From today´s small final qualified for the final:
Matthias Bouten and Lord Nunes looks like the new Bundeschampion for 5 year old horses
With 75 starters the German judging team were really doing a great job for yesterday´s preliminary 5 year old test. (Hope the judges from WCYH could get a tip, so that you could see the entire class the same day also at WCYH - not divided into two different days).
From watching the 5 year old horses yesterday Lord Nunes by Lord Loxlex / Jazz with Matthias Bouten in the saddle looks like Bundeschampions.
Super supple through the body, nice natural uphill frame, elasticity of the ground and top presentation, for sure there must be some more points saved for the final for this combination. Non of the other combinations were showing qualities like them, even though they just came 2nd.
The overall picture for the 5 year old horses compared to the 6 year old horses, were much better, showing much more suppleness and qualities in general.
Only the 12 best combinations are ready for the final and the last 3 for the final will qualify through the small final today. The final for the 5 year old is Sunday at 13.00 and 6 year old horses will be Saturday at 13.00.
Quote from Kittel "Denmark has one of the best breedings in the world, if not the best breeding" (video)
Patrik Kittel and Cathrine Dufour at the SAAB Top 10 press conference in Gothenburg. Photo: H2R
Kittel excited about taking part of Danish Warmblood stallionshow 2018
H2R caught a busy Patrik Kittel during the European Championships, talking a bit about next years job at Danish Warmblood stallions show, where he is going to be the test rider of the 5 year old Danish Warmblood horses qualified for the final in Herning, taking place from 7 - 11 March 2018.
Top price at Borculo Elite Foal auction 51.000 euros for a colt by Glock´s Toto Jr / Voice
Top price foal by Glock´s Toto Jr / Voice
Successful auction for Glock´s Toto Jr offsprings
Most expensive foal became no 94 by Glock´s Toto Jr / Voice sold for 51.000 euros.
Also 2nd most expensive was by Glock´s Toto Jr with Apache as damsire - sold for 41.000 euros.
See all prices here.
See all prices here.
Review of the European Championships in Gothenburg - 125.000 people visited Ullevi Stadium
Part of FEI press release
Longines FEI European Championships Gothenburg 2017
Great success in Gothenburg as European Championships brought party atmosphere to the city
During seven days in August, the city of Gothenburg was transformed in to an arena full of horses, riders and drivers and the result was a rousing success. Almost 125 000 people visited Ullevi Stadium during the Championships, 30 000 people followed the Driving Marathon in Slottsskogen City Park and Heden Arena became the meeting place and beating heart of the event that the organisers had hoped.
The Longines FEI European Championships fulfilled all the organisers’ hopes and wishes of a great event. All three championship venues attracted huge numbers of visitors and when you add the Swedish team’s excellent performance during the week, the Championships really was a success story.
The Championship week started off spectacularly by an opening ceremony in front of a nearly sold out Ullevi Stadium, where Her Royal Highness Princess Madeleine officially declared the championships open.
At Heden Arena, the venue that was free to enter, Para-Equestrian Dressage started the week. The amazing riders fought hard to earn the medals and many great moments were captured on film where the incredible interplay between rider and horse really showed. Swedish rider Louise Etzner grabbed a bronze and a silver medal. The week continued with Driving, an event that attracted huge crowd who wanted to experience the fast paced driving up close. As the Driving Marathon came around on Saturday, the streets were lined with people as the teams travelled from Heden Arena to Slottsskogen City Park, where they were greeted by 30 000 people who enthusiastically cheered the competitors on. Heden Arena was also home to the event area where shopping, restaurants and activities welcomed a great number of people during the championship week.
Ullevi Stadium hosted the Jumping and Dressage and the iconic venue impressed both riders and visitors. Sweden started strong and grabbed their first medal on Wednesday with a team bronze in Dressage. The gold went to Germany with the experienced Isabell Werth leading the way.
