Spectacular Dujardin dominates on day three of Royal Windsor Horse Show (video)

DRESSAGE: FREESTYLE BY NAME, FREESTYLE BY NATURE

Press release

Mount St John Freestyle lived up to her name, winning the FEI Al Shira’aa Grand Prix Freestyle to Music. Ridden by Olympic gold medallist Charlotte Dujardin, the pair dominated the class, running away with the victory and was the only one of the 12 combinations to break the 80% barrier with a score of 81.2%.

The nine-year-old mare produced a confident programme that made the most of her off-the-floor paces, impressive passage and extensions.

“That was only her second freestyle and it’s not something we practice at home so I am really happy. Everything she does, she does so well and I can’t ask for more, especially at this stage,” said Charlotte who rode the programme to the music ‘How To Train Your Dragon’ that was originally made for Valegro. “It was Valegro’s very first music and brings back many memories and always gives me goosebumps – and I just love riding to it.”

Carl Hester also chose to introduce Hawtins Delicato to freestyle using a former successful programme, originally used for his Olympic team gold medal horse, Uthopia. Delicato, like Freestyle, however also looked at ease performing to music.

“He felt much more rideable tonight,” said Carl who bought the British-bred gelding as a four-year-old from breeder Judith Davies, and has since bought a sibling. “He is a very exciting horse and at this stage just needs nursing along."

Former British team rider Gareth Hughes finished one better tonight to make the top three with Don Carissimo and was ‘over the moon’ with the outcome. “That is only his second outing this year and was a whole lot better than the first – he is a real trier,” said Gareth.

Once again the five British riders took the first five places, with British-based Dane Ulrik Moelgaard and Michigan completing the top six.

See the results here. 

Ændring i dommerbesætningen til udtagelse af heste til UVM 2018

Stemning Broholm 2017 - photo credit: H2R

Hvem skal udtage hestene til UVM i Ermelo?

UVM-dressurudvalget har i dag sat navn på de tre dommere, som skal udtage de ekvipager, der skal repræsentere Danmark ved UVM i dressur den 2. - 5. august 2018 i Ermelo

UVM-dressurudvalget kan i dag udsende en meddelelse om ændring i dommerbesætningen til udtagelse af heste til UVM i dressur. Grundet stort arbejdspres under DM-stævnet på Broholm har Helle Krasnik Trolle og Natalie zu Sayn-Wittgenstein desværre været nødt til at melde fra i udtagelsen af heste til UVM i Ermelo.

I Gunilla Nyman Faurby  og Birthe Lyder Nielsen har UVM-udvalget fundet to gode erstatninger for dem, og selvfølgelig som oprindeligt planlagt berider Dennis Fisker. Det betyder, at dommerbesætningen er næsten identisk med 2017, og det gik jo rigtig godt. Her kom 10 af 12 danske heste i finalen og vandt en guld- og to bronzemedaljer.

Vigtige datoer ved UVM-udtagelsen:

• 18. maj 2018: Deadline for tilmelding til UVM-iagttagelse med frasortering ved DM-stævnet på Broholm 
• 9. til 10. juni 2018: Iagttagelse med frasortering på Broholm
• 26. juni 2018: Endelig udtagelse til UVM 2018 på Vilhelmsborg

Watch Carl Hester and Hawtins Delicato 75,717% GP yesterday at Windsor (video)

Watch Charlotte Dujardin and Mount St. John Freestyle Grand Prix test from yesterday (video)

CDI4 Grand Prix at Windsor Castle won by Charlotte Dujardin and MSJ Freestyle

Lovely weather and the best backdrop with Windsor Castle for tonights internationsl Grand Prix.

Of course the start list showed a couple of very interesting combinations, and they did not let anyone down. 

2nd to go was international debut for Carl Hester with his new star 10-year old Hawtins Delicato by Diamond Hit. A very harmonius overall picture and Delicato suits Carl very well. 

