10 young dressage horses are up for sale at Westphalian Spring auction - 2nd chance
If you haven´t checked out the collection yet you also have the possibility to watch the latest training videos.
Current top prices:
Here you find the entire collection.
Impressive breeder support for today´s stallion show at Van Olst Horses
The early spring weather was also lovely in Den Hout today in the Netherlands, the home town of Van Olst Horses.
This year´s stallion show was planned to be at the outdoor arena, and a huge grand stand was placed at the one long side, and around the arena it was packed with spectators - about 1.500 people were gathered around the arena for the stallion show.
All stallions were very fresh and with super presentation mainly from Lottie Fry and Phoebe Peters. The two small young ladies showed the powerful well moving stallions one after the other.
Each stallion was presented by Gert Jan van Olst himself, with a lot of extra info about the dam lines. (in Dutch). At Clipmyhorse you also had the possibility to chose with English comments during the presentation.
The entire agenda from Van Olst Horses is to bred horses for sport, and of course with focus at Van Olst Horses for the big sport.
At the presentation of Secret Lover Gert Jan was telling that for the breeders who wants to use him for their mares, it was mandatory to bring the mare to the stud. Secret Lover has super quality semen, but unfortunately he does not deliver the required amount of semen for transport, and therefore the mares must be inseminated directly at the stud. A very honest and top service information.
A few foals were shown and both Nalegro and Lantanas offspring looks very promissing. Personal favorite stallions from H2R were: Nespresso, Nalegro, Lantanas, Everest, Secret Lover, Justin, Kjento and Glamourdale.
Of course the top of the entire show was with Lottie showing her World Champions. Kjento World Champion for Young Horses and double World Champion from last year in Herning Glamourdale. They looked STUNNING, so much power, ability and quality in one package. About the offspring from Glamourdale Gert Jan was telling that some very interesting youngsters comes up as 3 year old this year (the first crop after Glamourdale became World Champion as 7 year old).
The entire stallion show is available at the archive at Clipmyhorse.
FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final - Omaha 2023
Nanna Skodborg Merrald (DEN) riding Blue Hors Zepter - second place in the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final - Omaha 2023 - Copyright ©FEI/Richard Juilliart
World Cup final no 2 - Omaha 2023
2nd place in the World Cup final 2022/2023 in their 3rd ever freestyle together. Enjoy Personal Best performance with 87,146% from 🇩🇰 Danish super combination Nanna Skodborg Merrald and 15 year old gelding Blue Hors Zepter by Blue Hors Zack / Wolkentanz II.
The German duo of Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and the fabulous TSF Dalera BB claimed the coveted FEI Dressage World Cup™ title for the second time in their spectacular career when winning the deciding Freestyle competition at the 2023 series Final in Omaha, USA tonight.
They arrived at the American fixture as firm favourites but looked vulnerable in Wednesday’s Grand Prix when the 16-year-old mare was super-excited to return to competition after a few months’ break.
Tonight however Dalera was right back in the zone that saw this superstar partnership scoop all gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and again at the FEI European Championships in 2021 before putting their names on the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Roll of Honour 12 months ago in Leipzig (GER).
Replicated
It seemed likely that Wednesday’s Grand Prix result in which von Bredow-Werndl’s compatriot and longtime legend, Isabell Werth, finished second with DSP Qantaz and Denmark’s Nanna Skodborg Merrald and Blue Horse Zepter finished third would be replicated this evening. But the Danish pair, who seem to have come out of nowhere in the last few months, produced a spectacular performance to demote five-time series champion Werth to the third step of the podium this time around.
The field was further reduced to 13 starters following the withdrawal of The Netherlands’ Marieke van der Putten’s Torveslettens Titanium RS2 this morning, but the Omaha crowd were still treated to a feast of fantastic sport. And they didn’t hold back when the riders encouraged them to join in with the excitement this evening.
Second into the ring, Lithuania’s Justina Vanagaite had them right behind her as she rode her one-handed final line with Nabab, but it was Simone Pearce and Fiderdance who were holding the lead at the halfway stage when the Australian rider’s cheeky wave at the crowd before coming to a halt was followed by the best score to date, 76.575.
Raised the game
The last remaining Dutch contender, Thamar Zweistra, raised the game when the action resumed with a super test from Hexagon’s Ich Weiss that put 78.204 on the board. “I was really proud of him”, she said, “the one-tempis were amazing, he did about 25 in a row and he was really relaxed. I had a lot of fun. He has a lot of energy and that’s what I like about him, he is always willing to work!”
But with four left to go it was Werth and DSP Qantaz who set the new standard when posting 85.671 for a performance that oozed class. The smile on her face showed that 31 years after she first won the prestigious FEI Dressage World Cup™ title, the 53-year-old athlete is enjoying herself as much as ever. And the crowd adored her Bonnie Tyler themed musical score, bursting into wild applause as she drew to a halt. She was still laughing with delight herself after leaving the ring, knowing that she had nailed her tough floor-plan.
“It was super and I was so happy! This was our best Freestyle together and he was so with me that it was perfect! I really love this Freestyle - it is so difficult and there’s no time to breathe or to think about what is going on - I’m in one tunnel and each step has to come after the next and it worked really perfect today!”, she said.
Mesmerising
But then von Bredow-Werndl took the floor, and with mesmerising piaffe/passage, and half-passes in both trot and canter that seem even more fluent than ever before, they soared out in front when putting a massive 90.482 on the board.
“She was incredible, she went in with no wet hair (sweat) because I didn’t do a lot outside, but she was so wet because of the atmosphere. It was really hot in there and she again was a little bit scared but she trusted me 100%, that was the difference tonight. I was confident and we were mirroring each other, she was confident and I got confident. She was excited but she trusted me from the very first step”, the delighted 37-year-old rider pointed out.