Not to be outshone, the Swedish jumping team responded on Friday by taking the silver in the Team Jumping event, beaten only by Ireland. As the final event of the week, the Individual Jumping, rolled around, the crowds had descended in force on Ullevi Stadium. They were there to cheer on Peder Fredricson and his incredible horse H&M All In, who reciprocated by winning the gold medal to a raucous reception from the home crowd.
The medals in the Individual Jumping was presented by Her Majesty Queen Silvia.
The best young riders (under 25) competed successfully in the Lövsta Future Challenge International in both Jumping and Dressage at Ullevi Stadium. The competition was very well received and attracted big crowds.
The Championships have received a lot of praise from visitors, the tourism and hotel trade and the sports world. Moving the horses and the events in to the city and making equestrian sport accessible to everyone was a huge success.
Foal auction Friday at Dronten
56 foals are ready for the auction - both dressage and jumping breeding
Presentation at 15.30 and auction at 19.00. Possible to follow via free live stream at www.uhorse.tv.
Watch the entire collection here.
From H2R point of view the most interesting foals here below with no 53 as the high light.
Følg med når der rides om medaljer til U25 Europamesterskaberne i Salzburg
Når EM for U25 for alvor starter i morgen i Østrigske Salzburg, er de 4 danske ekvipager klar med både landstræner Nathalie zu Sayn-Wittgenstein og chef d´equipe Kimi Nielsen på sidelinien.
Et smugkig på morgentræningen via livestreamingen ser ud til at der er super flot vejr.
Som Nathalie fortæller så er det meget hårdt selskab op mod tyskerne og hollænderne, men det er samtidig en fantastisk måde at prøve kræfter og samle erfaring. Et mesterskab i U25, er en rigtig god vej for at samle erfaring frem mod en seniorkarriere.
Alle links til stævnet findes via H2R kalenderen her.
De danske ekvipager er:
- Michala Mejlgaard Jensen / Trebiz
- Marlene Storkborg / Fritz
- Victoria Vallentin / Fabienne
- Sille Engermann / Darius
6 year old preliminary test at Bundeschampionate today
Huge imprint from Fürstenball offspring at the top of the placements
Flambeau by Fürstenball / Wolkentanz I with Anne-Katrin Pohlmeier became top score with 8.9 for today´s preliminary test at 6 yr old Bundeschampionate. A clear 10 for the walk.
Fior by Fürstenball / Sandro Hit ridden by Frederic Wandres scored 8,7.
Also both Barccardi and Nymphenburg´s First Ampere were at start and qualified with 8,4 and 8,3.
Silberstern by Silbermond / Raphael with Annabel Frenzen also one to follow for the final.
See the entire results here.
Tomorrow morning with 5 yr old preliminary test.
The prestigious German Bundeschampionate starts tomorrow
Tomorrow morning at 11.30 with 6 year old preliminary test with at total of 37 starters, including German participants from World Championship for Young Horses in Ermelo this year. See start list here.
Thursday morning at 8.00 with 5 year old preliminary test.
Remember you can follow the entire competitions via live stream at Clipmyhorse.
All available links are online at H2R calendar.
OPDATERET med kommentarer fra Nathalie og Kimi - "Det perfekte match, og det kunne jeg som rytter naturligvis tydeligt mærke, eftersom vi havde samme mål for øje" udtaler Cathrine Dufour
Kimi Nielsen under det nyligt succesfulde EM i Göteborg med Team sølv og to individuelle bronzemedaljer til Cathrine Dufour. Photo - H2R.
30. August 2017
Kimi´s farvel til jobbet som holdleder og elitechef for senior dressuren
H2R har i dag fanget både Nathalie og Kimi for et par kommentarer.
Jobbet som landstræner og holdleder levner ikke meget tid til at hvile på medaljehøsten efter sidste uges EM for seniorer. Både Nathalie og Kimi er nemlig lige nu på vej til Østrig, for at være en del af U25 teamet som er klar til EM i Salzburg.
Om Kimi´s farvel til de to vigtige poster fortæller Nathalie: "Det er bare super ærgerligt. Siden nytår med vores tætte samarbejde omkring landsholdet, som jo har været intenst og særdeles succesfuldt, men bestemt også fra min tid som rytter på landsholdet, hvor Kimi altid var klar til både at informere, lytte og svare."
