Von Bredow-Werndl untouchable for Special gold

Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl scooped her second gold medal of the week when coming out on top with TSF Dalera BB in tonight’s Grand Prix Special at the FEI Dressage European Championships 2021 in Hagen (GER). 

Firm favourites after their spectacular performances at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games this summer, the 35-year-old rider and her 14-year-old mare produced the highest score to help their country claim the team title for the 25th time yesterday. And tonight they won again, this time pinning team-mates Isabell Werth and Weihegold into silver while Denmark’s Cathrine Dufour and Bohemian took the bronze.

Team silver medallist yesterday, Britain’s Carl Hester, set the early target score when posting 77.310 with En Vogue. “That was as good as Tokyo if not maybe a little bit better - I got the ride I really wanted to get”, said the man who also took team bronze in Japan a few weeks ago. 

“He was steady, relaxed and calm. I always know that if he’s going to be funny it will be in the piaffes. That’s what he did yesterday (in the team competition) and he gets wilder and wilder. But tonight he was fine. All you want in a championship really is for the horse to grow. I don’t expect to win when he’s this young, but I do it in the hope that he gets better every day.

“The changes tonight were spot on, the piaffes were showing the future of what he can do because I think there’s a 10 in there for those - not tonight but they were going the right way, so I was just pleased they are progressing. And the pirouettes,”, he pointed out. 

In front

He was still in front when Werth set off with her mare, fifth-last to go. It was clear from the outset that the German pair who took European Special and Freestyle gold in Gothenburg (SWE) four years ago meant business again this evening. Before starting, Werth made sure Weihegold was listening, practically galloping down the long side of the arena before beginning her test.

“It gives her the fire, and me too!”, she said. “I knew I had to fight and take all the risk I could, she’s so experienced in this business, more in the Freestyle than the Special, but this was one of her best Specials, no big mistakes, and I’m very happy with her”, said the lady who won her first European Grand Prix Special title with the great Gigolo back in 1991 in Donaueschingen (GER). 

Big marks for piaffe, passage and pirouettes put her on a score of 81.702 for a strong lead going into the closing stages. 

Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin followed with 79.787 from her sweet little 10-year-old chestnut Gio, slotting temporarily into bronze medal spot. “It’s only his third Special and I couldn’t ask for much more. He needs more time to strengthen up, he’s getting better and better at every show and he went in there and tried and did his best, and that’s enough for me”, said the rider who took all the European Individual titles in both 2013 and 2015 with the record-breaking Valegro. However Denmark’s Cathrine Dufour immediately overtook her with a cracking test from Bohemian that was filled with power, energy and excitement.

Dufour looked well set to oust Werth from pole position but, although quickly rectified, a mistake on the final centreline proved costly. The quality of the performance was so strong however it still earned a healthy mark of 81.079. 

Reflecting

The 29-year-old Dane has been reflecting over the last few weeks. “What I felt in the last few tests was that I had to push him a bit too much in Tokyo, and that’s not at all the way I want to ride him. Today I wanted to build more trust so he doesn’t feel that I push him one thousand percent every time he goes in the ring, because I had the feeling he might not continue to perform with me if I continue to ask for more. But today he was so confident. I could have asked for more but I want to rebuild that trust and show him that it’s super-nice to be in the ring.

“What Tokyo has taught me is that less is more”, Dufour said. “He will give me the moon as long as I offer trust and space for him to grow, which I feel I forgot the last few times. Yesterday I had a nice feeling but today was even better”, she added. 

Britain’s Charlotte Fry was second-last to go with Everdale whose 78.146 slotted them in behind Dujardin, and then only von Bredow-Werndl and Dalera stood between Werth and the tenth Individual European title of her long and illustrious career. But the new world number one was placed first by all seven judges. With marks ranging from 81.277 to 86.596 their final tally was 84.271 for victory.

“Winning in front of the home crowd was great, we’re not used to it anymore. 

"When we entered the arena Dalera became even bigger, put her ears up, she was really excited and when I did the trot extensions I tried not to move because it could have brought her out of balance because she was so on fire! It’s a great feeling, especially after the Olympics, that she’s so fit and so happy again"

Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (GER)

said von Bredow-Werndl who seems to have the world at her feet right now.

Leading combinations

While the leading 15 horse/athlete combinations go through to Saturday’s Freestyle, only three can represent each country. However the new Grand Prix Special champion certainly won’t miss the cut. Von Bredow-Werndl looks set to make it a golden hat-trick, with Werth chasing her all the way.

Tonight however Werth admitted that the last couple of days have been a huge strain for a different reason entirely. Her beloved mare, Bella Rose who took triple-gold at the European Championships in Rotterdam two years ago, took ill yesterday. But fortunately there was good news tonight.  

“I’m glad to say she’s fine”, Werth said when asked about the mare who was due to be officially retired at the CHIO Aachen next week. “Yesterday I got a call from my vet to say she had a colic so I was really worried. Yesterday evening we had to take her to the clinic because this kind of colic meant you have to operate because something is in the wrong position. It’s just bad luck, it’s not a typical colic situation. So I’m really happy and very thankful to the vets. She woke up yesterday evening and this morning she ate some grass and looked really good and like normal. She will stay at the clinic a few days and if everything is normal we will then bring her home. I didn’t get much sleep last night!”, Werth admitted. 

