Few technical errors and high standard for today´s World Cup Grand Prix in Lyon
All in all a very close class today. 69% for the five lowest ranked combinations and 71% for the next four.
Seen from the buttom of the class it is a pity that French Pierre Volla and his chestnut mare Badinda Altena did not make it to the freestyle for tomorrow. An error free test with just a small issue at the beginning of his one times should have brought him into the freestyle, as his fellow countryman Ludovic Henry with After You did miss more lightness and selfcarriage throughout their test today.
Spanish Morgan Barbancon and her partner Sir Donnerhall II are getting there. Nice lightness and good balance for their test. Seems that they are developing a nice partnership in the arena, and Morgan knows where to ask for more and where she still has to wait for Sir Donnerhall. Smooth trot tour, with nice power extensions, good half passes, good passage, lack more activity for piaffe but nice obedient, superb walk tour, good canter tour where series and pirouettes still needs a bit more balance. Hopefully they will gain a lot more experience together during the next season, and then they will for sure be an active card for the Spanish team for the future.
D´Agostino and Fabienne Lütkemeier always shows their best. The 17 yr old gelding still seems to be very motivated going into the arena. And still super fit and expressive.
Cennin and Madeleine Witte-Vrees showed a strong test, but for more moments also very strong in the contact. Could be from that point that jugde at E Judet from France gave 71,7%!
Dorothee Schneider is a great rider, but today´s test was not quite a 75% test. Bit unbalanced for some moments, loosing the canter rhythmn with an error in the mid of the 2 times, and loosing the canter and balance bit out of 2nd pirouette.
Highlight of today
Highlight of today was without any doubt Kittel showing super development of the piaffes with his beautiful mare Deja. Today Kittel manage for all 3 piaffe tours to do the 12-15 piaffe steps. Nice transitions into the piaffe, but still with some tensions out, as it looks like Deja is not yet capable of using the smaller steps out. But the fact that the mare now looks much more balanced and comfortable for the exercise is just a huge achivement and development. Hat of for this kind of development in the top sport.
No "advertising" from FEI-tv about today´s live streaming
Unfortunately there was again some confusion about streaming or not streaming of today´s Grand Prix. Yesterday confirmed from Lyon organiser that there would be streaming, but unforturnately this was only available for the French viewers. And FEI-tv did not mention anything online about today´s streaming. So H2R did miss the first combination Beatrice Ferrer-Salat and Delgado doing their come-back after injury break from Beatrice, scoring 76,08% with a placement as no 3.
See the entire results here.