America’s Steffen Peters, series champion in Las Vegas (USA) back in 2009, was second-last to go and, always a crowd-pleaser and especially on home ground, he slotted in behind Werth with a mark of 83.921. Now only Skodborg Merrald and Blue Hors Zepter were left to run, and it seemed the top two places were already decided. But the Danish duo were having none of that.
There’s something very special about the relationship these two have established in a very short time. The chestnut gelding formerly ridden by both her Danish counterpart Daniel Bachmann Andersen and Sweden’s Patrik Kittel is blossoming like never before, even though he is already 15 years old.
On fire
“He was really on fire, I had to be so careful all the way around, it was a bit difficult to come back after extended canter but I’m so thrilled! My journey with him has been so short, we have only been together for four months and I have the feeling I can ask for so much more - he is amazing!”, she said after posting 87.146 which put her onto the second step of the podium.
She sees even greater potential in the year ahead. “To score higher I need to get to know him better, but for now I just need to take it easy and be happy with the way it is and I think it will come slowly. The judges have to get to know him also”, said the 29-year-old athlete who, with Zepter’s sire Blue Hors Zack, was a member of the Danish team that made history with victory at last summer’s FEI Dressage European Championship on home soil in Herning (DEN).
“He gives such an amazing feeling, he wants to do so much, already in the warm-up I could feel it and I wondered if I should have worked him more in the morning because we only did walking”, she explained.
“But I just had to work with him and make him comfortable and get him to listen to me, and he gives such a good feeling. The only thing I want to change now is the music, because I think the theme is a bit weird - “Time to say goodbye”. It is lovely music and it fits him perfectly but the theme could be a little happier so I will change that!”, she said with conviction.
French-themed
New double-champion, von Bredow-Werndl, won’t be changing her French-themed Freestyle music anytime soon however, and insisted that it is “just a nice coincidence” that she has adopted it ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
“I always loved (French singer) Édith Piaf…this music gives me goosebumps, especially on the last centreline”, she said.
Talking about her return to the sport just a couple of months after giving birth to her second child, daughter Ella Marie who arrived last August during the FEI World Championship, she said “it’s just a passion to get back in the saddle as soon as possible because I just love what I do and so do my horses, and they made it pretty easy for me to come back that fast!”
Her second win puts Germany on level pegging with The Netherlands with 13 wins each in this series which in 2023 celebrates its 36th anniversary. She has a long way to go to catch up with compatriot Werth who has five wins under her belt or Dutch superstar Anky van Grunsven who recorded a phenomenal nine victories during her amazing career. But with Dalera she is out on her own right now.
“Dalera is such a special creature to have in my life. She makes everything possible - she is a dream!”, said the newly-crowned 2023 FEI Dressage World Cup™ champion.
For the first edition of its CDI 5*, Le Printemps des Sports Équestres, from 19 to 23 April, at the Grand Parquet is making a big impact. Two riders in particular, who dominate the dressage rings and have become legendary, will be competing among the fourteen most prominent combinations currently. In Fontainebleau, the British combination made up of Charlotte ‘Lottie’ Fry and Glamourdale will come face to face with the German combination of Isabell Werth and Emilio 107 for only the second time in her career. The French riders who are in fine form will also be there with their best horses.
Karoline Rohmann med international Grand Prix debut placering i dag i St. Truiden, Belgien
Fie Skarsøe og hende 10 årige Lusitaner hingst Imperador Dos Cedros varmer op til CDI5* in Fontainebleau (19. - 23. april) med en sejr i dagens CDI3* Grand Prix in St. Truiden, Belgium i dag med 72,043%.
International Grand Prix debut og placering
H2R fangede Karoline Rohmann efter dagens international Grand Prix debut sammen med Jakas Don Louvre: “Først og fremmest er jeg jo mega stolt og glad for at have en hest jeg kan ride Grand Prix på, Don og jeg har ikke noget erfaring på det her niveau, men det her var en start over al forventning.
Min nervøsitet tog lidt over på opvarmningen så den kunne godt have været bedre, men Don hjalp mig sindssygt meget inde på banen, der er han bare en kammerat.
Der var et par fejl hist og her som nok var rutinen der manglede, men med lidt træning og noget mere rutine tror jeg på det nok skal blive rigtig godt, heldigvis bliver programmerne ikke sværere nu🙈.Og thank god for det, den zigzag travers er ikke min bedste ven endnu 😂”, fortæller en stolt Karoline.
FEI World Cup™ Finals 2023 Omaha NE (USA). FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final - Grand Prix. Dressage Riders posing for a group picture prior to competition. Photo credit: FEI
1st half of Grand Prix
After the first half of the World Cup Grand Prix Thamar Zweistra with Hexagon´s Ich Weiss were taking the lead with 73,261% with solid performance without any technical issues.
Marieke van der Putten with Danish Warmblood gelding Tørveslettens Titanium did unfortunately not bring in their last constantly improved tests as Titanium was showing some clear tensions during their test today with unbalanced extensions, still with their passage & piaffe highlights though.
Anna Buffini with Davinia was showing a solid test without big issues, overall you could wish for a bit more uphill and open frame, with more push from the hind legs.
Swedish World Cup debut pair Mazy Klovenhoj and Johanna Due Boje were showing a good test. Lots of power with some moments of tensions, but well managed from Johanna. They finish as no 10, 1st unplaced.
Jorinde Verwimp and Charmer has been very active for the last year and gaining more and more experience. Very motivated and forward going, but for some moments he looks a bit strong in the contact.
Caroline Crew and her 19 year old Tribiani showed a solid performance, and Tribiani is doing his best in the arena. Even though you now get the feeling that he is missing a bit more overall suppleness in his body. Highlights were definitely the two´s and one´s, super straight and clear.
Morgan Barbancon and her long time partner Sir Donnerhall II has not been showing since Doha and they looed a bit rusty together as Sir Donnerhall was not in the mood the piaffe tours, showing some resistance before Morgan managed to bring him in front of her aides.