She should rest well tonight however in the knowledge that Bella is fine. And she and Weihegold are likely to come out with all guns blazing when Saturday’s Freestyle begins.

Result here 

Expert comments from Sönke Rothenberger at FEI tv

Team bronze for Denmark - gold for Germany and silver for Great Britain

Charlotte Heering, Nanna Skodborg Merrald, Anne-Mette Binder, Cathrine Dufour and Daniel Bachmann Andersen - photo credit: H2R/Christine Prip

Denmark back at the podium

Great sport and high quality made the right podium at yesterday’s final part of the team competition at the European Championships in Hagen.

For nearly all podium combinations there were some hiccups during their tests.

Isabell Werth and Weihegold OLD - photo credit: H2R/Christine Prip

🥇Germany

For the Germans both Dorothee Schneider and Helen Langehanenberg were struggling with some technical issues from their test the first day, and going into 3rd slot with the team after day 1 was a new situation for the German team, but said that the two strong ladies Werth and Bredow-Werndl were determined to secure another team medal. Werth and Weihegold did performe a good test, but with an error for the two times, very limited walk tour and the last sparkling piaffe tours were missing, and from the sideline a very well scored test.

TSF Dalera BB and Jessica did their thing and they are on very good form coming back from Tokyo, and with an errorfree high quality test without full power they secured the German gold.

Britain’s Charlotte Fry with Everdale just finished their top performance day 1 at the European Championships - photo credit: H2R/Christine Prip

🥈Great Britain

Day 1 top performance was from British Charlotte Fry with KWPN stallion Everdale. They both looked very motivated and fresh going into another big championship and they just delivered a top performance and personal best with 77,671%. Tokyo reserve combination Gareth Hughes with Sintano van Hof Olympia showed a polish and effortless test and as always very balanced and discret aides from Gareth.

Carl and Charlotte were both performing good tests but with some minor issues for both of them. For En Vogue with Carl Hester it was a few tensions and an error for the 15 one time tempis at the diagonal, while Gio looked a bit tired body wise with some minor mistakes for the canter tour but still very well scored.

Cathrine Dufour and Bohemian - photo credit: H2R/Christine Prip

🥉Denmark

Denmarks Tokyo reserve combination Bufranco with Charlotte Heering going into the team competition with holding box from the vet check and luckily 2 hours before the start with a ✅ ACCEPTED from the re-inspection. They were showing a good test but clearly missing more power for the piaffe tours and with an error at the end of the 1 times.

Former Olympic silver medalist 16 year old mare Atterupgaard´s Orthilia and Nanna Merrald has only been at start two times before at international level back in Salzburg in January and Hagen in April, but Nanna really showed her skills also taking over this top mare and performed a super test without any technical issues, keeping Tille supple and well balanced all the way in a light frame. Only disturb for the overall picture is the often open mouth. Nanna and Tille posting Personal Best score with 75,078%.

First to go for Denmark day 2 was just 9 year old Danish Warmblood gelding Marshall-Bell with Daniel Bachmann Andersen. Since they entered the international arena together in April the big well moving gelding has develop impressively. The team Grand Prix was their just 5th international Grand Prix and personal best with impressive 76,366% - no exercise weaknesses and clearly potential for +80%.

Bohemian and Cathrine Dufour was last to go for the Danish team and they really showed a fantastic test trending 83% before going into the zigzag, best ever outline and trot extension, but unfortunately Bohemian seems to be a bit hind the aides and missing a clear change between the half passes, and then again after almost finishing the first canter pirouette Bohemian it looks as if Cathrine has to remind him being in front of her and he kind of over react to her aides - two expensive mistakes but still a bronze medal secured for the Danish team.

Germany grabs team gold yet again

In the history of the FEI Dressage European Championships, Team Germany has a formidable record. There have been 29 editions, and today they clinched the team title for the 25th time. 

Dorothee Schneider (Faustus), Helen Langehanenberg (Annabelle), Isabell Werth (Weihegold OLD) and Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (TSF Dalera BB) joined forces to pin Great Britain into silver and Denmark into bronze. It was the same side that took team gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games less than two months ago, but Langehanenberg was an alternate there and didn’t get to compete. Only von Bredow-Werndl was riding the same horse, and she posted the biggest mark in today’s Grand Prix to put the result beyond doubt.

The British were in the lead as the action resumed this morning, and Carl Hester was first into the ring for them, partnering En Vogue who earned a score of 74.845. 

Brilliant in parts

“The test was brilliant in parts and disappointing in others”, he said. “Last night (leading the scoreboard) it actually looked quite exciting! That horse gets very big scores so we did think it would be good to have a really good shot at it, it doesn’t always work like that and it didn’t work like that today but he’s come right back from the Games where he did three amazing tests with no experience. Some of the things he does are so brilliant that he makes himself a bit nervous”, the British rider explained.

