Coming very close to a medal were Belgian Julie van Olst and Danish Nanna Skodborg Merrald. The two talented riders made small mistakes which surely cost them valuable points that would have landed them in the top three.
15-year old Belgian Julie van Olst was already cheated by the judges out of winning team bronze (four judges scored her 70%, one 65% for her team test) and in the individual test she came so close to individual triumph as never before. After the entrance and halt, her New Forest Pony Sultan broke into canter instead of proceeding in collected trot. It took Van Olst a while to get her bay pony dancing in trot and he got a bit deep and tight in the neck in the half pass to the right. But the pony improved considerably after the traversal movements. He started chewing the bit and was the only pony in the individual finals who was foaming from the mouth because of the perfect contact with the bit this rider had!! The pony improved with every footfall and produced fantastic work in canter. He showed superb collection before the simple changes and his continuous engagement from behind was exemplary for any other pony or rider at the show. The pair scored 70.600 % overall, 0.1% behind bronze medallist Aspnas, and ranked between 2nd place (Judge Judet, Wust) and 6th (Belgian judge Van Daele) with the panel. What a tiny point difference to miss out on a medal.
Belgian chef d'equipe Laurence van Doorslaer has been the driving force in Belgium to get FEI pony dressage going in the country facing tough resistance from the Belgian Equestrian Federation, which has only show jumping on its mind. Van Doorslaer was extremely satisfied with the results of all Belgian pony riders, three made it into the finals and all scored above 67%.
"Julie rode a great test but unfortunately made a small mistake right after the halt. This probably cost her the medal, but that's what the sport is like," Van Doorslaer commented. "Also in the tests of Jorinde Verwimp and Noemie Goris there were a few small mistakes. The ponies were obviously fatigued and that showed with many combinations. It was very hot the past few days and it had a negative influence on the performances. Finishing in the top 12 with three riders means we can look back at a successful European Championships. All four riders can still ride their ponies next year and we'll definitely go for a medal."
Another fantastic ride was produced by the Danish Nanna Skodborg Merrald on the 10-year old Danish bred Centrum (by Robin). Centrum's trot was light footed, with impulsion and the pony stayed at the vertical the entire time even though there could have been more relaxation in his mouth as the bay pony tends to press his lips together. Merrald kept her hands lower on the withers in the individual test than in the team test which added to a much prettier overall picture. An abrupt simple change at X and a mistake in the rhythm in the final extended trot pushed the scores down. Merrald scored 70.150 % overall, but the judges were not on the same wavelength. There were discrepancies going from 68% (10th place) to 72.250% (2nd place).
Text and Photos copyrighted Astrid Appels/Eurodressage - No reproduction allowed without permission