American Alice Tarjan was showing her 10 year old mare Seranade MF. Lots of power for all the forward going exercises, but still missing more strength and timing for the collected work, and for most part of the test the mare did not look clearly straight in the contact.
2nd half of Grand Prix
Dalera and Jessica was not at the usual spot for the Grand Prix. Starting with an unbalanced and unsteady entering halt, the first half pass to the right where a bit of tension creeping in at the short side a few meters before going into the half pass. Lovely flow in and out of the piaffe tours. For the collected walk tour the balance is clearly missing and a half halt becomes nearly a halt by C but still rewarded with 5.5 - 4 - 5 - 4 - 6 - 5.5 - 6! First change for one times becomes with parallel hindlegs. 2nd pirouette with some sideways tendency at the end.
Franziskus and Ingrid Klimke did not show their usual highlights for the extensions, unfortunately Franziskus was clearly uneven for all trot extensions, but obviously not enough for president of the ground jury at C, German judge Katrina Wüst to ring the bell.
Blue Hors Zepter and Nanna Merrald were shining together again for the ever 3rd Grand Prix together, unfortunately two big mistakes kept them on a 3rd place (still an outstanding achivement) but for sure without the error for the two times and lost of balance into 1st pirouette they would have been much closer to the absolute top of the podium in the Grand Prix.
Suppenkasper and Peters comes with three strong USA World Cup qualifier victories, but from the “sideline” it did not look that light and easy for the Grand Prix. Overall impression missing more suppleness and lightness in the contact.
Nabab and Justina just loves the atmosphere, and Nabab is still only 10 year old and has been travelling pretty much around the world for the last year and still looks motivated and happy. Still missing the final timing but a lot to like when your watching this combination.
Quantaz and Werth were doing their stuff together and a typical Werth Grand Prix, solid without technical issues but still things to improve. And when knowing the abilities from Werth this was her “warm-up” for Friday´s final. The collected walk tour was horrible but still scoring: 5 - 4 - 6 - 5.5 - 6 - 5 - 6 .
Unfortunately no Hermes and Dinja van Liere at start, as Hermes was not fit to compete.
Last to go was Simone Pearce and Fiderdance showing a strong trot tour in good balance, the weak part is the flying changes and for the two times an error was creeping in, but Simone manage to make a clear line of one times. They finished nicely as no 7.
Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and TSF Dalera BB threw down the winning Grand Prix score as the FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2023 Final got underway in Omaha (USA) today. But it was no walk-in-the-park for the pair that claimed the series title 12 months ago while on the crest of a winning wave.
The 16-year-old mare was a little overwhelmed when entering the arena this afternoon, and as the defending champion said “she gave her best but she was too excited today, that’s why the mistakes happened and they cost a lot of points and it’s a shame. I was surprised by how tense she was!”, she added, after putting what would still turn out to be the winning score of 79.922 on the board when ninth to go of the 15 starters.
Runner-up was her compatriot and five-time champion Isabell Werth who was very pleased with DSP Qantaz who earned a mark of 77.485, while Denmark’s Nanna Skodborg Merrald ensured the result would not be a German whitewash when steering Blue Hors Zepter into third ahead of Ingrid Klimke and Franziskus who lined up in fourth.
The field was reduced by the withdrawal of The Netherlands’ Dinja van Liere and Hermes NOP, double bronze medallists at last summer’s FEI World Championship, who were due to run second-last.
Dutch High Performance Director Iris Boelhouwer explained, “today the horse was not fit to compete. Horse welfare is always our number one priority so to respect the horse he was withdrawn.”
Leading score
First into the arena this afternoon, The Netherlands’ Thamar Zweistra and Hexagon’s Ich Weiss put 73.261 on the board and that was the leading score until von Bredow-Werndl took her turn. Dalera was clearly on full alert once she saw the crowd inside the stadium however.
“When I came down the centreline I felt very confident and I don’t know why she stepped back. She was just a bit over-excited and then in the walk that was super-expensive, she couldn’t wait and it cost too many points”, she said.
On reflection she wondered if lack of competition exposure might explain the reaction of the horse with which she was like an unstoppable force when sweeping all before her at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and the 2021 FEI European Championship before lifting the coveted FEI Dressage World Cup™ title for the first time last April.
En route to this week’s Final she won both qualifiers in which she competed with Dalera, at Lyon (FRA) last October and in Basel (SUI) in January. “Maybe I should have gone to more competitions in between because usually she’s used to competing, but I didn’t have to because I was already qualified (for the Final) after those two qualifiers”, she pointed out today.
“In the warm-up she felt super like always. But anyway she is amazing, she is extremely fit and that’s what she shows. There were mistakes, but what counts is how her form and performance was in total, and everything was great except the two expensive hiccups!”
Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (GER)
Excellent start
In contrast Klimke got off to an excellent start with a perfect first halt from her 15-year-old stallion. A longtime superstar in the sport of Eventing, the German athlete was delighted with her score of 75.543.
“Yesterday was good for him that there was familiarisation with people everywhere, and the first day we were here they were already getting set up so there was lots of noise. Sometimes if noise is coming from above him he is a little bit scared, but this morning he felt so good and today he came into the arena and said here I am!”, she said proudly. She is already looking forward to Friday’s deciding Freestyle competition.
“The fact we are here in the World Cup Final is already a gift and I’m very happy to be here. I’m really looking forward to it because Franziskus really likes the music and knows it inside out so that’s our favourite part!”
Ingrid Klimke (GER)
She was immediately overtaken for runner-up spot however when Skodborg Merrald was awarded 76.165 for a lovely performance with Blue Hors Zepter.
“I think I had a really good test today. There were some expensive mistakes, I asked him for a little bit more than I have done before because I thought I could improve some things here and there, and then he got a bit tense in the canter which caused the two mistakes - in the two-tempis and before the first pirouette - but I’m really happy with him. He felt good and nice and soft and happy so that was great!”, she said.
The fact that she is acquainted with the 15-year-old gelding for a very short time made today’s result even more impressive.
