VIDEO - Danish Nanna Merrald conquer Le Mans again and super international senior debut for Semmieke Rothenberger

Again in the 2022 edition Danish Olympic rider Nanna Merrald conquer Le Mans, today bringing a new international Grand Prix partner.

In the Grand Prix Nanna shows the 13 year old Blue Hors Zatchmo by Blue Hors Zack out of a Donnerhall / Pik Bube I dam line (full sister to Blue Hors Don Schufro). Zatchmo is former ridden by Agnete Kirk Thinggaard but has not been at international start since 2020 winter season in Wellington.

Nanna and Zatchmo has been showing for a couple of times at national level each time with clear improvements.

Good entry halt, good extension, small hiccup at K see something but Nanna keep him focused with 2 nice well balanced half passes, super halt bit cautious rein back, good diagonal with nice transition to passage, good 1st piaffe with nice side picture tiny forward trend, good walk tour, missing bit more go for extended walk, good into passage, lacking bit more activity for 2nd piaffe but well managed with good transitions, nice into canter, good series, well balanced zigzag, 1st pirouette lack bit more control, 2nd very nice balanced, good final centerline. 75,456%

More Danish imprint

Last year Danish Warmblood Tørveslettens Titanium changes stable and is now ridden by Dutch Marieke van der Putten, and they really seems to be the perfect match. The Totilas / Stedinger son shows his highlights for the piaffe and passage tours, and overall very nice qualities with power finishing with 73,348%.

Last year Anne Troensegaard and Kipling made their Grand Prix debut at Nordic Baltic Championships and has lately been doing a few national shows. Overall a very harmonious and powerful picture and with a bit more experience they definitely moves into the long list for World Championship this summer at home soil in Denmark, and Anne is a very experienced rider and was part of the Danish team at WEG in Kentucky 2010.

Kipling TSF & Anne Troensegaard - Expressive test with good power

Entering halt a tiny bit unbalanced, super power diagonal, good half passes, good halt with rein back, good diagonal, nice into passage, lacking bit more clear transition to piaffe, missing bit more energy and let go becomes bit tense for transition out, good walk tour, nice into passage, good transitions, nice active piaffe, good into canter, nice well balanced canter tour with good series and nice control for pirouettes, but unfortunately 17 one times, good into trot, power diagonal, small lost of balance in the corner, good final centerline. 72,282% - placed 4th.

Placed 5th - Flanell & Semmieke Rothenberger

Impressive international senior debut

Good entrance and halt, power balanced diagonal, good go and flow of half passes, good halt bit tense rein back, nice diagonal, smooth into expressive passage, bit unbalanced into and out of 1st piaffe, bit forward piaffe, good clear rhythm for the walk, extended walk lacking bit more over track, small unbalance for transition to passage, much better balance for transitions 2nd piaffe, good piaffe, good into canter, super nice 2 times over the full diagonal, good extended canter, well balanced forward zigzag, good 1 times, well balanced pirouettes, good final centerline. 71,892% - Great picture of an international senior Grand Prix debut.

Nannas skills and talented horses

Once again Nanna proves herself as an outstanding rider being able to find the buttons and make it look like a long time partnership with both the horses today, as she also shows the quite inexperienced Blue Hors Znickers by Blue Hors Zack. They made their International debut together last year at small tour in Compiegne and today they took the victory in the Prix St. Georg.

Blue Hors Znickers & Nanna Merrald

Smooth expressive and supple trot tour, small canter for the half pass left, but quickly back into trot and finishing the half pass well balanced, the quality of the walk is a bit limited, but clear rhythm with good pirouettes, super nice well prepared canter pirouettes, nice balance and super sit, good 4 time, line with 3 times at the diagonal and behind a plant, but from the rhythm they looked ok. Into the lead with 73,353%