“I didn’t deserve more points, there were too many mistakes, and I’m just disappointed I made mistakes because they weren’t huge mistakes”, he added, but he sees great development in the 12-year-old bay gelding now that he is getting more competition exposure. “What he’s done in one year - he’d never have gone into that arena a year ago!”, he pointed out.

It might have been a nervous night for some teams in Germany’s situation, lying third after Schneider and Langehanenberg took their turn yesterday when Denmark slotted into silver medal spot. Daniel Bachmann Andersen was the first Dane to go today, producing a lovely test for a score of 76.366 with the gelding Marshall-Bell who is only nine years old. 

But then Werth and her mare Weihegold came into the ring and you could feel the changing tide even though the German legend clearly wasn’t happy with her score. She had ridden a technically brilliant test for a mark of 79.860.

Superb

“We had just a little mistake at the end of the two-tempis where she was bit quick at the end, but the last centreline was superb so I was really happy. But a score under 80 percent. In the last three years I had just one competition with her under 80 percent and that was in Paris at the World Cup Final. But of course you have to take it sportingly….”, she pointed out.

Denmark’s Cathrin Dufour and Bohemian came really close to Werth’s leading score, always forward and brave and chasing every mark. A blip in the first canter pirouette held them back from an even bigger result however. 

Dufour was a bit like Britain’s Hester, happy and frustrated all at the same time. “It might be the best warm-up I’ve ever had, he felt fantastic, and it was almost hotter than Tokyo, but he felt really super!” she said. Several riders commented on the incredible heat that descended on the showgrounds at Hof Kasselmann today.

“We had a little misunderstanding earlier and I just managed to save it and then in the canter pirouette left he wanted to turn a tiny bit too much and I tried to correct him, maybe a little bit too roughly - he’s a hot horse so he reacts really quickly but I think I managed to sort it quickly and we had a really nice second pirouette”, she explained. The mark for the first was 3.6 but she was awarded a whopping 8.9 when the second pirouette came off really nicely. 

“Overall I’m really happy, of course a bit annoyed with that big mistake but we always have to try something new every time we go into the ring because we always want to develop. If you do the same you get the same so we have to try to push ourselves,” she pointed out wisely, adding, “my team-mates have been great here, it’s been a pleasure to watch them and it’s a pleasure to have three of our riders above 75 percent - I can’t remember when that happened last time for Denmark!”

Brilliant mark

Germany’s von Bredow-Werndl was fourth-last to go in the final group and sealed the German deal with a brilliant mark of 84.099 for a test that oozed the kind of class that spectators have come to expect from her 14-year-old Olympic double-gold mare..

“She is amazing! She was on fire but still so focused and concentrated that I couldn’t have asked for more. From the very first second to the very last second she didn’t give me any doubt!”"

Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (GER)

said the lady who has recently been named world number one. 

Asked if she felt under pressure because her team really needed a good score, especially with Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin yet to start, she admitted she did, because the margins were still a little too close for comfort.  

“It was not as easy as it was in Tokyo because in Tokyo I only had to achieve 72 percent to win gold for the team. Today was a little bit more but anyway I’m always giving my best and so is Dalera!”, she said.

Like so many of the other horses competing at the Championships this week, Dalera returned from Tokyo full of beans and still rearing to go. So much so that von Bredow-Werndl had to sit tight when starting her back in work after a short break.

“I had to make her keep walking for a few days because she was really bucking when we were hacking out!”, she said. As Hester explained earlier in the day the trip to Japan certainly didn’t seem to take much out of the Tokyo equine athletes. Peden International got permission for the horses to fly over Russia so their travel time was reduced by almost seven hours. “It made it so much easier for them”, he said.

A huge pleasure

Last of the British to go, Charlotte Dujardin and her supersweet little 10-year-old, Gio, produced a lovely test that put 79.829 on the board. It slotted her into third individually, behind Werth in second and von Bredow-Werndl at the top of the order. Germany finished on a final tally of 238.944 and Britain’s closing score was 232.345 while Denmark finished a very close third in bronze on 231.165.

Britain’s Hester insisted today’s silver medal finish was “a huge pleasure for all of us. Last night Charlotte did talk about the gold and hopefully it will happen again one day, but looking at the top you can see how experience carries the horses. Our team (of horses) at this age - we are thinking of the World Games in 2022 and Paris (Olympics in 2024) and we are just feeling so lucky to be winning medals!” he said.

With the team medals now out of the way, attention turns to tomorrow’s Grand Prix Special. The rivalry is going to be really intense again, especially since the horses are now much more familiar with the lovely Hagen arena. There’s lots more history to be made, and while von Bredow-Werndl and Dalera look set to sweep all before them over the coming days you could sense her senior compatriot’s trademark determination to continue in her role as the Queen of international Dressage. 

Isabell Werth doesn’t like being second to anyone, so maybe she might try a change of boots for tomorrow. In Tokyo where she won team gold and individual silver she sported a pair she has been wearing for 35 years - her “lucky boots”. Asked today if the ones she was wearing were new, she said “no, they are my normal boots but not my lucky boots. So maybe that was the problem today!” 

Time will tell, and the excitement will continue when the Grand Prix Special gets underway tomorrow evening at 17.00.

Don’t miss a hoofbeat…..

