five well performed flying changes and dropped into trot. Of course a very costly error - and yesterday it was actually the lost victory.
3rd placed was 9 year old Hermés with Dinja van Liere. This combination just shows a lot of surplus all the way, among the highlights were the trot half passes, power supple with super bending and uphill. Lovely frame and outline all the way with a nice contact, super quality for piaffe and passage and transition, for the canter tour two errors crept in. It was also their very first indoor show at Grand Prix level.
Other Danish combinations
Nanna Merrald and Blue Hors Zack showed a strong start, supple, fit and motivated Zack. During their test maybe a bit to motivated as he look pretty strong and for some moments he becomes a big stallion with a lady in the saddle. Unfortunately errors for both series.
Bufranco and Charlotte Heering is a very harmonious pair showing a lot of correct nice things, but for the piaffe and passage tours you could wish for a bit more power and expression. They showed an error free test.
Thranegaardens Rostov and Lone Bang with their World Cup debut. Technical strong performance, for the passage tours some tensions are showing hind, but overall a very nice debut and they also took the final placement for the World Cup Grand Prix.
Rock Star and Anna Kasprzak also showed a solid performance, for some moments Rock Star becomes narrow in the frame and the balance for the trot half passes is still a difficult task. A single error creeping into the two times.
Catch up on the entire Grand Prix class here below