Starting out with a very quick entering halt, with a bit of tension, nice diagonal, good half passes with nice balance and carriage, but with a small tension in the hand for transition between the half passes, nice halt with rein back, very regular and expressive passage with nice suspension, nice into the piaffe, lack a bit strength for the first step out of a very nice active and regular piaffe with a nice angle. Good walk tour, nice over track for the extended walk and good rhythm for the collected walk, nice big two times, superb well balanced zigzag, small error in the mid of the one times, bit over tempo final of 1st pirouette and lost balance slightly, 2nd pirouette in better balance, good quality of the canter and nice angle for the pirouettes, nice final centerline with best transition out of the piaffe today. 75,717%.

Last to go was Charlotte Dujardin with MSJ Freestyle. As expected Charlotte was riding for every single point. Strong start with power extension and lot of expression, nice half passes in good balance, open halt for rein back, smooth from extended trot into passage, super expressive passage with a lot of suspension. Lack more clear transition into piaffe with small uncertainty until Freestyle catch the piaffe rhythm, the piaffe itself is with huge sit and again it becomes a bit unbalanced for her to get straight out for the passage (same picture for all three piaffe tours), bit tense two times, nice zigzag, good one times, nice quality for pirouettes. 

The next three placed British combinations showed good tests with a couple of issues. 

Danish Ulrik Mølgaard and Michigan showed a strong start with max power diagonal, nice flow and go for half passes, good halt but bit tense rein back, 1st piaffe becomes a bit tense, while the 2nd is with more impulsion from the very nice passage, good extended walk, bit tense collected walk, bit unbalanced zigzag, nice series, pirouettes need bit more carriage on the hindlegs, lack energy for the final piaffe. 

72,543% CDI4 Grand Prix victory today at Hamburg for Kristy Oatley and Du Soleil

Kristy Oatley and Du Soleil at Herning 2018 - photo credit: H2R

The now 14 year old Du Soleil by De Niro / Caprimond is a horse which now really has settled at the international Grand Prix tour together with his long time rider Kristy Oatley. 

The quite small surrounding at the dressage arena in Hamburg did not disturb Du Soleil. Super easy and top expressive trot tour with power, but today not explosive extensions, smooth half passes and good halt with rein back. Good walk tour. Nice passage/piaffe/passage tours, just a small lack of balance out of the piaffe tours, nice series, super well balanced zig-zag, pirouettes were there is still room for improvement, but with nice control. 

Dutch young horses selected for 3rd round for WCYH in Ermelo (full list)

Next selection will be 6th and 7th June.

A huge international live streaming weekend comes up

Live stream via Clipmyhorse

• CDI4 Windsor - Thursday evening GP and Friday
• CDI4 Hamburg - Starts Thursday with Grand Prix 
• CDI5 Munich - Starts Thurday with Prix Sct. Georg

All links for the events are available at H2R calendar. 

Dufour and Cassidy getting ready for CDIO5 Nations Cup at Compiegne

When Nations Cup comes up at Compiegne the Danish team will be Cathrine Dufour with Atterupgaards Cassidy, Anders Dahl with Selten HW and Ulrik Mølgaard with Michigan. 

From the Danish national coach Nathalie zu-Sayn Wittgenstein, Dufour and Cassidy are at start in Compeigne for both testing of their outdoor form, and at the same time being able to show at CDIO5 level.

Nathalie will also be at start herself at the CDI3 big tour with her 11 year old gelding M&M´s by Michellino.

Teams for CDIO5 Nations Cup:

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Patrik Kittel: "Our sport need development"

Patrik Kittel - photo credit: H2R

A lot of suggestions has been made over time to try to improve the dressage sport, both in terms of getting more people interested in the sport and also to make general improvements. 

This time Swedish international top rider Patrik Kittel just got the point, in a very transparent and also easy way to implement.

This weekend the Swedish Ridsport published a chronicle (link below in Swedish) where Kittel expresses his thoughts about how to develop the dressage and bring it into 2018 level. 

"It is the horses that must shine, not us riders look like circus artist."

"Even the most fanatic dressage entusiast finds 50-80 combinations too much for the big championships. It gets too boring even for the judges, and it does not show an accurate picture when the competition (team competition) is held over two days."

Patrik Kittel during his clinic at this years Danish Warmblood stallion show in Herning, DEN.

Photo credit: H2R

"I have a suggestion - here you are FEI!" 