Results here 

Sum up from day 1 at the European Championships in Hagen

There is no place like Hagen

Big events are not only about being able to host a lot of people and horses - it’s the entire scenery. The quite intimate surroundings, different arenas, the fair area and different small places where you can enjoy a local meal and a drink just makes this place very special.

The sport

Britain’s Charlotte Fry and Van Olst Horses power stallion Everdale produced another super test bringing Britain into the lead of the team competition with impressive and well deserved 77,671%.

Denmark 🇩🇰 going into second place after the first day was kind of a fairytale. Not that often or more likely NEVER seen Germany going into day 2 at a team competition from third place!

But Danish Nanna Merrald and 15 year old former British Olympic team silver mare Atterupgaards Orthilia made this possible with a smooth expressive and well balanced test where Nanna is the one giving both Tille, the judges and the audience a “Guided Tour” of the Grand Prix. From the riders area during the test they could easily have scored even higher and everyone are impressed about the riding skills from the young Danish rider being able to take over former top horses and bringing them into yet another level of their career.

Overall an outstanding top yesterday, some issues for both Langehanenberg and Schneider yesterday bringing Werth and Bredow-Werndl into the positions of “they have to show their best” today.

Will Dufour and Bachmann Andersen keep the Danes at the podium, can Minderhoud and Van Liere make the step to the podium and Dujardin and Hester will for sure fight for their gold position.

British lead the teams after exciting opening day

On a day full of fascinating stories and great sport, Great Britain took the early lead in the Team Competition at the FEI Dressage European Championship 2021 in Hagen, Germany today. Gareth Hughes was first to go for the British side, posting 74.394 with Sintano van Hof Olympia, but it was their second-line rider, Charlotte Fry, who boosted them to pole position when producing a brilliant test with her Olympic bronze medal winning ride, Everdale, when second-last to go.

Judges Susanna Baarup (DEN), Thomas Lang (AUT), Maria Colliander (FIN), Isabelle Judet (FRA), Isobel Wessels (NED), Henning Lehrmann (GER) and Mariette Sanders van Gansewinkel (NED) awarded the pair a mark of 77.671 to leave them over two percentage points ahead of next-best horse/athlete partnership, Denmark’s Nanna Skodberg Merrald and Atterupgaards Orthilia who put 75.078 on the board. And, to the surprise of many, it is the Danes who lie second going into tomorrow’s second half of the Team event ahead of the defending champions from Germany in third.

Skodberg Merrald was delighted with the result she produced with the 16-year-old mare formerly ridden by both Britain’s Fiona Bigwood and Danish star Agnete Kirk Thinggaard. “I’ve had her for less than a year and this was the best Grand Prix I’ve ever done with her! I’m very happy that I did all I could for the team, and I couldn’t ask for more. It was what I’ve been dreaming about!”, she said.

For Germany however, things didn’t quite start as expected although Dorothee Schnieder set the early target with a nice performance with Faustus for a mark of 74.965. “It’s the first championship for him and I think it was a good start for the team” she said.

Mistakes

Her score might have been higher but for two mistakes in passage. “Sometimes when he’s not confident he tries to come behind me, and then I want to ride to the bit and there’s one or two moments when he’s not directly going to the bit and we have a mistake”, she explained. “His highlights were really the canter. It needs a bit of time to close this big canter and to balance him, but he comes more and more in a good balance. I’m proud of him!”, Schneider added.

However compatriot, Helen Langehanenberg, followed with a score of 73.960 with Annabelle. 

"She started super good but then there were some expensive mistakes so it is different than we hoped, but that’s OK - this is the sport!"

Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (GER)

said Langehanenberg’s team-mate, double-Olympic gold medallist and new world number one Jessica von Bredow-Werndl who will be fifth-last to go tomorrow afternoon.

Hughes, who slotted into individual fourth place at the end of the day, was happy to have given the British a solid start. He travelled all the way to Tokyo as team alternate but didn’t get to ride, so entering the ring today was a big relief. 

“I woke up 30 times last night, it feels like we have been building up to this for three months. It was great to be in Tokyo but emotionally it was really difficult because you have to prepare to ride and then you don’t ride. Your adrenalin goes up and down. It’s weird because you didn’t get what you want to do which is help the team. And then we had the build-up to this”, he explained.

Running on adrenalin

Fellow-Briton Fry admitted that she’s just running on adrenalin right now. After Tokyo she travelled to Verden in Germany where she claimed the Six-Year-Old title at the FEI 
WBFSH Dressage World Breeding Championship with Kjento, posting incredible scores. Just over a week later she is making the headlines at the European Championships.

“It’s been a great few months and Everdale has been amazing”, she said. “He came home so fresh from Tokyo, excited and ready to go again. He had a week off last week, I got back on on Sunday and he was feeling great still. His energy never runs out, he goes all day and he loves to work”, she pointed out.

She said he has definitely grown up since travelling to Tokyo and that he has grown more secure in the arena. “He hasn’t been tired at all, and today it really felt like we could just wait and enjoy it, I could take my time a bit more. It was a really nice feeling”, she said.

