Spanish young rider Morgan Barbançon Mestre led the Under 25 competitions at the 2011 CDIO Aachen and 2011 European Junior and Young Riders Championships in Broholm, Denmark. In two weeks time, Barbançon and her 14-year old Dutch warmblood stallion Painted Black (by Gribaldi x Ferro) won three out of four classes with 70%+ scores.
Making her debut at the most prestigious dressage show in the world, the CDIO Aachen, Morgan dominated the Under 25 Intermediaire II by scoring 72.000%. In the short Grand Prix she was second with 71.349%, narrowly edged out by the winner Kristine Sprehe on the Hanoverian licensed stallion Desperados (by De Niro x Wolkenstein II) with 71.512%.
Barbancon was impressed by competing in the renowned Deutsche Bank stadium in Aachen and was ecstatic about her achievements. "Aachen was amazing, I really loved it," she said. "At first I was really excited to go, I wanted everything to be perfect, and I was also very stressed. The show was so nice and impressive that when I arrived I couldn't believe I was going in. Riding there was the best experience I had. It was amazing."
The young Spanish rider, who is based in The Netherlands, is reaping the fruits of her one-year partnership with Painted Black. "As always PB gives me a super nice feeling inside the arena," she explained. "He is very attentive and tries to do it right even if I ask it wrongly. The first day was a good test and I was happy with him although we had a little mistake in the one tempi's. On the second day it was a bit harder and we failed the 2 tempi's, which cost us points."
One week later the coveted and highly popular Under 25 show circuit landed in Broholm, Denmark, where the 2011 European Junior and Young Riders Championships took place. The competition was flooded by torrential downpours but that did not prevent the participants to give it their all at the show.
With only a few days time to adapt their show strategy in between Aachen and Broholm, Barbancon worked particularly on consolidating the FEI movements. "We didn't have much time from Aachen to Broholm, so we gave him one day rest and then started working again. We were mostly focused on the pirouettes, half passes and passage piaffe."
Morgan and Painted Black were on excellent form and twice scored the winning percentage. They got 69.132% in the Intermediaire II and 71.767% in the short Grand Prix. "The first day in Broholm wasn't as good, but the conditions were very bad with the pouring rain and everything," she explained. "On the second day, it was my best test with PB. He really was with me and didn't let me down in there. I was more than happy!"
Morgan has planned on competing in the U25 classes in Rotterdam during the 2011 European Dressage Championships. After that show she gradually aims to make the transition to the senior group with Painted Black as she has her eyes fixed on a Spanish team spot for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
Photos © Astrid Appels
Related Links
Victorious Start of Painted Black's New Show Career under Morgan Barbancon
Morgan Barbancon Invincible in Under 25 Competition at the 2011 CDIO Saumur
Scores 2011 CDIO Aachen
Scores 2011 European JR YR Championships