"The preliminary Grand Prix test (part of team competition) must be shortened and with own choise of music, with mandary exercises. Every exercise from the Grand Prix test as we know today must be done just one time, except for the piaffe & passage, which must be done twice. The rider must chose own music, but it is only the technical part which must be judged. The rider is making there own lines, but as described above."

"By doing the test with "own" music and own lines, every test becomes kind of unique, and it will become more interesting for the spectators and the judges. The excitement will reach another level because if you miss out an exercise you don´t get the chance later again later."

"And the 25 best individual combinations are like today qualified for the Grand Prix Special, as this test is really demanding and contains a lot of difficult exercises. Like today the 15 best from Grand Prix Special are ready for the individual freestyle. (This freestyle and the Grand Prix Special will be with same format as we know them from today)."

Link for the article in Swedish here. 

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The new Grand Prix test with 2 x 10

From H2R point of view this suggestion is exactly what the dressage sport need. As a kind of neard myself I must admit that the big championships are getting boring for the first two days with the team competitions - so this is a clear 10 for the initiative and a clear 10 for the outcome for the sport to Mr. Patrik Kittel. 

More specific about the test H2R did ask Kittel for a bit of details.

Kittel tell: "The test should be as mentioned before with just one exercise of each exercise from today´s Grand Prix test, including both entering halt and final halt, but without halt with rein back as the exercise itself is about 40-50 sec., and cutting the three extented trot tour to just one, and the making the walk tour as 15 meters of collected walk and 15 meters of extended, and at the same time keep two times the passage/piaffe/passage tours instead of three times, that makes a reduction of 1 minute and 30 seconds in total."

"And yes of course I´ve tried it and it work very well. With this change we also save the horses, so they can be even stronger for day 2 and day 3. It is easier of course, but it also makes the dressage more attractive for countries which are not so familiar with the top of our sport," says Kittel.

“This is a kind of big change, but without changing the fundamental of our sport.

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— Patrik Kittel

Lots of applause from the audience when Patrik Kittel finished his job as test rider of 5 yr old Danish Warmblood horses at Herning, DEN 2018. Photo credit:: H2R

Dorothee Schneider and Faustus - 74,872% Grand Prix Special victory at Mannheim (video)

10 year old Faustus by Falsterbo / Forrest xx is still very inexperienced at this level, but still showing a lovely test here. 

Welcome to Equitour Aalborg

Press release

During the last couple of weeks, rhinopneumonia (also known as equine herpes virus) outbreaks have been identified in Denmark and abroad. The organisers behind Equitour Aalborg have been following the development carefully and in consultation with professionals it has been decided to carry out the international event in Uggerhalne as planned on 23-27 May. This is on the condition that the situation has been stabilised and no further large breakouts occur in Denmark

– We are taking the situation very seriously. We have been consulting professionals and relevant veterinarians both nationally and internationally. After thorough consideration, we have therefore decided to carry out the event as planned, tells Jens Trabjerg from Equitour Aalborg. The event will take place at the impressive show ground at Helgstrand Academy with the international sales and training centre and stallion station Helgstrand Dressage as its closest neighbour. In the beginning of May, Helgstrand Dressage chose to take its precautions and limit the access to the entire area.

– It is important to understand that at Helgstrand Dressage and Helgstrand Academy we have not seen any signs of the virus. We are not willing to take a risk and that is why we have chosen to take these precautions to protect our horses, says Andreas Helgstrand.

More precautions

The organisers have started implementing more precautions which means that the event will be held under the same conditions and with the known risks related to housing horses from different environments. – We follow the recommendations from national and international veterinarians and this means that all participants need to sign a sworn statement confirming that their horses have not had the fever the last ten days before arrival to the showgrounds. Furthermore, the entire stable as well as the temporary show stable will be washed down with a special disinfection product that will kill any virus that may be present, Jens Trabjerg concludes.

For more information, contact Director of Equitour Aalborg, Jens Trabjerg tel. +45 40 25 49 86 or e-mail: jt@equitour.dk

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What we know about rhinopneumonia Rhinopneumonia is a disease which has existed for many years both in a form called type 1 and a form called type 4. Most horses have the virus in their body and in certain cases virus can be re-activated and make the horse excrete infection or become ill. Therefore, rhinopneumonia cannot be eliminated and from time to time, individual horses will become spontaneously ill from the virus.