There is still another whole day of sport ahead before the Team medals are decided, and with the incredible Isabell Werth yet to go for the host country with Weihegold and British stars Carl Hester (En Vogue) and Charlotte Dujardin (Gio) also yet to strut their stuff there’s a lot more to look forward to.

But some athletes achieved something great just by competing at Hagen today. 

Mixed emotions

For Sweden’s Jacob Noerby Soerensen there were mixed emotions. Just two months ago a terrible fire destroyed his farm, and he’s still shocked from the experience. 

“I was in Denmark qualifying two horses for Verden, and on my way home I got a call from the stable that there was a fire. They didn’t think it would get so big but the whole stallion stable and the apartments and the Rehab Centre with a spa and gym for the horses were burned down. It was awful. In half an hour everything was gone. No horses were killed and the staff were super, they rescued 26 horses in half an hour, but it was a horrible, awful day”, he recalled. 

So posting 68.431 today and lying individually 20th this evening he was hugely happy with his 11-year-old stallion Moegelbejergs Romeo. “He’s a big horse, he’s only 10 and it’s my first championship so I was really, really nervous. But today made everything feel good again!”, he said.

Also feeling good was Ireland’s Carolyn Mellor who steered Gouverneur M to a score of  64.395. She’s 59 years old, groomed for some of Ireland’s top riders, grooms her own horse, lives in Comber in Northern Ireland, has competed mainly on the relatively modest Irish circuit throughout her career and is riding a 10-year-old horse who she bought as a three-year-old and who, like her, is competing in his very first championship. And she became a granny last month.

“It’s very surreal, I never thought I’d make it to this stage but it’s brilliant and I think with this horse there is much more to come!”, she said. There’s plenty more to come at the FEI Dressage European Championships too, and the action resumes at 08.30 tomorrow when Portugal’s Martim Meneres and Equador enter the arena.

Don’t miss a hoofbeat….

Results here 

20.000 euro top price colt by Vaderland at NRW Foal Auction

Versace B by Vaderland / Fidertanz - photo credit: Reckimedia

36.500 euro top price at OLD Online Elite Foal Auction

Hør karakteristik og beskrivelser af de 3 nyudnævnte guldmedaljehopper

Årets hoppe i Dansk Varmblod 2021 Valerie B e. Revolution / Blue Hors Zack, avlet af Karin og Peer Gudbrandtsen og ejet af Helgstrand Dressage, forberedt kåring og eliteskue af Bakken Dressage.

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Championatskvalifikationer på Vilhelmsborg

Video af 4 års vinderen Iron med Mette Sejbjerg Jensen

4 års videre til mellemrunden

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5 års videre til mellemrunden

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6 års videre til mellemrunden

7 års videre til mellemrunden

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Record-breaking DWB Elite Foal Auction

Saturday night at Vilhelmsborg, Aarhus in Denmark, bidders in the arena as well as online bidders were attracted by the high quality of the foal collection. 43 dressage and jumping foals were sold for an average price of 18,674 EUR which is the current record at Danish Warmblood’s foal auctions.

Alex Buchardt is the breeder of the auction highlight Slangerupgaards Josefine which was purchased by Helgstrand Dressage represented by Thomas Sigtenbjerggaard. Photo: Ridehesten.com.

Head of the DWB auction committee Ulrik Kristensen is thrilled with the outcome of the Elite Foal Auction: – Danish sport horses have achieved great popularity abroad which is the reason for the massive international attention the auction foals have received. We have had online bidders from many countries, and 21% of the sold foals were purchased by internet buyers. We experienced a great flow between the arena and the internet, and the concept of hybrid auctions is an indisputable success.

The Blue Hors Zack daughter, Zallopia out of Blue Hors Don Schufro's dam line, was sold to the owner of the Olympic DWB mare Heiline's Danciera. Photo: Ridehesten.com.

The three most sought-after auction foals were dressage fillies. Helgstrand Dressage placed the finale bid of 72,000 EUR on Slangerups Josefine by Jovian/Scolari whose dam is also the dam of the licensed stallion Flottenheimer.

The filly Fallopia by Blue Hors Zack/Bretton Woods carries Olympic bloodlines not only through her sire but also through her dam line which she shares with Don Schufro. This filly, bred by Blue Hors, was purchases for 64,000 EUR by the owners of the mare Heiline’s Danciera who placed 7th in the Olympic Freestyle.

Midnights Florentina by Knock-Out/Fürstenball is a filly that exudes Grand Prix quality, and she received many bids from abroad and was eventually purchases for a knock-down price of 47,000 EUR going to an internet bidder.

Dressage foals by Blue Hors Monte Carlo TC, Secret, Vitalis and Jameson all sold for over 30,000 EUR to buyers in Denmark as well as abroad.

View the entire collection knock down prices.

Danish Warmblood foals for the Elite Auction Saturday evening shows something extra

No 117 colt by Jameson RS2 / De Noir

Danish Warmblood breeders has proven themselves during the years presenting their foals for the regional foal shows in Denmark. At each foal show during the summer selectors from the Elite Auction are at the “ring side” watching every single prospect and Saturday evening Danish Warmblood will present the BEST selected foals at the Elite Auction.

Danish Warmblood Elite Auction comes up Saturday evening at 7 pm live from the arena at Vilhelmsborg.