“I’m only riding him since December so just three full months now and this is only our third show together - we have done just two qualifiers and then today! I really enjoy him, we like each other quite a lot and it’s good ground to be building something here”, she added. Clearly these two are still a partnership in the making.
Dislodged
However they too would be dislodged from that runner-up spot when Isabell Werth and Qantaz took their turn, putting 77.485 on the board.
“I’m really pleased with that because to have him right in shape after two days quarantine, that wasn’t easy and it was a first experience for him. Today I was completely happy because I could feel he was still a bit focused with the atmosphere, but he really tried very hard for me so it was better than I expected.”
Isabell Werth (GER)
She described Qantaz as “a very strong-minded horse, but he becomes more supple and focused and now we are more a team. We grew up together in the Corona time (during the pandemic) with no atmosphere at shows. And then we started with bigger shows in this atmosphere and that was quite difficult to bring him in and calm him down, because it was the opposite before where it was more like a training at home. It was a real challenge, but that’s why I say today I am really happy with the fact he was so with me and focused”, she explained.
She too is looking forward to Friday’s Freestyle finale which will decide the fate of the 2023 title. She knows what it is like to win in Omaha after her victory with Weihegold at this same venue back in 2017, and she’ll be giving it her best shot once again.
“The facilities for the horses here are fantastic, everything is under the one roof and it is just a short distance from the stables to the main arena so that’s fantastic. Now you feel the atmosphere building day by day, so by Friday it’s going to be really special!”
The Freestyle is scheduled for 18.15 local time on Friday evening, so don’t miss a hoofbeat….
16 combinations ready for the final
When the World Cup finals for 2022/2023 comes up Wednesday and Friday 16 combinations will be ready to fight for the prestigious title.
A total of 16 horse and rider partnerships will compete.
A total of 10 countries will be represented: Australia, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Lithuania, Netherlands, Singapore, Sweden and USA.
At 28 years old America’s Anna Buffini and Belgium’s Jorinde Verwimp are the two youngest competitors at this year’s Final.
At 58 years of age, America’s Steffen Peters is the oldest.
The first Final took place in ’s-Hertogenbosch (NED) in 1986 where Denmark’s Anne-Grethe Jensen and Marzog reigned supreme ahead of Great Britain’s Chris Bartle and Wily Trout while Switzerland’s Christine Stückelberger finished third with Rubelit von Unkelruf.
Stückelberger went on to win the next two editions partnering Gaugin de Lully.
Olympic and European champions Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and TSF Dalera BB will defend the title they won in Leipzig (GER) last year.
Five-time FEI Dressage World Cup™ champion, Germany’s Isabell Werth, will be competing in her 23rd Final.
Source: FEI
According to Dressage News: “Alisa Glinka of Moldova will not make it to the World Cup Final next week to compete her horse Aachen, cutting the dressage championship starting lineup to 16.
Alisa, 35, apparently pulled out over concerns the paperwork requirements had not been completed for Thursday’s flight.”
Danish participant and Danish judge
29 year old Nanna Skodborg Merrald will participate in her 2nd World Cup final, as she last year rode Atterupgaards Orthilia into a 5th place in the final. Nanna has actually qualified 3 horses for the final including Blue Hors Zepter which is her Omaha partner. Also Blue Hors Zack and Blue Hors St. Schufro were qualified for the final.
5* judge Leif Tørnblad replaces his country fellow Hans Christian Matthiesen for the final. It is the 7th World Cup final for Tørnblad as he was also among the judges last time the final took place in Omaha. Additionally Tørnblad has judges the finals in Lyon, 2 x s´Hertogenbosch, Leipzig and 2 x Gothenburg.
Leif Tørnblad´s wife Anne Grethe Tørnblad (former Jensen) has been participating in 6 finals. Won the first final back in 1986 with Marzog.
Schedule
Vet check is Tuesday at 15.30 local time (22.30 CET)
Wednesday at 1.15 local Omaha time (20.15 CET) is the World Cup Grand Prix.
Prize money for the Grand Prix is : 25.000 EUR Breakdown: 7.000, 5.500, 4.000, 3.000, 2.000, 1.500, 1.000, 500, 500
Friday at 18.15 local Omaha time (01.15 CET) is the World Cup Grand Prix freestyle.
Prize money for the freestyle: 275.000 EUR Breakdown: 60.000, 50.000, 40.000, 25.000, 20.000, 15.000, 13.000, 10.000, 8.000, 6.000, 5.000, 3.300, 3.300, 3.300, 3.300, 3.300, 3.300, 3.200.
Remember you can watch the finals at Clipmyhorse/FEI-tv with Premium Membership,
Price highlight of the dressage horses is Fortnite by For Romance I. (Old Art)
Saddle licensing Champion 2023 sold for 160.000 euro - Price highlight Solo Dancer by So Unique. (OLD Art)
26 stallions were ready for the annual stallion show at Helgstrand Dressage, Denmark
H2R highlights were:
First stallion in the arena was the 3 year old Senegal de Fontaine by Springbank II VH/Sezuan (out of Grand Prix mare Queenparks Wendy). We already seen his full brother for Danish Warmblood licensing, but this boy definitely looks even more attractive both from type and movements.
The lovely well moving grey stallion Proud James by Jameson RS2 / Johnson did not disappoint. Natural power, uphill and well balanced in all 3 gaits.
Straight Horse Leonardo by Lord Europe / De Niro (out of Danish Warmblood gold medal mare De Milla) shows his qualities once again, maybe not as fresh as we recently saw him for Danish Warmblood stallion licensing but still the best of the 3 year old stallions from Helgstrand collection this year.
Lord Europe by Lord Leatherdale / Boston is now 7 year old, and it look as if he stamps his offsprings with expression, suppleness and super canter, even though he does not show the most attractive hindlegs for the trot work himself.