Rhinopneumonia 1 causes fever, respiratory disorders, paralysis and sometimes abortion among pregnant mares. The illness usually starts as a respiratory disorder with fever and coughing. After approximately two weeks, paralysis might befall.

Rhinopneumonia 1 primarily transmits as a droplet infection from the respiratory passages both through direct contact between horses and by indirect contact via clothing, shoes, trailer, food and horse tack etc. Infection can occur through other body fluids as well.

Den kommende weekend med Nordiske mesterskaber i Kristiansand, Norge

NM dressur - senior

• Carina Cassøe Krüth
• Karin Nissen
• Rikke Svane
• Mai Tofte Olesen

NM dressur - U25

• Michala Mejlgaard Jensen
• Emma-Amalie Wraa
• Nanna Skodborg Merrald
• Victoria E. Vallentin 

Link til stævnet findes via kalenderen på H2R. I skrivende stund undersøger H2R om det er muligt at følge stævnet via livestreamning. 

Dorothee Schneider ready for Nürnberger Burg-Pokal final with First Romance and Kira Wulferding is ready with Brianna (videos)

Both qualifiers in Mannhein and Redefin today

In Mannheim Dorothee Schneider and the 8 year old First Romance by Fürst Romancier / Day Dream showed an expressive test with very nice trot tour, superb walk and a bit tension for the canter, where a couple of the changes to left were bit tense and also with an error for the 3 times. But still much more qualities than from day 1 winner Michael Klimke with Harmony´s Diabolo. Today the trot tour lack bit more balance, and for the canter tour Diabolo becomes hind the aides for the pirouettes. 3rd was Isabell Werth rider Niklaas Feilzer with the stallion Quotenkönig. Somewhat high tempo for the trot tour and lacking more balance and security for the series. 

Today´s winner ride from Dorothee Schneider here below:

Redefin

Kira Wulferding and the 7 year old mare Brianna by Bvlgari / Rohdiamant won both day 1 (video below) and today´s final qualifier with impressive 76,171%. They delivered a smooth, effortless and strong test without any technical issues. Impressive for a just 7 year old horse. 

Vitalis filly most expensive at yesterday´s HANN auction - sold for 62.000 euros

As predicted this very extra filly by Vitalis / Blue Hors Don Romanci became the most expensive - sold for 62.000 euros to a German breeder. 

Having seen the entire collection there were for sure more attractive foals which were sold for very reasonable prices. 

And also the best riding horse from H2R point of view became the most expensive - sold for 30.000 euros to France. 

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Werth 2nd again today - winner Dorothee Schneider with Faustus

Is Werth loosing ground, or are the competitors getting stronger? 

For the World Cup final, Werth became 2nd in the Grand Prix beaten by Laura Graves with Verdades, last weekend she came 2nd in Grand Prix Special in Hagen beaten by Sönke Rothenberger with Cosmo, and today Dorothee Schneider and her 10-year-old Faustus won the Grand Prix Special at Mannheim. 

A sign of "health" for the dressage sport

Is it a sign of "weakness" from the queen of dressage, or are the field of other strong combinations just getting better? 

H2R think it is a combination of both. Seen from the "sideline" Werth has been in top of everything with her 3 top horses for the last two years, and right now is facing that the strongest competitors "scents blood" if they can do a top error free test when Werth might loose points during her test. 

And it does not look like Werth has something "new" in the pipeline, like a new star for the big tour right now. But you never know - Werth is there for the sport and is for sure always dangerous and valueable for the sport when she enters the centerline. 

Today´s Grand Prix Special at Mannheim - Werth fails and Schneider is clear

Today Don Johnson was not really in the mood for dancing all the way together with Isabell, eventhough they always seems to have a kind of agreement in the ring. But today Don Johnson said no thanks for the first piaffe. He just rejects and goes backwards, but then Werth is telling him what to do and mission is completed. Costly both for the piaffe itself and the transitions, but far from a clear line from the judging panel scoring 4 - 3 - 6 - 1 - 2 for the piaffe. 71.404%.

Dorothee Schneider manage to keep her young and still quite inexperienced Faustus with her and all the way with very nice qualities and without errors. Victory scoring 74,872% with just 7 points between highest and lowest from the judges. 