Remember you can follow the final presentation LIVE at Clipmyhorse Saturday about 2.10 pm and the auction starts at 7 pm - of course also LIVE at Clipmyhorse. Remember to register ONLINE before the auction starts.

🇩🇰🇳🇴🇿🇦🇺🇸🇫🇷🇳🇱🇱🇺🇩🇪🇨🇦

The pre-bidding has started and there has already been activities and bids from all over World.

“There has been an incredible interest for this collection both from Denmark but definitely the foreign buyers are also aware of the quality produced from the Danish Warmblood breeders. We can’t wait to show the entire collection LIVE Saturday afternoon where the buyers will be able check out their favorites once more before the auction starts Saturday evening,” tells Louise Ringsbo.

Click below to watch the collection and register for the auction.

Filly power for Danish Warmblood Elite Foal Auction Saturday 4th September at 7 pm

A very attractive collection of selected foals are up for the auction on Saturday

Among the fillies for this collection H2R has chosen 5 top fillies - all with super gaits, very expressive and out of strong dam lines.

• The first filly - Aalykkes Superiella by So Perfect / Tailormade Attention. The young stallion So Perfect has shown a very nice crop of foals and he seems to inherit a very nice type, big frame and good paces.

• Logo´s Diva by Hesselhøj Donkey Boy / Fürstenball. Both Hesselhøj Donkey Boy and Fürstenball has proven themselves in the breeding, lately at WCYH in Verden with among other 5 year old World Champion Hessehøj Down Town and Bundeschampion by 4 year old mares and gelding Feine Bella by Fürstenball.

• Vendetta CL by Vitalis / Sezuan show a supple filly from one of the absolute foal top price producer Vitalis and here combined with three times World Champion Sezuan.

• Midnights Florentina by Knock Out / Fürstenball. The quite few Knock Out offsprings has been very attractive movers off the ground with good expression like himself.

• SN Astralis by Jameson RS2 / Blue Hors Armano. An expressive and well moving filly with nice open frame by the highly frequented KWPN stallion Jameson RS2.

  Judge for yourself below.

Service for you as a potential buyer

H2R will be on site at during the two days and do not hesitate to contact me if you want a sharper look or a bit of video from your favorite foals from the collection, at the stable, at hard surface or anything else.

Check out all the details about each foal here.

Did you know that Danish Olympic team horse Heiline´s Danciera has three offsprings?

Three offsprings by Heiline´s Danciera and Sezuan - private photo.

Offsprings from Olympic mare

When watching the top sport and breeding it is often mostly talking about about the sires regardless the dam has a huge genetic impact on the future offsprings.

Behind Danish top combination Carina Cassøe Krüth and Heiline´s Danciera is of course also owners. Without dedicated and enthusiastic owners the big international scene is often not a possibility for the best riders to keep their top horses due to astronomic offers.

The story about Danse and Carina started when she was just 4 year old and Carina started the education of Danse for the breeders Stald Heiline, Line Jensen and Heine Bonde Mikkelsen. During the year when Danse was 5 year old Line and Heine offered Heiline´s Danciera for sale and actually a well reputable foreign breeder was very interested but the deal failed due to some minor vet details. At the same time Ingrid and Poul Thøgersen has made some business contact with Carina, and therefore Poul contacted Heine and the deal became a reality.

The breeding

For the new owners of Heiline´s Danciera Ingrid and Poul Thøgersen this was the start of a new chapter with horses, as they both before a successful business career always been interested in horses and also got a couple of horses at the own farm in the outskirts of Odder, mid Jutland, Denmark.

“When entering this part of the horse world trying to start as a breeder at an age of 60 years old, we pretty quick found out that this part of the horse world was not our main interest, and with all respect it also felt kind of to late to gain a whole life or generations of knowledge about breeding lines, stallions and how to combine. Of course we were and are interested in this part but when comes to the “right match” we always ask some of the nerds and very experienced breeders like for example our good friend and successful breeder Karsten Bundgaard, L Horses,” tells Poul Thøgersen.

The future

“Learning from the best you never know if a breeding combination is the perfect match. Back when Danciera was 5 year old and 6 year old we successfully flushed three embryos and today we have three lovely fillies in our fields, all of them with same sire the three time World Champion for Young Horses Sezuan. The oldest is now 3 year old and will be broken in this autumn, while the two others are 2 year old, and actually they were flushed as twins but born, one a week before expected and the other eight weeks after expected. The future of all three girls will be in the hands of Carina,” says Poul.

Two foals in 2022

For now further breeding with Heiline´s Danciera will not be an option as she will 100% focus on the sport, instead Red Diamant by Glock´s Romanov / Dream of Heidelberg now expecting a foal by Franklin. Red Diamant herself is former 4th in the final at WCYH in Verden as 6 year old and successful at Prix St. Georg level together with Carina. Additionally the three year old daughter of Sezuan and Danciera now expecting an embryo by For Romance I.

The sport

“We love following the dressage sport and this is were our hearts are. Our dream with Danciera was of course to be successful in the sport together with Carina. Watching the development and partnership with Carina has been an incredible journey, and with the Olympics in Tokyo we are just over the moon and looking forward to hopefully many more exciting experiences for the two of them,” says happy horse owners Ingrid and Poul Thøgersen.

