Isabell Werth and Emilio - Hagen 2017. Photo credit: Gomes Media
Convincing victory
Isabell showed a strong performance with just some minor issues and also with the great score of 81,326%.
Emilio GER - expressive extended trot, good crossing lack bit carriage, good halt bit tense rein back, easy piaffe/passage and transitions, good walk but short collected walk, ditto 2nd piaffe, small unbalanced after transition to canter, good 2 times, good zigzag, nice 1 times, good pirouettes, small tension transition to trot, power diagonal, super final including top halt.
Next placements
It became very close race for the next placed combinations, but from H2R point of view Patrik Kittel and the lightfooted mare Well done de la Roche were no 2. So much ease and lightness, with only weak point for the extended trot tours, where Well Done still miss more real push and let go.
2nd - Zaire-E is in general a kind of running a bit over the ground, but of course very well presented and without any technical issues.
Zaire GER - bit spooky end of extended trot, lack bit suppleness half pass to right, left better, bit tense rein back, nice 1st piaffe passage active expressive, nice walk, not directly into passage, 2nd piaffe not as expressive as 1st, ok 2 times, zigzag lack bit more suppleness in the body, lovely control but bit big pirouettes, super easy final.
3rd - It was Cosmo and Sönke´s first start since last years succes at the Europeans, and it became a somewhat spooky test, but of course with some glorious trot extensions.
Cosmo GER - this is EXTENDED trot, good balance for half passes, spooky corner after half pass, over the fence for rein back, back on track extended trot, nice pi/pa tour, bit tense walk tour, super transition to passage, bit big eyes for 2nd piaffe but well managed, nice 2 times, error extended canter, tense towards C, successful one times, bit tense body for pirouettes, what an angle and rhythm for the passage 😲.
4th - Well Done De La Roche SWE - nice halt, extended lack bit more let go, supple smooth half passes, nice halt with rein back, nice light piaffe light backwards trend, nice transitions, good walk, superb transition to passage, nice 2nd pa/pi/pa, smooth 2 times, extended canter nice, supple balanced zigzag, super 1 times straight and big, nice control / balance pirouettes, super timing/quality final.
5th - For Swedens Therese Nilshagen and Dante Weltino small tensions kept them out of the top today.
Dante Weltino OLD SWE - good halt and forward, superb extended trot, nice flow half passes, superb halt bit tense rein back, bit hard into piaffe, nice steps, bit unbalanced out, good walk, becomes bit hind riders aides 2nd piaffe, nice 2 times, lovely extended canter, zigzag good, error 1 times mid, huge sit pirouettes and quality, nice transition to trot, bit tense hind passage, difficult to get out of piaffe.
Danish combinations
Nice test and the best from Dahl and Selten for a long time. Today with clear series which has been a kind of issue the last couple of times. Looked more free and obedient.
7 th - Selten HW DEN - nice power diagonal, nice side picture, good flow for half passes, nice halt rein back, good extended trot, good passage lack energy for piaffe missing bit clear rhythm, good extended walk, bit tense collected walk, good passage few piaffe steps, tense transition to canter, huge 2 times, superb zigzag, nice 1 times, lack bit more clear canter for 1st pirouette, 2nd super nice, good final.
Another great performance with the inexperienced Blue Hors Zepter. This is for sure a combination to keep an eye on for the future.
8th - Blue Hors Zepter DEN - nice halt, nice extended trot, active supple half passes, super halt rein back, nice 1st passage/piaffe/passage, good walk, could be a bit sharper into passage, lovely sit balance for piaffe and super nice active, nice forward 2 times, extended canter will full risk, unbalanced into zigzag, nice 1 times, 1st bit big pirouette, 2nd lost balance, nice final.
Arlando did unfortunately show some tensions today which of course were reflected by the points.
12th - Arlando DEN - super start, expressive diagonal, smooth half passes uphill, good halt rein back, nice extended trot, super into passage, nice transitions, easy light piaffe small lack of beat, extended walk lack bit more over track, good collected walk, small tension to passage, super 2nd pi/pa, couple changes hind before 2 times, good zigzag, nice 1 times, lovely control pirouettes++, super transition to trot, nice diagonal, strong final.