4 year old KWPN stallion Opoque by All at Once / Davino V.O.D. has always been super attractive, and he has developed super nicely under his daily rider Mette Sejbjerg Jensen.
5 year old About You II by AC/DC / Escobar (the dam has produced two licensed stallions) - lots of power of the ground with super tact and push and super angle from behind. Trot and walk the absolut highlights for today, but usually he also brings a very powerful canter.
The full stallion show is available at Clipmyhorse archive.
The 11 year old gelding by Blue Hors Don Schufro / Johnson is a powerful and strong horse. Only weak point is the walk where he scores 6,4 for extended walk tour and 6,5 for collected walk tour, rest of the test is with good expression, supple and with high overall qualities. A really top horse for Marlies van Baalen and a serious contender for the Dutch team this year.
Placed 2nd Emma Kanerva with Mist of Titanium OLD. The big now 11 year old son of Millennium beginning to look stronger for the entire test. He is from nature very supple and with three very nice paces. The abilities has been obvious but the final strength has been missing for more moment. In this test Emma was able to show him without any technical issues and with good power all the way.
3rd was Patrik Kittel with Well Done de la Roche, somewhat conservative trot tour, with easy piaffe/passage tours, the walk lacking more supple and balance for both extended and collected walk tour. They produce a solid canter tour.
Top of CDI4 for GPFS
Here you find the entire auction prices.
The spring weather is still very much on and off and with even earlier start of the outdoor season with Festival 4 Dressage also offers a bit of everything for the combinations at start this weekend in Aachen.
The beautiful main arena just gives a very special atmosphere, as so many highlights of the sport has been captured at Deutsche Bank stadium.
Thursday with CDI4 Grand Prix
Winner Matthias Rath with 10 year old stallion Destacado FRH, showed a well balance trot tour with supple half passes and nice extensions, the walk tour is super but could show a bit more let go, nice passage but piaffe tours are lacking bit more power and sit, strong canter tour with a bit unbalanced 1st pirouette. 73,913%.
Patrik Kittel with Forever Young showed a strong performance without any technical issues. The half pass left was lacking bit more clear balance, the extended walk lacking bit more balance and relaxation over the back and flow, while the transition to canter became somewhat unbalanced. 73.326%
Fabienne Valencia AS and Fabienne Müller-Lutkemeier is back at competition after her 2nd baby break. Super smooth and very expressive trot tour, walk tour missing bit more balance, for the zigzag there´s creeping in an counting error and parallel hind for the final change and 1 change hind with parallel for the one times. A few unbalanced moments, but still lot of expression for passage tours with nice transitions in and out of active piaffe tours. 72,783%
Maybe Malin with Valbonne was dreaming about an indoor event instead of the rainy outdoor conditions. Right after the break the sun was shining for Fabienne and Valencia AS.
Here you find the entire results from CDI4 GP for GPS.
Lord Extra by Lord Europe - Donnerschwee - Royal Diamond. (OLD Art)
The 12th Oldenburg Saddle Licensing will take place at the Oldenburg Horse Centre Vechta on 31st of March. Only stallions with high-quality riding characteristics got the admission to the licensing. If you are not able to travel to Vechta personally, you can watch the 12th Oldenburg Saddle Licensing online on the Oldenburg homepage or at clipmyhorse.tv.
The Saddle Licensing will start with the inspection on hard-ground at 1.00 p.m., followed by the inspection of gaits and the guest-rider test at 2.30 p.m. Afterwards, the walking-ring with announcement of the decision as well as the award ceremony and the announcement of the champion-stallion will take place.
Stallions for sale can be tried out on Saturday, 1st of April from 12.00 p.m. until 1.30 p.m., before start of the 99th Spring Elite Auction at 3.00 p.m. To make an appointment for try outs please contact our sales team.
All licensing candidates can be found here: https://auktion.oldenburger-pferde.com/en/objekte/au-29/ac-17/99_fruehjahrs_elite-auktion_mit_12_sattelkoerung/stallions_saddle_licensing?Lstatus=0
All licensing sections as well as the award ceremony and the 99th Spring Elite Auction are included in the livestream on the Oldenburg homepage and on clipmyhorse. Further, archive recordings of already completed licensing sections can already be viewed during the event. Use the following link to access the archive: https://www.clipmyhorse.tv/de_DE/events/10881/99-oldenburger-fruhjahrs-elite- -mit-sattelk-rung
Following a baby-break that meant she didn’t compete at last summer’s ECCO FEI World Championships in Herning (DEN), Jessica von Bredow-Werndl returns to centre stage with TSF Dalera BB when the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final 2023 gets underway in Omaha (USA) next Wednesday.
The German rider and her lovely mare were on a roll when taking the 2022 title on home ground in Leipzig (GER) last April having already bagged a full set of Olympic and European medals over the previous seven months. And they showed they had lost none of their sparkle when returning to action in this season’s Western European League, with wins in Lyon (FRA) last October and again in Basel (SUI) in January and each time posting an over-90% score.
If they maintain that form they seem well set to challenge for the double in a weeks’ time when 17 horse-and-rider combinations from 11 different countries will contest the title.
Repeat wins
Repeat wins are a theme of this Final, but nobody has ever come close to matching the nine posted by The Netherlands’ Anky van Grunsven with her two great horses between 1995 and 2008. Riding Bonfire she topped the podium in 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999 and 2000 and with Salinero, who only passed away last December at the age of 28, she won through in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2008.
On next week’s startlist is a lady who chased the Dutch star all the way to the line on many occasions. Isabell Werth has five wins under her belt and posted her first in Gothenburg (SWE) in 1992 which boasted an all-German podium of Sven Rothenberger in second place and Monica Theodorescu in third.
Over 30 years later this remarkable rider, known colloquially as “The Queen” and the most decorated athlete in equestrian sport, will line out in her 23rd Final. Currently lying third in the athlete world rankings and winner of the 2022/2023 Western European League series, she will mean business when strutting into the ring to chase down her sixth title with the feisty DSP Quantaz.