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52.000 euro top price by Vitalis sold to Denmark at Helgstrand / Schockemöhe foal auction

Here you find the entire results from the auction.

27.000 euro top price for Raven (Revolution/Christ) colt at DSP Shooting Stars Foal Auction

FEI PRESS RELEASE - Dutch and Danish stallions steal the show

Stallions from the KWPN studbook claimed both the 6 and 7-Year-Old titles while a Danish Warmblood was crowned 5-Year-Old champion at the FEI WBFSH Dressage World Breeding Championship for Young Horses which returned to Verden in Germany for the 2021 edition from 24 to 29 August. 

6-Year-Olds

Tokyo 2020 Olympic team bronze medallist, Great Britain’s Charlotte Fry, posted 94.000% in Wednesday’s 6-Year-Old qualifier with the KWPN stallion Kjento (Negro x Jazz), earning 10s for both trot and canter, and the pair never looked back. In Saturday’s Final they shone even brighter, with judges Peter Storr (GBR), Adriaan F. Hamoen (NED), Maria Colliander (FIN) and Jean-Michel Roudier (FRA) awarding them gold with a score of 96.000. Kjento earned 10s for trot, canter, submission and perspective.

Silver went to the Rheinlander stallion Escamillo (Escolar x Rohdiamant) ridden by Spain’s Manuel Dominguez Bernal who posted 93.4%, while the Hannoverian gelding For Magic Equesta (For Romance OLD x Jungle Prince) scored 86.4 for bronze with Poland’s Beata Stremler in the saddle. 

Fry is no stranger to success in these Championships, taking the 7-Year-Old title with Glamourdale in Ermelo (NED) in 2018, and in Gert-Jan Van Olst’s Kjento she has found another exceptional ride. “When I got all those 10s I got very emotional, and it is thrilling to see that everyone sees the same quality as we do. He felt his best ever, and I don’t know how to describe this horse - if you look up the word power, he is it!”, she said.

Judge Jean-Michel Roudier praised the quality of both the horses and horsemanship he witnessed.

"The improvement in breeding and riding is incredible over the last years. The winner Kjento was a happy horse like all the three medallists - a happy horse means wonderful training and it gives a wonderful willingness in the horse."

Jean-Michel Roudier 

5-Year-Olds

Germany’s Eva Moller had a sensational day in the 5-Year-Old Qualifier on Thursday when steering the Hannoverian stallion, Danciero 7 (Dancier x Fuechtels Floriscount), into pole position and the Oldenburg stallion Global Player OLD (Grand Galaxy Win T x Blue Hors Don Schufro) into third. Sandwiched in between these two was the KWPN mare Lightning Star (Ferguson x De Niro) ridden by The Netherlands Kristen Brouwer.

Danciero 7, owned by Helgestrand/Schockemohle, scored 96.600, Lightning Star posted 95.200% and Global Player OLD was awarded 95.000%. 

But in Sunday’s medal decider it was the Danish Warmblood stallion Hesselhoej Down Town (Hesselhoej Donkey Boy x Blue Hors Zack), ridden by Sweden’s Jeanna Hogberg, who grabbed the gold with an amazing score of 97.000%. The pair had finished fourth in the opening competition three days earlier, but with 10s for trot and perspective, and 9.5s for walk, canter and submission, this time they left the rest in their wake. Danciero 7 had to settle for silver with 96.600% while Lightning Star took the bronze with 92.8%. Moller’s second ride, Global Player OLD, just missed out on the podium when earning a mark of 92.600%.

Hesselhoej Down Town was real crowd pleaser. “When I got him everyone said he’s so cute and he really is, but he’s also a really fantastic horse!”, Hogberg said. “I have a great team behind me and I have a lot of support from Andreas (Helgstrand), and I think today it was a matter of riding a really solid test without faults and at the same time showing the best of the horse, and he really stayed with me”, she explained. 

Thursday’s test had been a bit disappointing, but yesterday’s performance was in a different league. “He was a bit surprised by the environment on the first day, but today he was much more relaxed”, Hogberg said. However she pointed out that the young stallion is no pushover. “He’s also the only horse at Helgstrand that I have fallen off!”, she added with a laugh. 

Brouwer was delighted with bronze for the mare Lightning Star. “I’ve been riding Lily a long time and know her well but of course with Corona I didn’t get the chance to show her a lot. But she makes me every day happy, also here, she’s always fresh and willing to work. Today maybe there was a bit more tension because there was a lot of applause when you were warming up. But she’s only five and has a great future, I hope I can ride her a lot longer”, the Dutch athlete said.

7-Year-Olds

The last Championship to be decided was the 7-Year-Olds, and Danish riders completely dominated the podium but it was the KWPN stallion Jovian (Apache x Tango) who claimed the title with Andreas Helgstrand on board.

The Helgstrand name was all over these Championships as owners, sponsors, riders and producers of top-class Dressage horses, and in Friday’s qualifier Andreas steered Jovian to victory ahead of the Danish Warmblood stallion Elverhøjs Raccolto (Sezuan 2 x Sandro Hit) ridden by his wife Marianne Yde Helgstrand.

