Laura Tomlinson (née Bechtolsheimer) made her number one horse Mistral Hojris tick like clock work on his show come back at the 2013 CDI Hagen on Friday 19 April 2013. Returning to the show ring for the first time since winning team gold and individual bronze at the 2012 Olympic Games in London in August 2012, Laura T and Mistral made experience count.
The huge chestnut Danish warmblood gelding (by Michellino x Ibsen) is 18 years old and because of his outstanding fitness will compete one more year, even though the Olympics were generally expected to be his swan song. In Hagen, Laura proved that her horse is one of Great Britain's strongholds if the country want to continue its team gold streak at the 2013 European Championships in Herning this summer. With Valegro and Uthopia's future for England being more than just vague --- let's call it totally opaque --- Laura seems to be Britain's biggest guarantee to produce a medal earning score at the time.
Laura was back to business in Hagen after taking a long holiday in Argentina and getting married in March. In the Grand Prix the pair showed strong but safe trot extensions, a good trot half pass to the left, but the one to the right had the hindlegs trailing a bit. Despite claim's of major fitness, Mistral's mileage does show on the right hind leg with right tempi changes not as ground covering and more activity behind in the piaffe and passage with the left hind leg than the right. Still the rhythm in piaffe and passage was like a metronome, the extended walk was good and the second passage was brilliant. Also in canter Laura put big scores on the board for a well ridden zig zag which barely fit the arena, super pirouettes and and correct tempi changes. Their 79.064% score kept all competition at bay.
German Olympic individual rider Anabel Balkenhol and her 13-year old Hanoverian gelding Dablino (by De Niro x Wanderbusch II) already had the 2013 CDI Dortmund down their belt, but Hagen was their first outdoor CDI of the season. The chestnut gelding is also an 80% horse, but has to battle to earn this points, harder than some other combinations. The fact that the gelding is super sensitive and spooky rattles his rider and does not help the situation. In Hagen the pair looked comfortable and strong: big half passes, super trot extensions and a lovely, regular passage. In the first piaffe there was good sit but the horse became a bit crooked to the left in the body. The extended walk had two hooves overtrack but the rhythm was mediocre. The second piaffe was nicely on the spot. The two tempi changes were excellent, the zig zag good, but there was a mistake in the ones at the onset. The left pirouette was a bit quick, the right one better. The final centerline was wonderful with Dablino showing great rhythm in the passage, piaffe and transitions. They scored 74.191% to become the runners-up.
Nadine Capellmann slotted in third in the Hagen Grand Prix for Special with 73.830%. Supervised at the event by German team trainer Monica Theodorescu, Nadine has been without a steady trainer for years and this could explain the lack of progress she is making on her uber-talented mare Girasol (by Gribaldi x Landioso). The dressage community expected the 2002 World Champion to be putting the huge scores on the board by now, but the pair is still struggling to reach the 75% barrier. In Hagen it was more than obvious that the potential is there, but needs unleashing. All three extended trots were ridden conservatively and the mare constantly gets behind the vertical during the test. The trot half passes were nice but there is much more in the tank. The passage is super elegant and lightfooted, the first piaffe was a bit too forward. The extended walk could have been more active. The second passage was wonderful but in piaffe the mare becomes tense and jerks the legs upwards. The two tempi changes were superb, the ones needed more ground cover. The final centerline was really nice.
Danish Lone Bang Larsen and Fitou L were shooting stars a couple of years ago and expected to make a major international break through, but then the young Danish combination suddenly disappeared from the scene. Bang Larsen was on baby break and her Danish bred 14-year old gelding Fitou L (by Florestan x May Sherif) recovered from injury. In Hagen Bang Larsen lived up to her name and came back with a real "bang" on the outdoor circuit. The chunky bay gelding has a powerful piaffe and passage and is in general a super solid Grand Prix horse. Trained by Hasse Hoffmann, Lone scored 72.489% to finish fourth in a world class field of competitors.
Former European Young Riders' Champion Fabienne Lutkemeier has made a very successful transition to Grand Prix level, being Germany's Olympic team alternate last year. With her 13-year old Hanoverian gelding D'Agostino (by De Niro x Shogun xx) Fabienne is learning the ropes and firmly making a stand amongst more seasoned riders. Her refined chestnut gelding excels in the tempi changes, earning 10's for the one-tempi. The passage is regular and smooth, but the piaffe remains to be a problem point with the horse braking with the front legs instead of taking the weight on the hindquarters. Still, Lutkemeier posted a score of 70.745% to complete the top five.
Text and Photos © Astrid Appels - No Reproduction Allowed
Eurodressage photographer Astrid Appels took photos of all combinations competing at the CDI Hagen. Contact us if you are interested in prints of your photos!
Related Link
Eurodressage Coverage of the 2013 CDI Hagen