An incredibly strong field of German junior and young riders will present itself for the notorious "Preis der Besten" competition in Warendorf, Germany, May 20th and 21st.
Chef d'equipe Holger Schmezer is more than pleased with the high quality riding of the 25 young riders and 20 junior riders selected for this show at the German Equestrian Centre. After five qualifying events Schmezer and judge Gotthilf Riexinger made a final selection of junior and young riders which can try for a position in the German Junior/Young Rider Dressage team for the European Championships in Hickstead this year.
Important selection criterium was the rideability of the rider to have the horse work independently. "Too often you see youth riders on schoolmasters that in fact can not ride a horse without the help from a trainer," Schmezer stated. In general Schmezer said that the junior riders had to pay more attention to their position. "The contact with the horse's mouth has improved with most riders, but they still work too much with their hands." Further, junior riders had to improve on the technically of their test. "Most of the riders think too much about their test. In the warm up everything goes fine, but when they enter the ring everything is too difficult for them." Nevertheless, Schmezer is not worried. The pony divison shows great potential and there is hope for many riders to make a successful transfer from pony to horse. "Pony riders can gather valuable experience by riding the FEI pony tests. This experience will be the basis when they become junior riders," Schmezer said.
Nominated combinations for the Preis der Besten
Young Riders
- Hendrik von Duisburg (Waiblingen/Baden-Württemberg) - Fresco
- Stephanie Kiess (Urbach/Baden-Württemberg) - Mantovani
- Yvonne Peschel (Bad Wörishofen/Bayern) -Dressman
- Maren Frychel (Neubeeren/Berlin-Brandenburg) - Dossepfeil
- Christine von Oldershausen (Schenefeld/Hamburg) - Amica Farina
- Tini Schauenburg (Hamburg) - Wellington
- Jennifer Gutjahr (Horneburg /Hannover-Bremen) - Monterey
- Julia-Katharina von Platen (Wietze/Hannover-Bremen) - Mocca
- Anna Wahler (Bad Bevensen/Hannover-Bremen) - Dontus
- Gerda Lehmann (Fritzlar/Hessen) - Facet
- Dorothea Rohde (Bad Vilbel/Hessen) - Rapino
- Astrid Buer (Würselen/Rheinland) - What Joy
- Nicola Giesen (Viersen/Rheinland) - Slow Fox
- Jana Kun (Aachen/Rheinland) - Fahrenheit und Roxette
- Ellen Schulten-Baumer (Rheinberg/Rheinland) - Gina Royal OLD
- Anna Maria Zündel (Nettetal/Rheinland) - Charlston
- Christian Ritter (Kaisers-lautern/Rheinland-Pfalz) - Bernstein
- Katja Weisbrod (Kaiserslautern /Rheinland-Pfalz) - Hazleton
- Freya Hinrichs (Pinneberg/Schleswig-Holstein) - Leonardo
- Anne Willen (Löningen/Weser-Ems) - Confiance H
- Sonja Fiege (Greven /Westfalen) - Sartre
- Melanie Schroll (Witten/Westfalen) - Domenico;
- Tina Wehlmann (Recklinghausen/Westfalen) - Whenever und Grand Fox
- Bettina Weitkamp-Neuhaus (Billerbeck/Westfalen) - Romanow
- Eva Zieglwalner (Sassen-berg/Westfalen) - Harlem.
Junior Riders
- Nina Beck (Neuffen/Baden-Württemberg) - Cristobal
- Julia Beckfeld (Obrigheim/Baden-Württemberg) - Mariano
- Sarah Probst (Weißenhorn/Baden-Württemberg) - Frontera
- Benjamin Werndl (Tuntenhausen/Bayern)
- Juliane Brunkhorst (Harsefeld/Hannover-Bremen) - La Boom
- Kira Kröncke (Dorum /Hannover-Bremen) - Mont Royal; Wilhelm Nikolas Kröncke (Dorum/Hannover-Bremen) - Larso or Cherokee
- Dirk Viebrock (Harsefeld/Hannover-Bremen) - Wyoming
- Jan-Andreas Viebrock (Harsefeld/Hannover-Bremen) - Astolfi
- Isabelle Kettner (Oberwesel/Hessen) - Avangard
- Desiree Schurf (Bedburg/Rheinland) - Maldini
- Christina Thomas (Aachen/Rheinland) - Widly Z
- Kristina Böckmann (Schenefeld/Schleswig-Holstein) - Den Haag
- Kornelia Kindermann (Steinberg /Schleswig-Holstein) - Chamberlain
- Maureen Henschke (Ankum/Weser-Ems) - Pasadena
- Melanie Auch (Ibbenbüren/Westfalen) - Chino
- Jan-Dirk Gießelmann (Barver/Westfalen) - Platini
- Bea Gösmeier (Marl/Westfalen) - Al Pacino
- Svenja Irina Meyer (Nottuln/Westfalen) - Ferrier
- Amrei Tschuschke (Meschede/Westfalen) - Kalmaros.
Pony Riders
- Stephan Köberle (Reute/Baden-Württemberg) - Sky Driver
- Daniela Antholzer (Oberbergkirchen/Bayern) - Pergamon
- Jessica Werndl (Tuntenhausen /Bayern) - Nino The Champ or FS Dacapo
- Fabian Wilmes (München/Bayern) - Tre. Lord Nelson
- Kira Kröncke - Dressman or Konrad (or: Edwin)
- Isabell Kettner - Prinz
- Rania-Stephanie Wipprecht (Lohfelden/Hessen) - AHA-R
- Alice Fengels (Hünxe/Rheinland) - Domino Dancing
- Angoli-Anne Jensen (Jüchen/Rheinland) - Goldino
- Christina Thomas - Diddi Keeps Cool
- Marion Engelen (Kerken/Rheinland) - Dornik B;
- Carolin van der Linde (Wesel/Rheinland) - Seshima o-r Power and Paint
- David Reichert (Kaiserslautern) - Munkholm Colooney
- Eva-Maria Sprehe (Dinklage/Weser-Ems) - Cash and Go
- Kristina Sprehe (Dinlage/Weser-Ems) - Nathan
- Karin Ammeling (Nordhorn/Weser-Ems) - Vallery
- Susanne Brundirs (Haselünne/Weser-Ems) - Benjamin Boy
- Carde Meyer (Nottuln/Westfalen) - Samorai oder Lassilo
- Linda Illmer (Hemer/Westfalen) - Benjamin A und Going East
- Kristin Rieskamp-Goedeking (Westerkappeln /Westfalen) - Disco-Dancer
- Antonia Freiin von Hövel (Kirchen-Wehbach /Westfalen) - Pernod Black
- Kristina Spaniol (Münster/Westfalen) - Stenigot Tribal Dancer
Image copyrighted: Mary Phelps - featuring Julia Katharina von Platen - Mocca