The least experienced today was the 10-year-old gelding Blue Hors Zepter by Blue Hors Zack / Wolkentanz II with Danish Daniel Bachmann Andersen in the saddle, and they showed why you have to watch out for them for the future. It was their just 2nd international Grand Prix (debut at CDI2 in Herning last October) and their debut at Grand Prix Special at international level (and 2nd Grand Prix Special ever).
Ending up as no 3 with just Desperados and Dante Weltino in front, and at the same time being placed 2nd by the German jugde at B, Katrina Wuest with impressive 75,532% just shows their qualities.
For Daniel Bachmann the 10-year-old Zepter is also fully his "own" product, as Daniel has been responsible for Zepters entire education from youngster towards Grand Prix, and Daniel is of course also very pleased about Zepters development and qualities, and at the same time Zepter is very focused about his job in the arena. Zepter is a horse with 3 gaits + the two extra "gaits" piaffe and passage, combined with super nice angles and natural and very regular power. All the way shown in a nice and very steady frame with good and happy expression.
With Danish "glasses" this is another very exciting combination for the future, and with just 10 years, 2020 Tokyo Olympics is for sure a very exciting goal. But for now Daniel is getting ready for the World Cup final with his 14-year-old KWPN stallion Blue Hors Zack, and at the same time Daniel has just showed Blue Hors Don Olymbrio back in great form for the recent CDI3 at Herning, Denmark.
H2R comments during their test:
Blue Hors Zepter DEN - good halt, nice forward, good extended trot, nice swing balance half pass right, good transition to passage, expressive passage, super power half pass to right, very nice in and out of extensions, good walk tour, good 1st piaffe at the spot, super sit 2nd piaffe at the spot, bit tense passage, nice transition to canter, good zig-zag canter, nice series, good extended canter with nice collection before change, bit unbalanced pirouettes, small tensions for one times, good extended trot at long side, smooth transitions and very nice final centerline.
Desperados FRH and Dante Weltino OLD
Canter pirouettes were today´s highlight from Desperados.
Desperados GER - open halt, bit unbalanced hind for extended trot, active half pass, lost bit passage out of corner (short like piaffe steps), nice flow half pass right, could be a bit sharper on the letters for transitions between passage/extended trot, good walk, good 1st piaffe, small disturb before 2nd piaffe, nice canter half passes, nice series, superb control / quality for both pirouettes, nice 1 times, some uneven passage steps at centerline, nice piaffe.
The easy and light contact just gives the WOW effect by Dante and Therese, and today a much more "rideable" Dante.
Dante Weltino OLD SWE - open halt, expressive power diagonal, nice swing half pass to right, nice transition to passage and lovely swing, power half pass, a few moments a bit quicker in right hind for passage, could stretch a bit more for extended walk, small tensions for 1st piaffe, easy 2nd piaffe with nice transition, good transition to canter, good half passes, smooth series, nice extended canter, super sit balance for pirouettes, power extended trot, nice final centerline.