"Ingen er uerstattelige, og jeg vælger at se vinklen i den retning, at en ny person på chef d´equipe pladsen helt sikkert også vil kunne bidrage med nye ideer og input. Jeg er super glad og stolt over at vi er kommet så flot fra start sammen, og den nye person til pladsen kommer ihvertfald til et topmotiveret team, både dem som lige har været i ilden, men også de ryttere som ligger lige udenfor. Kvaliteten sammenholdt med det store antal af internationale ekvipager, har aldrig været højere i dansk dressur. Vores fokus omkring seniorer har naturligt været skarp på EM, og i september bliver der lidt ro."
"For mig har de første 8 måneder i år jo været starten på mit job som landstræner, og bestemt super spændende 8 måneder. Masser af nye udfordringer som er blevet krydret med et rigtig godt samarbejde med de enkelte teams omkring landsholdet. Jeg glæder mig meget til de næste godt 3 år på posten. I oktober går mine/vores forberedelser i gang i forhold til næste års store mesterskab, nemlig VM i Tryon i USA (11. - 16. september 2018), og sideløbende håber jeg selvfølgelig at en super afløser for Kimi kan støde til," slutter Nathalie.
10 års udvikling i dansk dressur
"Det har været 10 spændende år, med masser forskellige oplevelser, som jo med sidste uges medajlehøst var en af de særlige. De sidste 8 måneder har været utrolig spændende i mit job, og der er ingen tvivl om at det arbejde Nathalie har lagt for dagen siden dag ét også har være medvirkende til EM successen. Det ses med al tydelighed på resultaterne, at DRF med Nathalie som landstræner har fået hele "landstrænerpakken".
"For 10 år siden da jeg startede på jobbet var der vel omkring fem danske internationale Grand Prix ekvipager. De seneste to år har Danmark været repræsenteret til ca. 500 CDI-starter rundt omkring i hele Europa, og flere nations cup - ret imponerende for vores lille land, og vel og mærke med gode placeringer i de forskellige felter."
"Fremtiden ligger åben for mig, og jeg har ikke lagt mig fast på hvad der skal ske, men efter 31. oktober er jeg klar til nye spændende udfordringer," slutter Kimi.
29. august
Nyhed på Rideforbund.dk i dag
Kimi stopper som elitechef og holdleder i dressur.
Efter 10 succesfulde år som holdleder for dressurlandsholdet og elite- og talentchef i dressur har Kimi Nielsen valgt at stoppe for at kaste sig over nye projekter.
Startede og slutter på toppen
Kimis første mesterskab som holdleder var OL i 2008, hvor Danmark som bekendt fik en historisk bronzemedalje for hold. Her 10 år og 10 mesterskaber senere var Kimi så igen støtten bag holdet ved EM i Göteborg i sidste uge, hvor landsholdet sikrede sig en historisk sølvmedalje, og Cathrine Dufour fik to individuelle bronzemedaljer. At talentarbejdet også har båret frugt under Kimis arbejde vidner utallige mesterskabsmedaljer i ungdomsrækkerne også om.
”Det har været en fantastisk rejse, som jeg er glad for at have været med på. Dansk dressur er stærkere end nogensinde, og vi har fået opbygget et stærkt og godt samarbejde mellem vores nye landstræner Nathalie og rytterne, hvilket præstationerne i Göteborg er et levende bevis på. Derfor føler jeg også, at det er det rigtige tidspunkt at kaste mig over nye projekter og give tøjlerne videre til nye kræfter,” siger Kimi.
Kimi fortsætter frem til 31. oktober, så hun kan følge rytterne på banen ved World Cup Herning i uge 42.
H2R har fanget Danmarks pt. bedste landsholdsrytter Cathrine Dufour, den nye EM team sølv- og dobbelte individuelle bronzevinder, for en kommentar til den overraskende nyhed fra DRF i dag.
