Edward Gal and Emmy de Jeu's 11-year old Dutch warmblood mare Sisther de Jeu (by Gribaldi x Amor) were the only combination to break the 70% barrier in the Grand Prix at the World Cup Qualifier in Mechelen, Belgium, on Monday afternoon 27 December 2010. The overall level of riding was not so high as expected, making the Mechelen Grand Prix a mediocre class to watch. Many horses were tense in the difficult Nekkerhal indoor arena which led to mistakes, especially in the tempi changes.
The bay Sisther de Jeu was not unphased by the scary indoor. She was tense and often tight in the neck or deep and it affected the regularity and smoothness in the execution of some movements. The left trot half passes started out hesitatingly, the final change of the two tempi's was short, as well as the change at the end of the diagonal after the extended canter. The zig zag could have been more meticulously ridden.
Of course there were also some beautiful parts in the test which validated the winning score. The half passeses were ground-covering, the extended walk was large and the pirouettes were extraordinary. In passage the mare could be a bit more closed in the frame and she lacks sit in the piaffe, but this collected work was executed without mistakes.
Edward Gal and Sisther placed first unanimously with the entire panel of judges, which consisted of Uwe Spenlen (GER), Mariette Withages (BEL), Wim Ernes (NED), Freddy Leyman (BEL) and Gustaf Svalling (SWE). They scored 71.744%, the only mark above 70% in a field of 17 competitors.
"Sisther is still very tense and in this arena there's so much to be seen," Gal commented. "On our way from the warm up to the main ring I just felt the tension slowly creeping into her body. Because of this tension you get small mistakes. The changes in the zig zag were not so pretty. On the other hand I'm glad that I was able to ride the entire test in this arena. That's difficult enough as it is."
Gal's life partner Hans Peter Minderhoud finished second aboard Ton Kies' 15-year old Dutch warmblood mare Nadine (by Partout x Roemer), who did her first indoor competition of the season since her last show at the WEG in Kentucky. Nadine was supposed to start in London but she ran a temperature prior to departure and had to be withdrawn. Minderhoud postponed her indoor debut until Mechelen.
Hans Peter always presents his horse with much energy and bravura but there were several imperfections which meddled with the harmony. The rein back was resistant and the mare was slightly distracted in the extended walk, which limited the ground cover. The collected walk was hurried and some flying changes in the zig zag were difficult. The trot half passes were huge, though, and the first passage was lovely. Nadine did travel a bit too much forward in the first and final piaffe. The second was more on the spot.
The imperfections in Minderhoud's test seemed to have caught some judges off guard as there was quite some disparity between their scores, while for all other tests the panel was mostly on the same wavelength. The judges on the long side, Spenlen and Svalling, marked Minderhoud's ride between 65 and 66%, two judges on the short side, Ernes and Leyman, scored it 70.00% and more.
After his test Minderhoud said it was a "pretty exciting first indoor for Nadine" with "many expensive mistakes" but "still second place."
German Helen Langehanenberg and her massively talented 10-year old Westfalian stallion Damon Hill NRW (by Donnerhall x Rubinstein) placed third with 67.914%. The liver chestnut stallion has a wonderfully elevated trot. The passage was still a bit free and open in the frame. In piaffe the stallion struggles to keep the balance as he becomes wide. The second piaffe was a bit too forward. The extended walk was excellent. Mistakes in the two and one tempi's pushed the score down.
Belgian Jeroen Devroe and his 10-year old Belgian warmblood gelding Apollo van het Vijverhof (by Welt Hit II x Ritmeister) were on the ball again in Mechelen after a World Equestrian Games performance below par. The trot work was smooth and the piaffe and passage well regulated. The rider did hold his hands quite high above the withers, which meddled with the silhouette. The highlight of the test was the extended walk and the obedient and straight tempi changes. The pair scored 67.787%
Ulla Salzgeber and her 10-year old chestnut mare Wakana (by Wolkentanz II x Wanderbusch II) slotted in fifth. The powerhouse mare is always very nicely uphill in the frame with the poll as highest point. Her trot is powerful and springy, the passage even but quite forward. The transitions to piaffe are difficult and Wakana struggles considerably with the piaffe lacking bounce and balance as she crosses over behind and steps on her coronet bands. The tempi changes were nicely ridden and the pirouettes were absolutely amazing. On the final centerline Wakana stalled in piaffe which prevented the score from climbing above 67.19%.
Text and Photos © Astrid Appels
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Related Links
Scores 2010 CDI-W Mechelen
Kittel and Silvano Win Prix St Georges at the 2010 CDI-W Mechelen