Next placements

Both Borja Carrascosa with Ein Traum and Emma Hindle with Romy del Sol having some smaller issues during their tests, but both horses showing good qualities, and for Romy del Sol and Emma Hindle they are slowly getting there with the experience. This mare just have a sweet spot by H2R.

See the entire results here. 

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Two special foals of the week (videos)

Everything is just passing so quickly with all the online informations.

Sometimes you just have to stop and have a closer look, or a least get the chance to enjoy ones more. 

The two foal below both made H2R click ones more - what do you think?

73,65% international Grand Prix debut win for Nicolas Wagner (LUX) with Quater Back Junior

Quater Back Junior and Nicolas Wagner - photo credit: Lukaszkowalski.com

New young international Grand Prix combination from Luxemburg ready

Following Nicolas Wagner and Quater Back Junior from young horse classes into small tour, you were just sitting with the feeling that this combination could be very interesting for the big tour. And yesterday they just stepped into the Grand Prix scene with manor. 

The just 9 year old gelding Quater Back Junior by Quaterback/Bonheur and his 26 year old rider Nicolas Wagner entered the international Grand Prix scene yesterday at the World Cup and CDI3 event at Mariakalnok, Hungary with a very nice 73,62% debut win for the big tour. 

The overall picture was with ease and without tensions

Before entering Nicolas was just trotting around the arena not trying to adjust any buttons. Very nice start with an expressive diagonal, light and uphill with nice balance, nice half pass right with lovely crossing, small lack of bend where the balance is slightly lost. Super easy 1st piaffe/passage tour with good transitions, good walk tour with nice relaxation, 2nd piaffe with a small forward trend, good transition to canter, 2 times were correct but could be with a bit more expression, change after extended canter becomes small. Good 1st pirouette while the 2nd pirouette becomes unbalanced. Very nice final with easy centerline and super nice quality of both passage and piaffe including nice flow for transition. 

Huge step into the big tour and for sure a combination to keep an eye on for the future. 

See the results of the entire test here.

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Mannheim Grand Prix victory for Don Johnson and Isabell Werth today

Impressive arena in Mannheim placed in the middle of a sort of football arena for the Maimarkt Turnier. 

Today yet another Grand Prix win for the CV of Werth and Don Johnson. Outside the arena before entering Isabell had some of her routine stuff together with Don Johnson, as if she is just telling him to get rid of his tensions before going in, and it seems to be kind of "mission complete", as Don Johnson is focused all the way without any technical issues. Scoring 76,913%.

Dorothee Schneider takes both 2nd and 3rd place with Faustus and Fohlenhof´s Rock´n Rose. 

Faustus is still not that experienced with his just 10 years, but he is for sure in the best hands of Dorothee. Nice start but unfortunately with a small canter for the first extended trot, nice half passes, maybe not with the last suppleness, good halt with rein back. The passage still needs a bit more clear push all the time, but a lot of nice steps. The piaffe itself is with nice sit and activity and eventhough he is sitting very much he seems to be able to balance well both in and out of the piaffes. Good canter tour unfortunately with an error at the end of the 2 times, the pirouettes still needs a bit more centering. 

Fohlenhof´s Rock´n Rose showing a well balance trot tour, good halt but bit tense rein back, in general you could wish for a bit sharper push for the passage and the piaffe becomes somewhat cautious, but said that Dorothee and Rock´n Rose knows eachother very well, so for sure this is a question of timing. Solid canter tour, with super supple zigzag canter, small tension towards the end of the 2 times, but without any issues, both pirouettes becomes a bit big. 

See the entire results here. 

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FEI information and advice about the ongoing outbreaks of Equine Herpes Virus in western France

Part of informations (full document is available via link below)

Management of suspected and confirmed cases

• Contact a veterinarian immediately if disease is suspected.
• Isolate the suspected horse.
• Stop all movement on and off the premises until your vet advises and for at least 28 days.
• Disinfect and destroy bedding, clean and disinfect premises, equipment and vehicles used for horse transport.
• Maximise biosecurity – See annex: Biosecurity Information

By following this advice you will make a very important contribution to the protection of horse health and equestrian sports.

Read the entire file here. 

BIOSECURITY INFORMATION – FEI Veterinary Department - entire file here.