The 21-year old German Fabienne Lütkemeier won the 2010 FEI Young Riders World Cup Final at the 2010 CDI-W Frankfurt in Germany on Saturday 18 December 2010. Aboard her sensitive Hanoverian gelding D'Agostino (by De Niro x Shogun xx) Lutkemeier scored an impressive 79.000% in the Kur to Music Finals.
The Paderborn based Fabienne ended her Young Riders career in style. After winning triple gold at the 2010 European Young Riders Championships in Kronberg, Lutkemeier put the icing on the cake by becoming the Young Rider World Cup champion.
In 2009 Lutkemeier showed D'Agostino in the Nurnberger Burgpokal Finals in Frankfurt, in which she finished second behind Brigitte Wittig on Blind Date, and this year it was her last chance to compete in the Young Riders World Cup. Together with her mom Gina Capellmann-Lutkemeier she will now be preparing her temperamental horse for the Grand Prix tour.
"I won't be confined by young rider selection trials and training seminars anymore, which structured my show season," said Fabienne. "My mom often had to withdraw herself from shows to help me out. I think it's her turn again to compete and maybe together we can connect it better in the future."
Fabienne is currently studying International Business Studies in Lippstadt. "Sometimes it's stressful to combine sport with college," said Lutkemeier, "but it works. I want to do this for myself."
European double individual silver medallist Sanneke Rothenberger finished second in the 2010 Young Riders World Cup Finals. Aboard her beautiful black Oldenburg Deveraux OLD (by De Niro x Rohdiamant), Rothenberger was on Lutkemeier's heels with her 78.750% freestyle score.
Sanneke only got the chance to ride in the World Cup Final because the Swiss Anne Rita Bertschy withdrew right before the show started due to an injured horse. Rothenberger, who lives near Frankfurt, was asked to fill Bertschy's spot and she did it with great success. In addition, Rothenberger also received her Golden Rider Badge in Frankfurt for having won over 11 S-level classes. She is the youngest rider in German history to do so.
Rothenberger applauded the initiative of hosting a Young Riders World Cup Finals in Frankfurt. The show is a great opportunity for youth riders to compete in the same atmosphere as international Grand Prix competitors and offers a platform for young riders from smaller dressage nations to meet their European peers. "The Australian rider told me that there are only ten young riders in Australia, and only five in New Zealand," Sanneke commented. "The American rider was the first FEI pony rider in the country. It's totally different for us."
Danish Anna Kasprzak and her talented Danish warmblood mare Langkjeargards Donna Fetti (by Don Schufro) finished third with 74.700%. At the 2010 European Young Riders Championships Kasprzak opted for the safe choice and rode her experienced schoolmaster Future Cup (by Florestan) to kur to music bronze. In Frankfurt, the Dane chose to ride her future star Donna Fetti and it paid off, exceeding her expectations.
"Donna Fetti was ill for two years," Kasprzak explained. "She had an overian cyste which pushed her testosterone levels to the roof. Then she injured her fetlock and then she sustained an infection. I never thought she would be so good again this quickly."
Based in Haderslev, Denmark, Kasprzak quit school to devote her time to riding. She's trained by Claus Sörensen at home and also travels to Andreas Helgstrand's barn for additional coaching.
Photos © Barbara Schnell
Related Links
Scores 2010 CDI-W Frankfurt
Eurodressage Coverage of the 2010 Young Riders World Cup Final
Young Riders Gear Up for 2010 Young Riders World Cup Final in Frankfurt