"Jeg blev rigtig ked af det, da jeg hørte at Kimi ikke skal fortsætte som vores klippe på landsholdet. Vi skylder hende en kæmpe tak for hendes store arbejde - gennem de to sidste år (hvor jeg har været en del af landsholdet) har Kimi virkelig gjort en forskel.
Det team vi havde i år ved EM, var for mit vedkommende et team man kun turde drømme om. Kombinationen af Nathalie og Kimi virkede som det perfekte match, og det kunne jeg som rytter naturligvis tydeligt mærke, eftersom vi havde samme mål for øje, og samme tilgang til tingene.
Jeg er rigtig ked af, at Kimi ikke længere skal være en del af holdet, og vil gerne takke hende mange mange gange for hendes enorme indsats, støtte og passion for vores sport," siger Cathrine Dufour.
Thursday 31 August with Borculo Elite Foal auction
55 dressage foals will be at the auction Thursday in Borculo.
Schedule for the auction:
- 1 pm arrival of foals
- 3 pm presentation of foals 4.30 pm break
- 5.30 pm start auction
The auction is at the program at Clipmyhorse, but unfortunately without any information if it is with streaming from both presentation and auction.
The most attractive foal from H2R point of view are:
You can find the entire collection here.
Danish Warmblood Mares of the Year
Part of Danish Warmblood press release
At the Danish Warmblood Equsana Elite Show the best young mares from all over the country gather to compete for the champion titles of the year. Four 3-year-old saddle-graded mares were awarded a gold medal
The best of Danish sport horse breeding is represented at the Danish Warmblood Equsana Elite Show which takes place every year at this time at the Danish Warmblood head quaters. Top quality foals, 2-year-old fillies and young saddle-graded mares have been selected at regional foal shows and mare gradings all over the country during summer to meet in the finals at Vilhelmsborg.
Three outstanding dressage mares
Nothing less than three 3-year-old dressage mares were awarded a breeder medal in gold, eight in silver and nineteen in bronze. Among the three gold medal mares the judges selected the champion mare to be decorated with the title Danish Warmblood Dressage Mare of the Year – and she is Skovens Tzarina (bred by Kirsten Bjerregaard Hansen and Jens Lund Pedersen) out of the very successfull combination Blue Hors Zack and Blue Hors Don Schufro. Skovens Tzarina shares her dam with older brother Skovens Rafael (by Blue Hors Romanov) who is Nordic dressage champion 2017. Skovens Tzarina who was awarded 10 for her fantastic canter is owned by Andreas Helgstrand who purchased her at the Danish Warmblood Elite Foal Auction in 2014.
The very feminine and sporty Straight Horse De Milla (bred by Straight Horse ApS) by De Niro x Blue Hors Zack excelled with a very powerful trot which earned her a 10. Her dam is a full sister of international Grand Prix stallion Zonik. Gold medal mare Straight Horse De Milla is still owned by her breeders. Third gold medal dressage mare is the tall and elegant Queensparks Wendy (bred by Kurt Gosmer and owned by Helgstrand Dressage) who earned a 10 for her very uphill and ground-covering canter.
Helgstrand acquires top filly at Danish Warmblood Elite auction
Fürstenball / Blue Hors Romanov filly sold for 57.000 euros.
Danish Warmblood press release
50 out of 65 foals changed ownership at the Danish Warmblood Elite Foal Auction on Saturday night at Vilhelmsborg where Helgstrand Dressage acquired the top priced foal
In a packed show hall with 950 dining guests, the Danish Warmblood Elite Foal Auction proved to be a festive event Saturday night at Vilhelmsborg. The auction of this very attractive collection of foals was live streamed on Clipmyhorse and followed by sport horse enthusiasts in many parts of the world.
Auctioneer Casper Cassøe succeeded in selling 50 out of 65 foals (76.9%) to buyers from Austria, Denmark, Dubai and Luxemburg for a total turnover of 665,000 euro. The price highlight of the auction was the fabulous filly by Fürstenball x Blue Hors Romanov, named Vianna. She is out of the same dam line as the international dressage star Mistral Højris, and she is a regional foal show winner having scored 10 for trot.