The Hannoverian stallion Quando Unico (Quantensprung 3 x Fidertanz 2), partnered by Australia’s Simone Pearce, lined up in third while Andreas Helgstrand also finished fourth with the Danish Warmblood mare Queenpark Wendy (Sezuan 2 x Blue Hors Soprano). But in Sunday’s final only Jovian stood his ground.

A mark of 89.136 from judges Sharon Rhode (RSA), Ulrike Nivelle (GER), Maria Colliander (FIN), Mariette Sanders van Gansewinkel (NED) and Kurt Christensen (DEN) gave Jovian the title, while silver went to the Danish Warmblood gelding Blue Hors Touch of Olympic L (Don Olymbrio x Fidermark) who posted 83.965 with Denmark’s Nanna Skodberg Merrald on board. And the third Dane on the podium was Anne-Mette Strandby Hansen who steered the Westphalian gelding Eternity 75 (Escolar x Sir Donnerhal) to a score of 83.75% to pin Pearce and Quando Unico back into fourth place.

“To win with Jovian is special, he is my favourite horse. He is a PR machine for us and he will have a lot of very nice foals coming up”, said Helgstrand.

Nanna Skodborg Merrald was very pleased to take silver for the Danish Warmblood studbook. “We have had so many good horses for DWB and it is good to give back”, she said. She’s been riding Blue Hors Touch of Olympic L since he was a four-year-old and is looking forward to watching him develop. “I will go into small tour shows with him now, I think he is a future Grand Prix horse”, she added.

And Anne-Mette Skodborg Hansen had every reason to be pleased with Eternity 75 because she’s only been riding him for two months. “Cathrine Dufour trained him and this is my first competition with him!”, she said after collecting 7-Year-Old bronze.

Reflecting on another great FEI WBFSH Dressage World Breeding Championship for Young Horses, German judge Ulrike Nivelle commented that this year “we saw huge quality and the level is much better than before, both in breeding and riding. We saw more harmony and softer riding”, she concluded.

Results here 

JJ Horses and Nedergaard Dressage offsprings successful at Young Horse finals in America

Danish and Norwegian breeder success

While the European eyes has been on Verden this weekend the young horses in America took place with top Danish and Norwegian bred young horses.

Nedergaard Dressage

Danish breeder Nedergaaard Dressage was represented by the 4 year old mare with Ierlands Eden by Ierland / Krack C, owner and rider international Grand Prix rider Alice Tarjan. Ierlands Eden is one of a very few offsprings from Helgstrand Dressage stallion Ierland by Dream Boy / Jazz passing away after suffering from inguinal hernias. On a trip visiting Nedergaard Dressage back in 2019 Alice Tarjan discovered the beautiful and well moving mare. Alice and Ierlands Eden became reserve champion by the 4 year old scoring 8.616.

JJ Horses

Also Norwegian Danish Warmblood breeder JJ Horses once again were in top of the American Young Horse Championships. This time with the champion of the 5 year old division JJ Glory Day by Grand Galaxy Win / Deemster, owned by Alice Tarjan and ridden by Marcus Orlob with a record score of 9,770 in the final. (Video below).

More Danish Warmblood success in the 5 year old finals

Placed 3rd with 8,98 was Alice Tarjan with her own Danish Warmblood bred Gjenganger by Grand Galaxy Win / Blue Hors Don Schufro.

Placed 4th Møllegårdens Fashion by Florenz / L´espoir with 8,58 with Katryna Evans and owned by Cecar Parra, bred by Lone Christiansen.

Placed 5th Danish Warmblood stallion Flambeau by Fürstenball / Blue Hors Zack, also ridden by Marcus Orlob, bred by Gjeterud Gård v/Kjersti Vil, former owner JJ Horses.

Buy your next Danish Warmblood foal sired by one of the new World Champions

When Saturday´s Elite Foal Auction comes up LIVE at Vilhelmsborg the collection will also include offsprings by the new World Champions Kjento and Jovian.

Colt by Kjento / Sezuan

A lovely, well-shaped and large framed colt, extremely dynamic and elastic in all three gaits.

He has a strong top-line and an up-hill tendency which makes his entire movement course admirably uncomplicated.

Kjenzo is out of Stutenstamm 95, in Denmark better known under the synonym "Pari-tribe" which has founded one of Denmark's best mare strains, with a myriad of selected stallions, medal mares and competition horses at the highest level.

GD: Pari Moon best 2yo mare in Danish Warmblood

Selected for the Elite Foal Show

Born April 22nd
WFFS Negative
Sold without the addition of VAT

Filly by Jovian / Scolari

A wonderful filly with a strong topline and an elastic and correct movement pattern. She is well framed, elegant and has lovely expression.

Dam is also the mother of the selected stallion Slangerupgaard's Flottenheimer.
The damsire Scolari and great grand sire Don Frederico are both educated for Grand Prix level and have produced many successful dressage horses.

The foal is a half brother of Slangerupgaards Smokey

Born May 11th
WFFS
Sold with the addition of VAT

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