Nanna Skodborg Merrald (DEN) riding Blue Hors Zepter - winners of the FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2022/23 - Neumünster (GER) - Photo credit: © FEI/www.sportfotos-lafrentz.de/Stefan Lafrentz
2 x World Class and 2 x routine makes the “Golden Cross”
The perfect match between a horse and rider is often a “ones in a lifetime” experience, of course Worlds best riders are able to produce the horses, but the perfect match is just something very special.
When watching the now 15-year old gelding Blue Hors Zepter by Blue Hors Zack / Wolkentanz II and 29 year old Danish rider Nanna Merrald, they pretty much look like the “ones in a liftetime” combination.
Blue Hors Zepter has always been a World Class horse, and he has the routine at this top level, combined with a World Class rider like Nanna bringing all her experience into their fairly new relationship makes them the “Golden Cross”.
Trainer Michael Søgaard at Nanna and Zepters side before entering the arena
The eyes on the ground
Nanna Merrald´s long time trainer Michael Søgaard was as usual again this weekend the eyes on the ground in Neumünster.
“From my point of view the target for Nanna and Zepter from the first day I was teaching them, was to be able to performe an error free test. Of course I´ve also been following Blue Hors Zepter during his already glorious career with both Daniel Bachmann Andersen and Patrik Kittel. The challenge for all riders when you do international Grand Prix is at first point to be able to performe and error free test, and from there you can start to adjust things, and hopefully still being able to keep things together without errors.”
“With Blue Hors Zepter it is not just a question about being placed or not placed, I see Zepter with his qualities and abilities in the very top of the field, when Nanna is able to show him without errors. I know Nanna, as we´ve been working together for many years now, and she has the skills and so far she has also been listening to my advices 😉, but at the same time I know she is very keen to show more from inside “the box” of Blue Hors Zepter. We both know there are more things to refine for the future.”
“The concept for the warm up for Nanna and Zepter is clear, to make him supple, no exercises just checking the aides and a single piaffe / passage tour before entering. When you see Zepter at the warm up it is far from a power warm up, but it is graceful, safe and nice, so far we just continue this concept,” tells a very satisfied trainer Michael Søgaard.
“Friday it´s World Cup time in Gothenburg, this time Nanna brings Blue Hors Zack for their 2nd qualifier, but so far I haven´t heard if she wants me to join,” tells Michael with a big smile 😁.