Thomas Sigtenbjerggaard from Helgstrand Dressage was present at the auction and had his boss, Andreas Helgstrand on the telephone from the European Championships in Gothenborg. They had no doubt that Vianna was more than suitable for Helgstrand Dressage and they were very content to get the last bid on this outstanding filly at the knock-down price of 57,000 euro.
The Danish breeders are mostly known for producing dressage horses of very high international quality but there are also very successful breeders of show jumping horses and strong dam lines of international jumping blood in Denmark. An excellent representative of Danish breeding of show jumpers is the colt foal Cordento II by Cornet Obolensky x Cardento. Sold for 40,000 euro this outstanding colt foal remained on Danish hands.
Head of auction, Louise Ringsbo, has expressed her excitement about the exceptionally high quality of the foals in this collection.
– We are very pleased with the execution of the auction which has provided us with new clients and a massive interest from abroad. The foals have obtained a good price level, and we were very happy to be able to sell the foals in front of a large and supportive crowd.
Goosebumps for both rider and spectators (video of Cosmo freestyle)
Proud sister Semmieke Rothenberger together with silver brother Sönke Rothenberger
Quotes from Sönke Rothenberger from FEI press release:
Holding his silver medal this evening he said with a smile,
"If you look closely, it’s silver with a golden edge!"
Talking about his attitude to competition and his horse, Cosmo:
"I don’t go into a test thinking of what others can do and then try to be better. I go into the test trying to show in the ring everything we practice outside and today was really a day where we made a plan and we trained outside in the warm-up, and today was a day when he gave me back exactly what I was asking for and that’s just what I do it for. He is a character of a horse and I just love him the way he is, he has this shiny edge and with his ears to the front he does the most difficult movement and I get goosebumps every time!”
Replying to a question about the Dutch connection in his family:
“Maybe there’s a slight touch of orange to this medal!”
Werth wins ferocious battle for Dressage Freestyle gold
On the podium for individual Dressage Freestyle at the Longines FEI European Championships 2017 in Gothenburg, Sweden today: L to R: Sonke Rothenberger GER (silver), Isabell Werth GER (gold), Cathrine Dufour DEN (bronze). (FEI/Richard Juillart)
FEI press release
Compatriot Rothenberger pushes the legend to the limit; Denmark’s Dufour boldly takes bronze
Isabell Werth (45) secured her third Dressage gold medal of the week when topping today’s individual Freestyle at the Longines FEI European Championships 2017 in Gothenburg, Sweden. But she had to pull out all the stops to pin German team-mate Sonke Rothenberger (22) into silver medal position while, mirroring the result of yesterday’s Grand Prix Special, Denmark’s Cathrine Dufour (25) took bronze.
Multi-medalled Werth was under no illusions about the quality of the performance she needed to produce.
"We all pushed each other today. When I went in, both Weihe and me knew there was no little mini-mistake allowed, and that made it very exciting!"
Isabell Werth GER
That’s because Rothenberger is on the rise, producing stunning rides from his 10-year-old gelding Cosmo all week, joining Werth to take team gold on Wednesday, and then chasing her home in yesterday’s Grand Prix Special to finish just over a mark behind. Sweden’s Therese Nilshagen, fourth yesterday, produced the first over-80% score of today’s competition with the stunning stallion Dante Weltino before Britain’s Carl Hester and Nip Tuck fractionally improved on that to change the lead. But when Dufour, third-last to go, posted 84.560 with Atterupgaards Cassidy the real battle commenced.
Rothenberger is a young man on a mission, oozing confidence and pzazz. Mastering the most difficult movements with the greatest of ease, he marched down the final centreline to throw down a massive score of 90.614 which really put it up to his compatriot.
But Werth thrives under pressure, and she had her game face on as her Freestyle music began. Weihegold listened to her all the way, producing a flawless performance that the crowd really enjoyed. But the tension on the German rider’s face as she waited for her mark to light up the scoreboard said it all. She knew it was going to be dangerously close.