Each country can only field three athletes, and third of the German contingent is Ingrid Klimke, daughter of Dressage legend Dr Reiner Klimke and best known as a five-time Olympian and multiple medallist in the sport of Eventing. With the 15-year-old stallion Franziskus she won the third leg of the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Western European League in Stuttgart (GER) last November and she will be sure to make her presence felt when the action gets underway next week.
Champing
However there are a host of others also champing at the bit including Dutch star Dinja van Liere who brings the 11-year-old stallion Hermes NOP with which she won individual double-bronze at last summer’s World Championship in Denmark, and Nanna Skodborg Merrald who was on the gold-medal-winning Danish team there with Blue Hors Zack.
Skodborg Merrald has opted to bring Blue Hors Zepter to Omaha and this is a new partnership that looks to have serious potential, finishing third at the Swiss leg of the Western European League in Basel and winning the ninth round of the 11-leg series in Neumünster (GER) last month.
The Netherlands will also be represented by Thamar Zweistra and Hexagon’s Ice Weiss and Marieke van der Putten with Torveslettens Titanium RS2 while Morgan Barbançon and Sir Donnerhall ll OLD will fly the French flag.
Lithuania’s Justina Vanagaite (Nabab), Moldova’s Alisa Glinka (Aachen), Singapore’s Caroline Chew (Tribiani), Australia’s Simone Pearce (Fiderdance), and Belgium’s Jorinde Verwimp (Charmer) will be joined by the sole Swede, Johanna Due Boje (Mazy Klovenhoj). And completing the line-up are the US contenders, headed by Steffen Peters whose win with Ravel in Las Vegas (USA) back in 2009 nearly brought the house down.
He pinned Werth riding Satchmo and van Grunsven riding Painted Black into second and third on that memorable day, and the five-time Olympian brings his Tokyo 2020 team silver-medal-winning ride Suppenkasper to do battle this time out.
Also flying the Stars and Stripes will be Alice Tarjan and Serenade MF who have posted consistently strong results over the last few months, and Anna Buffini and FRH Davinia La Douce who finished 12th in the Freestyle at last year’s Final in Leipzig.
Officials
The officials for the Final include President of the Ground Jury Janet Foy (USA) and members Stephen Clarke (GBR), Hans Christian Matthiesen (DEN), Katrina Wüst (GER), Maarten van der Heijden (NED), Jean-Michel Roudier (FRA) and Magnus Ringmark (SWE).
The Foreign Technical Delegate is Gotthilf Riexinger (GER) and the Judges Supervisory Panel will consist of David Hunt (GBR), Evi Eisenhardt (GER) and Lilo Fore (USA).
The action will get underway with the Grand Prix on Wednesday 5 April and the 2023 FEI Dressage World Cup™ title will be decided by the Freestyle on Friday night, 7 April.
Don’t miss a hoofbeat…..
More Facts and Figures:
Omaha 2023 presents the 36th FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final.
A total of 17 horse and rider partnerships will compete.
A total of 11 countries will be represented: Australia, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Lithuania, Moldova, Netherlands, Singapore, Sweden and USA.
At 28 years old America’s Anna Buffini and Belgium’s Jorinde Verwimp are the two youngest competitors at this year’s Final.
At 58 years of age, America’s Steffen Peters is the oldest.
The first Final took place in ’s-Hertogenbosch (NED) in 1986 where Denmark’s Anne-Grethe Jensen and Marzog reigned supreme ahead of Great Britain’s Chris Bartle and Wily Trout while Switzerland’s Christine Stückelberger finished third with Rubelit von Unkelruf.
Stückelberger went on to win the next two editions partnering Gaugin de Lully.
Olympic and European champions Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and TSF Dalera BB will defend the title they won in Leipzig (GER) last year.
Five-time FEI Dressage World Cup™ champion, Germany’s Isabell Werth, will be competing in her 23rd Final.
Lygum´s Zelina e. Blue Hors St. Schufro / Blue Hors Zack / Sandro Hit - privat foto fra Eliteskuet i 2022.
Victoria Vallentin og Lygum´s Zelina er ny ekvipage
Det skarpe øje til Blue Hors hingsteshowet i lørdags spottede temmelig sikkert også en særdeles interessant ekvipage, nemlig verdensmesteren for ungheste Victoria Vallentin, denne gang på en anden sort superstjerne efter Blue Hors St. Schufro, nemlig den 4 årige sølvmedaljehoppe Lygum´s Zelina.
Igår faldt de sidste brikker på plads og nu ejes Lygum´s Zelina 50/50 af avlerne Lygum Horses (datter Tine og far Henning Lygum Jensen) sammen med Vallentin Dressage. Et samarbejde som Henning Lygum Jensen glæder sig meget til. “Når man er så heldig at have en stjerne som Zelina, og hun har udviklet sig så godt, så er vi jo super glade for at vi har haft mulighed for nærmest selv, sammen med Silje og Michael (Bakken Dressage) at vælge rytteren. Vi glæder os meget til fremtiden på sidelinien, hvor vi håber at Zelina og Victoria finder rigtig godt sammen. Deres første tur sammen var jo på Blue Hors i lørdags, hvor Victoria kun havde siddet få gange på Zelina inden,” fortæller Henning.
Allerede som føl viste Zelina helt specielle takter, og her stod det klart, at den laksorte hoppeplag skulle have chancen for at vise sig bedst muligt når den tid kom. Så derfor var det nærliggende at Zelina kom med Tine på arbejde hos Bakken Dressage. Tina arbejder nemlig deltids med tilridning af unghestene hos Bakken Dressage, og herfra tog Silje og Michael over, og sørgede for top fremstilling som 2 års, hvor Zelina blev udtaget til eliteskuet og sluttede i finaleringen.
