Dutch WEG team gold medalist Hans Peter Minderhoud and his upcoming Grand Prix horse Tango (by Jazz x Contango) aced the Grand Prix at the 2011 CDI Zwolle, hosted at the Ijsselhallen in Zwolle, The Netherlands, late Thursday evening 7 January 2011. The 10-year old Dutch warmblood stallion scored 71.787%, placing first with all five judges.
Minderhoud and Tango started their ride beautifully with smooth trot half passes, nice extensions and delightful passage work. The piaffe was regular and the transitions fluent. In the tempi changes the horse lacks a bit of freedom in the shoulder, but the zig zag was well regulated. Towards the end of the test, Tango lost a bit of steam and ran out of it in the final piaffe at X. Nevertheless, their test was very clean and promising. Especially Tango's passage is real highlight.
Marlies van Baalen and the 13-year old KWPN bred Phoebe (by Regazzino x Ulft) ranked second. The bay mare started off a bit shaky with a trip in the first extended trot and quite a few irregular steps in the trot half passes. She became more settled in the piaffe and passage and showed a nice walk. In canter the zig zag was messy, but the tempi changes were well executed. The pair scored 68.170% but there was quite some disparity between the judges, whose scores ranged from 70.957% to 66.383%.
British Carl Hester saddled his student Charlotte Dujardin's 10-year old Fernandez (by Florestan) to finish third. The chestnut gelding was obedient and put in a sweet ride, but lost impulsion in the first and final piaffe. The flying changes were smooth, the extensions ground covering but in the left pirouette the horse got slightly stuck. Hester scored 67.808% and tied with Aat van Essen.
Van Essen recently had to scratch from the World Cup Qualifier in Mechelen because Premier, his 13-year old KWPN gelding by Jazz x Ulft, sustained a jaw injury and had to undergo minor surgery. Premier fully recovered for Zwolle and placed third in the Grand Prix. The pair showed ground covering trot half passes and regular piaffe and passage work, though Premier should take more weight on the hind legs in the piaffe instead of pulling his hocks high. In the impressive and noisy Zwolle arena, Premier became slightly tense in walk and showed no extended walk. The canter work was solid and Van Essen ended up with 67.808% like Hester.
British Amy Stovold and her 13-year old Swedish bred Macbrian (by Briar) are strongly working at a successful international career. After strong performances in Pompadour, Salzburg, and London, Stovold traveled to Zwolle to continue getting exposure at CDI's. Trained by Kenneth Dyrby, Stovold excelled in the trot half passes in which Macbrian showed massive ground coverage. The big liver chestnut still struggles a bit at finding the rhythm in piaffe but the potential is there. The pair slotted in fifth with 66.744%.
Text and Photos © Astrid Appels/Eurodressage - No Reproduction Allowed
Related Links
Coverage of the 2011 CDI Zwolle
Scores 2011 CDI Zwolle