At the Sunshine tour Constance Laboute may have gotten a taste of a bright international future that is in store for her, but it was Brit Wayne Channon who ruled the show.
With consistent marks in the 70s from all five judges, Channon and Lorenzo CH have confirmed themselves as one of Europe's top international combinations with definite world class potential.
The duo ended their Sunshine Tour in glory by dominating the dance floor in the Grand Prix kur to music with a new freestyle designed by his wife Debra Channon. Riding to a unique composition based on the soundtrack of "The Godfather," Channon highlighted his horse's fortés with very bold music.
There were no significant slips in the ride and only an explosive onset to the extended canter curbed his magical seventy percentage score. The panel of judges awarded him overall 72.500%, and judge Uwe Mechlem even gave him 73% on a technical level and 80% for artisticity.
"It was a super ride, especially after three weeks of showing," Channon explained. "Lorenzo didn't have the same enthusiasm as in the beginning, because he wanted to go home, but now the training really came out. He proved that he wants to work for you. He caught a virus the second week and didn't fully show that natural level of brilliance you get for free. He really wanted to do his job and was very supportive."
Judge Withages said that Channon scored high on harmony and choreography, but received a 7.5 instead of 8 for obedience, because of the explosion in the extended canter. Mechlem added that he liked the Godfather music very much as it is his all time favourite movie. "He made his points in the piaffe and passage. The walk was not excellent, but that is not so important in the kur, where you can compensate points in other movements," Mechlem explained.
Channon prepared himself well for his first performance of this kur. "It was not very difficult to ride this kur," Channon stated. "I paid attention to the movements and synchronize them to the music. You need to know your music intimately and then you can get your timing spot on."
Boylen and Laboute were Channon's greatest contenders but they could not keep him from a double victory and becoming the overall Sunshine Tour Champion during the third show weekend .
The Brit had to fight hard for his points, but earned every single one of them. "You fight for every single point. No points are for free. In the Grand Prix every single movement counts and you ride for whatever you can get in that movement," Channon stated.
The four weeks Channon spent in Spain were an eye opening experience for him. Producing consistent performances over three weekends was the biggest challenge. "It's the physical stress on your horse. You do so many competitions in such a short period that you really have to know your horse and know when to push. You have to have confidence in him."
The biggest lesson Channon got out of this Spanish crusade was more profound knowledge of his horse Lorenzo CH.
"I knew he was a much better outdoor horse, but I did not realize how much he has grown up over six months. He knows the test now and will be more helpful in it. He is more secure in all his work and I am surprised how secure."
Channon might have gained new insight in his horse, but when it comes to humanizing his horse's mind, he has to guess at what Lorenzo might say to him if he could speak. "All this work for two sugars, you got to be kidding."
Good guess!