Efter en sommerpause hjemme og tilridning af Tine selv, var Zelina tilbage for at blive gjort klar til championat og kåring. På Blue Hors i slutningen af juni måned vandt Lygum´s Zelina sammen med Bakken Dressage rytter Christine Ropers i overbevisende stil championatet for 3 års heste med bl.a. 10 i trav. Sadelkåringen i juli måned bestod hun med bravour med 850 point, og en medfølgende billet til eliteskuet.
Til eliteskue i Dansk Varmblod gjorde den sorte hoppe sig også igen særdeles godt bemærket, hvor hun sammen med Christine Ropers, naturligvis også fangede H2R´s opmærksomhed med et helt ekstra bevægelsespotentiale. Her indløste Lygum´s Zelina en sølvmedalje, som på dagen, set fra H2R´s vinkel mest af alt lignede en guldmedalje.
Lygum´s Zelina og Christine Ropers 3 års championatsvinder på Blue Hors 2022 - fra venstre Martin Klavsen, dommer Jens Thorsen, avler og ejer Henning Lygum Jensen, medejer Michael Møller Flintrup og dommer Klaus Munkedal - foto: Blue Hors
Hvem er Lygum Horses
Det hele starter som rigtig mange andre avlere og hestetosser. Datterens pony blev til to heste, og pludselig var der tre heste opstaldet på den lokale rideskole, og behovet for at lave bokse derhjemme opstår. Sådan er historien også for familien Lygum Jensen.
I søgen efter en ifolet hoppe, var det pludselig tre drægtige hopper i stalden. Et føl som tidligere var blevet indkøbt viste sig at være ret spændende, så derfor var Henning på jagt efter moderen, og hvor han blev mødt med at skulle købe to ifolede hopper, og så var hesteriet for alvor igang.
Rønbjergs Lady Zick Zack - mor til Lygum´s Zelina
For ca. 11,5 år siden sad Henning og kiggede på hestegalleriet for måske at falde over noget interessant, og der dukkede et super udtryksfuldt hoved op med spidsede ører, som fangede hans opmærksomhed. Det var umiddelbart ikke så interessant, da hoppen tilsyneladende havde problemer i lænden, men efter at have rådført sig med Esben Møller, vovede han alligevel pelsen og købte hoppen for kr. 5.000. Lady Zick Zack e. Blue Hors Zack / Sandro Hit / Feiner Stern. 14 dage efter ankomsten var hun tilredet, og venter lige nu sit 10. føl - denne gang efter Blue Hors Baron.
Blandt Zick Zack´s afkom har Henning bl.a. to Blue Hors Don Olymbrio hopper og en Blue Hors Rockefeller som indgår i avlen hos Lygum Horses. Den ene Don Olymbrio hoppe har fået St. Schufro hingsteføl, mens den anden venter St. Schufro og Rockefeller hoppen er også insemineret med St. Schufro.
De næste generationer
I samlingen af ungheste på vej er der bl.a. en spændende Revolution hoppeplag på 1 år e. Zelina og derudover har Don Olymbrio hoppen e. Lady Zick Zack en 3 års hoppe e. Lord Europe som skal gøres klar til hoppekåring senere i år.
Hoppen e. Rubels / Le Mont H (som er halvsøster til Gørklintgårds Fanero) har gået som springhest i en årrække, men har altid bevægelsesmæssigt været ret fin. Hun var ifolet en Ask hingst, men er desværre tom i år, så lige nu stilles der skarp på brug af en dressurhingst. Henning har en lovende 3 års hoppe gående e. Blue Hors Fifty Cent.
Med termin 1. maj venter en Sunny Boy / Weltmeyer hoppe føl efter So Perfect. Hoppen er indkøbt efter elitefølskuet sidste år, hvor hun havde et Vitalis føl ved siden.
Så de næste generationer er klar fra Lygum Horses.
It takes a lot of courage to leave everything you know behind and cross the world to chase a dream, especially when you are just 18 years old and you are completely alone. But for Australia’s Simone Pearce courage and determination know no bounds.
Focused, ambitious, naturally talented and highly intuitive, the 31-year-old athlete will stride into the ring for next week’s FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final 2023 in Omaha (USA) as a first-timer. And what will make her presence all the more remarkable is the way she got there.
“My whole career is so unexpected - I just feel like everything I do is beating the odds when you look at the sport! I’m just really lucky to have made it to where I am and to still have more possibilities - to do the Olympics (Tokyo 2020), the World Championships (Herning 2022) and now the World Cup Final - for me it’s all just a dream!”, she says.
Middle of nowhere
From rural Victoria where she lived on a sheep farm “sort of in the middle of nowhere”, horses have always been part of her life.
“We grew up re-training racehorses, so I was doing Pony Club and a bit of Showing with thoroughbreds, Campdrafting, Barrel-racing, everything you can dream of, but I always loved Dressage when I saw it on TV. When I was 14 I had a thoroughbred and decided to teach him Dressage and we ended up going to Prix St George level so that’s how I got a feel for it, but when I moved to Europe I was not a Dressage rider by any means!”, Simone insists.
Her arrival at Johan and Penny Rockx’s competition and dealing yard in Roosendaal in The Netherlands in 2009 was a pretty random affair. There was no big plan. “I was just Googling “jobs in Europe with horses” and they came up!”, Simone explains.
She was a working student, so mucking out was a big part of the day. “But they let me ride a bit and after a few weeks they said “hey you’re not bad at this” so they let me do more and, in the end, they told me I could probably make it as a rider and that I should find myself a real job!”
So six months later she started working for Sabina Rueben in Germany, riding young horses in her sales barn. The production of youngsters would become Simone’s calling card over the next few years because she has quite a gift for it. And yet she never had any formal training.
“Maybe that’s a blessing in disguise because it makes you get your own feeling with every horse. I was very self-taught. Of course I had a few lessons but I never had a trainer, and I think starting off that way, just playing around and learning, is what saved me in Europe because I always had to figure it out for myself!”, she explains.