“I was really hoping it would be good enough because Weihe was a good as she could be, it was her best test so I was happy and hoping it would be enough - and it was!” she said, having edged ahead by just 0.368 marks. In fact all three medallists produced personal-best Freestyle scores today.
Werth, who also steered Weihegold to victory at the FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final in Omaha (USA) in April, couldn’t hold back the tears on the medal podium. “I was full of adrenaline when I went in to ride, so it’s a mixture of all the emotions you have during the week - I’m really grateful and thankful for what this week has brought me” said the lady who has experienced more golden moments in her extraordinary career than any other athlete in the history of equestrian sport.
Rothenberger looks like a real threat to her supremacy however. Holding his silver medal this evening he said with a smile,
"If you look closely, it’s silver with a golden edge!"
Sonke Rothenberger GER
Tonight however Werth remains the queen of all she surveys, her latest golden haul still just another good week at the office. It’s exactly 10 years since she first took European Freestyle gold at La Mandria (ITA). That was with another of her super-star rides and, looking at her final medal of the week tonight, she said, “Satchmo would be proud!”
Freestyle Individual result:
1. Weihegold OLD (Isabell Werth) GER - 90.982
2. Cosmo (Sonke Rothenberger) GER - 90.614
3. Atterupsgaard Cassidy (Cathrine Dufour) DEN - 84.560
Sonke Rothenberger GER (silver)
Talking about his attitude to competition and his horse, Cosmo:
"I don’t go into a test thinking of what others can do and then try to be better. I go into the test trying to show in the ring everything we practice outside and today was really a day where we made a plan and we trained outside in the warm-up, and today was a day when he gave me back exactly what I was asking for and that’s just what I do it for. He is a character of a horse and I just love him the way he is, he has this shiny edge and with his ears to the front he does the most difficult movement and I get goosebumps every time!”
Replying to a question about the Dutch connection in his family:
“Maybe there’s a slight touch of orange to this medal!”
Cathrine Dufour DEN (bronze)
"Cassidy was more calm today he really did everything he could, and I knew I had to be no 1 when I left the arena because I knew these two were coming. So I was really happy when I saw my score at the bit-check, and I knew these two would really ride for their lives and I’m very very happy!"
Facts and figures/event or series information
- 15 horse-and-rider combinations from 7 nations competed in today’s finale to Dressage at the Longines FEI European Championships 2017 in Gothenburg, the individual Freestyle.
- Winning rider Isabell Werth’s score of 90.982 was just short of the record European Dressage Freestyle score of 91.250 set by Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro at the 2013 edition in Herning, Denmark.
- Isabell Werth and Sonke Rothenberger were both on the the gold medal winning German team at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
- Werth and Weihegold took individual Olympic silver in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Flashquotes from Saturday´s Grand Prix Freestyle
Patrik Kittel SWE
I love riding here, this is a once in lifetime thing to be riding in here with this audience. I am super pleased with him, he was a bit tired today, but it is the third day. It is crazy how good this competion has been for us Swedes. First of all a medal but then also that we all had such high positions going in to the freestyle today.
Dorothee Schneider GER
- I am very proud of him. He is a young grand prix baby, and its the third day here. He was a bit tired but I am so happy he did a good job and we had no big mistakes. He has only been doing international shows for five months. He has a lot of potential for the future. Everyday he wants to dance, he wants to even when he is a bit tired.
Anna Zibrandtsen DEN
Unbelieveble! I never done the freestyle before, I never heard the music, I have not been riding the lines. I learned last night. I did not think I was going to make the freestyle. It was so much fun, it was like a big dream for me to go in there and ride the freestyle.
Severo Jesus Jurado Lopez ESP
- I am happy with my ride, the feeling was good and all in all I am happy, the scores are ok.
Belinda Weinbauer AUT
I must cry, it was so fantastic. You know to come in the special was huge for me, to ride the Freestyle today is even bigger. He is such a fantastic horse, he is my big star. It s the third day and I was worried he would be tired but he was so fresh and motivated.
Therese Nilshagen SWE
- I had hoped it would be a good result, but I didn´t think it would go this well.
