11 year old mare Superb by Surprice / Donautau with Isabell Werth winner of CDI4 GP Stuttgart with 73.435%
As the official retirement for 17 year old Emilio is planned to take place during next month international event in Frankfurt (according to Reiterjournal), it looks as if Werth is now stepping up again with 11 year old mare Superb as she last month made comeback in Troisdorf, as Superb has been sidelined since June 2022.
The mare looks super fit and motivated and brings a lot of basic qualities. Still during their performance Superb look as if she want to do to much and this is reflected by some either big steps or minor tension. One of the lovely part from this mare is the walk tour as she here brings both suppleness and quality for both extended and collected walk. And overall no weak exercises.
Matchball OLD & Sönke Rothenberger 2nd placed with 72.543%
Today Sönke Rothenberger was back with his fairly still new partner 11 year old gelding Matchball OLD. This spring they had some issues and challenges as the seem to be past now, and Matchball was shining today. Super supple in all three paces, nice in the frame and seems much more comfortable in the piaffe tours where he is now able to show much relaxation and no major issues for the transitions. Today the 2 times were just for the textbook of dressage at least worth 9´s, straight, uphill, full diagonal, open frame and huge through the body changes, but only rewarded with 8 - 7,5 - 7,5 - 8 - 8,5! Unfortunately judge at H Sandrine Trimborn went a bit in wrong direction with 70%.
Placed 3rd Dorothee Schneider with 11 year old Dayman, also a pretty new combination (former rider Sascha Schultz LUX) as Dorothee only has shown him at two event earlier this year, in June in Achleiten and July in Neu-Anspach. Today judge at C very experienced Ulrike Nivelle saw the combination placed 10th with 69%, but they finished with 72,261%. For most part of the test the gelding was unfortunately not fully balanced in the rhythm often showing the one frontleg clearly higher than the other.
Futher down the list
Fabienne Müller-Lütkemeier brought both her Vitalis horses for Frankfurt. With Valesco she had some issues during the beginning of the season where the piaffe tours were very limited. For this issue Fabienne seems to have found the key and he really looked good today, only with the collected walk as the weak part today.
Stuttgart look like a challenge for more of the combinations. Denoix and Katharina Hemmer were not at point as we´ve seen them for the outdoor season. Also Thiago with Matthias Rath were struggling with top tensions today.
Fie Skarsøe´s Lusitano stallion Imperador Dos Cedros look a bit tired and missing more go and flow for the trot work especially for the passage tours.