Although she now has plenty of older and more experienced horses to ride she still enjoys taking on the young ones “because I like everything about riding and I just enjoy developing them at any level. I’m not coming from money, so any opportunity that I get where I get to ride a nice horse no matter how old it is I’m super-grateful!”, she points out.
Her career then began to move on apace.
Connection
Sabina had a connection with Gestut Sprehe where they needed a young-horse rider for their stallions, so Simone moved there for a year. “I had one older stallion there - I think he was the first horse I competed at S level - and he got sold to Platinum stable in Holland, and when he was sold they offered me the job as their main rider, so for me that was a big step-up so I took the job”.
When the Platinum operation was being wound up Andreas Helgstrand came to look at some horses and he was so impressed when Simone rode two for him that the top Danish rider, trainer and dealer asked her to come and work for him. She flew to Denmark but the scale of the operation didn’t appeal to her. However when Platinum closed down she changed her mind.
“I said I’d come for one year only but I think I was there for three or four years. It was never my intention to stay a long time but the horses there are amazing and Severo (Jurado Lopez ESP) and some other incredible riders were there so I learned a lot”, Simone says.
She never lost sight of her main goal however - to become a top international rider. She felt she had to leave the big Danish operation if she was to realise her long-held dream.
“What’s gotten me to the place where I am now is that I’m willing to take risks with my career and I’m also willing to see when it’s time to take the next step. Not so many riders coming from not a wealthy background and not a horse background with people supporting them can make it to a high level because they get stuck or they are not brave enough to move or whatever. With me it’s always been that I have to give it everything, because no-one is going to give it to me. I could have ridden some nice horses and do nice things, but if I wanted to be a top international rider I had to find a different path”, she explains.
Next step
Going back to Gestut Sprehe would be her next step. “Initially it was to ride for a half-day, but they had such good horses and I ended up riding full-time for them for four years”. Simone’s biggest highlight while there was finishing second in the Grand Prix Special at CDIO5* Aachen (GER) riding Destano in September 2021. Their score of 73.426 left them just fractionally behind reigning Olympic, European and FEI Dressage World Cup™ champion Jessica von Bredow-Werndl from Germany who was competing with Ferdinand BB that day.
Then, 10 months ago, she moved to Gestut Bonhomme which is located about 45 minutes from the city of Berlin.
Leaving Destano wasn’t easy, “but at Sprehe I wasn’t the main rider so coming to Bonhomme and being the main rider opened up more possibilities. So when the previous rider, Lena Waldmann, was leaving I saw a beautiful opportunity. They felt it was a perfect fit, and so did I!”
And thus began her partnership with the stallion Fiderdance who she takes to Omaha later this week. “He’s 14 and he’s like Benjamin Button, getting younger by the day - he’s very fresh!”
The pair didn’t have long to make a partnership. “It was a bit crazy because I had only one month to qualify for Herning (FEI World Championships 2022) so I rode him for two weeks before our first international show, and let’s say we survived but not in the most glorious manner! But it developed quickly after that”, she says.
She describes Fiderdance as “the most spoiled character and he knows it - he’s really cute and looks chilled but he’s a real firecracker!”
They competed in Aachen and Herning last summer, “and over the winter season we did some nice shows. It was a surprise when we were invited to compete at the World Cup Final but it’s an amazing opportunity and we are very happy to be there!”
Her parents, Robin and Chris Pearce, won’t be flying in but they will be watching closely from Down Under.
Expectations
And her expectations? “We are in good shape and will do the best we can. He’s a bit hot in an indoor arena with music so we’ll see how that plays out!”
It’s going to be an emotional trip for everyone connected with the Bonhomme operation. Simone arrived at the stud in Brandenburg at a very difficult time.
“Sadly the owner, Evelyn Gutman, passed away the day I started here. She was one of the most famous personalities in the breeding scene in Germany and she created this wonderful place for horses.”
Despite the sense of loss however there will be a special moment at the forthcoming Final, because Evelyne Gutman’s mother will celebrate her 90th birthday on the day of the Freestyle in Omaha.
Asked if she will have a trainer in her contingent at the US fixture Simone said she won’t. She has always done things alone.
“That’s not because I don’t want a trainer it’s just because circumstantially I always worked in stables where it is my job to fix the horses, not their job to pay someone to fix me!”
So would she like one? “I’d love one, and if Carl Hester is reading this please consider me!!”, she says with a laugh.
Her heroes include British star Hester, “because I think he is the best rider and trainer in the world”. But she has a special place in her heart for fellow-Aussie and double-Olympian Lyndal Oatley who is based in Munster, Germany with husband and Swedish Olympian Patrik Kittel.
From the beginning
“She has been there right from the beginning when I started to have success as a Grand Prix rider. She’s so in my corner and a big support system to me, particularly since I don’t have family in the sport or a trainer or anyone. It can be hard to navigate and she has been great!”
And someone else she is grateful to is her Australian groom Emily Readave. “She been with me for the last six years, and she’s been the one pushing me to believe in myself so I owe a huge thank you to her”, Simone says.
Self-belief is important, and when you mix that with large dollops of talent, determination, ambition and energy then you have a recipe for a successful future. Simone wants others to know that so they, too, can follow their dreams….
“I think my life is like a lesson to every little girl out there - you don’t need money, you don’t need someone special behind you, if you really go for it everything is possible!”
She is living proof of that…..
Follow her every move when the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final begins in Omaha (USA) on 5 April.
3, 4 and 5 year old stallions
The Swedish stallion performance test has started today with the 3 year old stallions, where only 4 dressage stallions are at the start list.
Among the 4 year old stallions is also Danish owned Blue Hors Storm by Sezuan / Tailormade Temptation, bred by Bjarne Skovdal. The first presentation of the older stallions is tomorrow morning with free jumping, and then Wednesday under own rider. Blue Hors Storm will be presented by Tanja Rusovic.
Here you find link for start lists. The entire event will be possible to follow at Clipmyhorse.
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