He was so good and my horse is in very good shape. Unfortfuntantley we had a mistake in one of the tempichanges. The crowd is amazing and they give us such good energy.
Tinne Vilhelmsson SWE
Just a great feeling to ride in this arena, amazing! I wanted to try to give it all, I tried a bit to hard so he got a bit insecure with me. But overall I am so pleased with him, he has been so good this whole week.
Carl Hester GBR
I am happy, It is not my highest score in the freestyle, he was a bit spooky in the corner today. But still he is so consistent and keeps getting better. And he finsihes of so fresh after three tests this week, I am really happy with him.
Spencer Wilton GBR
- It was exciting, excilerating and nervwrecking. No I was actually very pleased with him. It is his second ever freestyle and it was lots of big asks for him today. It was a good experience for him and I am deffinately pleased with him.
Anna Kasprzak DEN
- I had many many highlights, I think my passage and piaff was good and I think he was really fresh. I had mistakes in the two tempi, that was expencive, I lost him a bit in the corner before. But I am really happy both with the feeling and with my score.
Madeleine Witte Vrees NED
- I am quite happy, I know we can be even better, I was riding bit to fast to the piruottes, that was my mistake and I can only blame myself for that. The hole picture can be a little bit expressive, but for now I am really happy with him.
Mød landsholdsdyrlægen Frederik Nielsen (video)
Frederik Nielsen er ny landsholdsdyrlæge og med for første gang. Hør lidt om hans oplevelser og de dyrlæge mæssige rutiner under Europamesterskaberne i Göteborg.
Målet var EM (video)
En top stolt Anna Zibrandtsen som slutter som nr. 6 i küren
For 4 måneder siden købte Anna Zibrandtsen hingsten Arlando. Et af målene var at kunne kvalificere sig til EM og få en plads på det danske landshold. Den del blev fakta efter et par flotte ture i Aachen, hvor ekvipagen beviste overfor både sig selv og landstræner Nathalie zu Sayn-Wittgenstein at de var et nyt kort til det danske hold.
I dag kunne Anna så ride ad midten for første gang nogensinde i kür, og ydermere bliver placeret som nr. 6 - en enestående præstation, som giver genlyd overalt.
Det danske landshold brillierede også med at faktisk alle 4 ekvipager var kvalificeret til küren, hvilket aldrig før er sket, og så slutter de 3 ekvipager som fik adgang til küren som nr. 3, 6 og 7 - dressurhistorie når det er bedst.
Med sådan en afslutning, kan landstræneren nu "læne sig tilbage", og holde en velfortjent ferie, for Danmark har nu opfyldt kravet fra Team Danmark om fortsat støtte, som betyder at der kan lægges seriøse planer for fremtiden. Kravet fra Team Danmark hed medalje til EM.
Margins at today´s freestyle scoreboard in favor of Werth (video part of press conference)
Just 0,368% difference between Gold and Silver today with 7 judges
Another great day with great sport, even though H2R favorite Sönke Rothenberger did not win the well deserved gold medal, he told at the press conference that it was actually a silvermedal with a golden edge.
Looking into the details of the scoring Sönke manage to get 7 x 10 for music and interpretation of the music. Looks like a clear we sign from the judges - this was outstanding, unfortunately still not enough to bring Sönke in from of Werth.
Sönke had just a small blip at the end of the one times when finishing a bit to close to C, but he manage to do them ones more without any issues. From there it was pure pleasure to watch, eventhough H2R is not the biggest fan of the style of music. The qualities of the exercises and the suppleness of Cosmo are just at higher level than Weihegold - and that makes the difference today seem from H2R point of view.
Atterupgaards Cassidy and Cathrine Dufour, just shows so much strength going in there knowing what to beat to be the new leader and keep herself a bronze spot. Just two smaller issues when the 2nd double pirouette becomes a bit big and the 2nd piaffe lack a bit of impulsion, but from there it was pure lightness with high quality.
So as predicted the gold battle was between Werth and Rothenberger and the bronze battle was between Dufour and Hester.
Hester is a true master, but the qualities from the horses and the quality of the exercises makes the clear difference between a medal or just outside the medals.
It’s double-gold for Werth and Weihegold as they win the Dressage Grand Prix Special
FEI press release
Germany's Sonke Rothenberger (silver) and Isabell Werth (gold), along with Denmark's Cathrine Dufour (bronze) on the podium for today's Dressage Grand Prix Special at the FEI European Championships 2017 in Gothenburg, Sweden. (FEI/Richard Juillart)
German legend sees off serious challenge from team-mate Rothenberger; young horses and riders sparkle under the spotlight
Germany’s Isabell Werth (45) and her lovely mare Weihegold waltzed their way to gold in the Grand Prix Special at the Longines FEI European Championships 2017 in Gothenburg, Sweden today. But the doyenne of world Dressage was chased to the line by compatriot, Sonke Rothenberger (22), who joined her on the top step of the team podium on Wednesday, while Denmark’s Cathrine Dufour (25) produced a brilliant performance to claim bronze.
This was Werth’s third FEI European Championships Grand Prix Special title, her first claimed with Gigolo when the Special was introduced at Donaueschingen (GER) in 1991 and the next three years later in Lipica (SLO). Team-mate Rothenberger joked afterwards that his age combined with Dufour’s matched Werth’s, but youth had to wait for its day once again today as the most medalled athlete in the history of international equestrian sport reigned supreme once more.
"Weihe is in the best form ever! It was a clear test without mistakes and with a lot of precision, so I’m completely happy! For me the challenge was to take enough risk but not too much because I knew the rest behind me want to make me angry!!"
Isabell Werth GER
Weihe translates from German as “ordains”, and so far this week that is exactly what the super mare and her extraordinary rider have done, dictating the destination of team gold with the only over-80% score two days ago and putting the biggest mark of 82.613 on the board this evening. But Rothenberger took silver with 82.479 and looks a serious future threat. “I watch the best riders and I steal with my eyes!” he said earlier in the week. It looks like it won’t be long before he’ll be stealing their limelight too. He’s confident and ambitious, and rightly so.
"I know my horse (Cosmo) can do it, and I never doubted from the first day I sat on him that he could beat anybody if things work out the way I would want, but it’s always a different story to bring it on the day, which is what Isabell is so good at….doing it on the day, on the spot when you need it and that’s what we try to work on, and that’s what we train for every day. We are getting closer and closer, but we are not quite there yet!”
Sonke Rothenberger GER
Dufour meanwhile is also in sparkling form with the 14-year-old Atterupgaards Cassidy who has been with her through “a journey from Juniors seven years ago”. Posting 79.762 she pinned Sweden’s Therese Nilshagen (34) into fourth with the stallion Dante Weltino, who like Rothenberger’s Cosmo is an exceptional talent at just 10 years old, and who earned a mark of 78.585 for an exquisitely elegant test.
The big question now is whether the Werth and Weihegold, team gold and individual silver medallists at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, can make it a hat-trick of 2017 European titles by topping tomorrow’s Freestyle in which today’s top-15 have earned a place.
Dressage Result: Grand Prix Special
1. Weihegold OLD (Isabell Werth) GER - 83.613
2. Cosmo (Sonke Rothenberger) GER - 82.479
3. atterupgaards Cassidy (Cathrine Dufour) DEN - 79.762
Sonke Rothenberger GER (silver)
Talking about talking about his family and his relationship with his horse:
“We can’t think of a life without horses! I always thought when you have a jumping horse and you jump a 1.60m obstacle you get goosebumps and the feeling of being on a roller-coaster that you can’t have that on a dressage horse - until I sat on Cosmo, and then I realised he gives me that feeling as well!”
Francis Verbeek van Rooy (NED) Judge at C
“It’s very exciting, the other two (Rothenberger and Dufour) are so young and they are the future of our sport - there are now so many young people on top level world-wide.”
Atterupgaards Cassidy and Cathrine Dufour DEN - Photo FEI/Claes Jakobsson