The weather may have made Munich’s popular Pferd International show a washout this year, but in spite of the cold temperatures and uncharacteristic, incessant rain, a very strong field, including several Olympic combinations and World Cup finalists, warmed the brave – if relatively sparse – spectators’ hearts.
Harmony triumphs – again
Tinne Vilhelmson Silfvén and Don Auriello (by Don Davidoff x White Star) were one such combination. In the CDI5* tour, the Swede took home both the GP (76%) and the freestyle, scoring comfortably over 80% for a test whose highlights, apart from the horse’s usual extravagant extensions, included pirouettes in piaffe, flowing half-passes to counter-half passes in passage, and a final piaffe very much on the spot. They were accompanied by the notes of Slings Music Cast’s “Who’s Anton?” freestyle, characterised by walk tour vocals and effective guitar tones in the canter work. “Don Auriello was in very good shape all weekend – he’s such a fun horse to ride,” beamed the Swedish rider in Sunday’s press conference. “I wanted to put a little more power into it, and got a little bit too much – despite the weather! It’s always difficult to know how they will react [to the weather conditions], but he felt really, really good today”. Responding to criticism that Don Auriello’s power in front is not always matched behind, especially in the extensions, Tinne explained: “He’s still a young horse and he’s improving a lot all the time: I have to balance the tension with how much power to ride – I have to find that balance between relaxation and power. He’s only 11 and still learning: the more secure and mature he gets, the more power behind we will be able to use."
Judge Katrina Wust was quick to praise the combination’s exemplary harmony. “After the Olympics, there was so much discussion about who should have won the freestyle, whether Valegro or Parzival. In the end, harmony prevailed – in London we showed that ‘harmony pays off”, said the Munich-based judge. “Here in Munich, Tinne showed a very harmonious ride which deservedly won, and this is fantastic. I personally placed Isabell higher, because I was conscious of the degree of difficulty” – Werth’s is arguably a more difficult choreography. Wust concluded: "But we have to show the world that harmony pays off. Despite all rumours surrounding the sport, I think we are heading in the right direction."
The charming Swedish rider also took home the one-off ‘bonus’ – a 25,000-euro cheque – as most successful rider in this edition of the World Dressage Masters, finishing a handful of points ahead of Patrik Kittel in the WDM ranking. “The winner takes it all,” quipped, tongue-in-cheek, Patrik, who placed third in the freestyle and commented that “we had some small mistakes but Scandic was much more uphill and had more ‘go’ than in the GP, so I am very happy."
Sandwiched in between the two Swedes, and the only other combination to break the 80% barrier, Isabell Werth and Don Johnson (by Don Frederico x Warkant) produced a formidable test riding to equally powerful music well suited to Johnny’s larger-than-life personality. Last year’s winners, Valentina Truppa and Eremo del Castegno (by Rohdiamant x Weltmeyer), were unable to replicate their 2012 success; after a fabulous GP which placed them second on 75% and in a position to turn things around in the freestyle, Eremo became way too unsettled by the weather conditions on Sunday, and this excess of tension, leading to uncharacteristic mistakes in the canter tour, prevented the combination from going above fifth place riding to the operatic freestyle they had premiered at the World Cup Final in Gothenburg.
The WDM GP Special was won by Victoria Max-Theurer, a Pferd International regular – this year marked her 12th appearance at the show– on Blind Date (by Breitling x Donnerhall). They chose to ride the Special because Vici is still working on a freestyle for the Breitling W mare; besides, the Austrian rider was genuinely looking forward to riding the ‘old and long Special’ (which had been dropped last year in favour of the shorter Olympic Special), calling it ‘a test that riders love’.
Vici added: “I’m very happy with Blind Date; this show was a bit of a challenge because of the weather, but we all have to say a big thank you to the organisation for the fantastic surface of the competition arena”, which coped amazingly well in such prohibitive conditions. “The mare is improving and improving. We’ve had some small mistakes but also plenty of really good things, and we are getting better all the time. I am so grateful for my family’s support and that of my trainer, Mr Wittig.” Vici was also competing in the CDI3* tour with Eichendorff (by Ehrentusch x Ferragamo), and brought Augustin (by August der Starke x Rohdiamant) along to school. “Eichendorff did some great pi-pa work, but we had a small mistake in the changes. It wasn’t very easy because of the rain, but he did a good job. I am just really happy to have three horses at such a high level and I’m delighted at how all three are developing.”
In the CDI3* tour, the big winner was Isabell Werth on her outstanding mare Bella Rose (by Belissimo M x Cacir). This was the 9-year-old mare’s debut at international Grand Prix, after a couple of successful performances in national classes for developing GP horses earlier this year. This incredibly elastic mover with seemingly no weaknesses produced two consistent above the 75% mark and looks well set to be stealing the hearts of both her rider and spectators alike.
Unexpected teamwork in the Under 25 Youth Challenge
The WDM Under 25 Youth Challenge was topped by Dane Sofie Jeppesen on First As (by First Flair x A Dur) with a polished test which included two tempis on a circle, riding to music which at times could have better punctuated the movements, but which was nevertheless pleasant to the ear and flowing. She was followed by Luxembourg’s Veronique Henschen on Fontalero (by Werther x Weltmeyer) and, in third place, by Danielle van Mierlo on Ucento (by Metall x Allegro). The latter wasn’t originally planning on riding the freestyle and was only persuaded to do so once already in Munich. As she didn't have a kur with her, she borrowed fellow Dutchman Patrik van der Meer’s music. However, the rhythm was too fast for Danielle’s Metall gelding and therefore Boy de Winter, the man behind the “L’Hiver” top hats who had his usual stand in Munich and who lists music as a hobby, worked throughout the night to adjust Uzzo’s music for Ucento, to good effect.
Further small tour success for Deja
The Nurnberger Burgpokal classes were dominated by Patrik Kittel on Deja (by Silvano x Don Schufro), in only their second show together after their jaw-dropping debut in Hagen. “She just keeps winning – this horse has the best mentality to work. When she enters the arena, she just gets better and better," Patrik told Eurodressage. He is full of praise for the gorgeous mare: “You can really switch the pi-pa button on, and then switch it off and she’ll immediately walk for a 9. It’s unbelievable and something I’ve never had: she has this inner relaxation which is so very rare, and makes her the perfect sport horse”. While the immediate future plan for Deja is to do the small tour at Aachen, the mare already has all the GP movements confirmed (‘it’s just a matter of putting them all together now’) and might make her GP debut later on this year, even though Patrik would also like to ride in the Nurnberger Burgpokal final in December. The amiable Nottuln-based rider doesn’t fail to show his gratitude to Deja’s breeder and co-owner Marie Haward (Patrik now has a share in her), saying: “I’ve got a fantastic owner, who’s so proud of her success – not only did she breed her but she has the whole family: her dam, sister, and she even bred a daughter of Deja, who’s now 4 and doing really well in Sweden.” Patrik concluded: “The whole weekend was so wonderful: it’s going to be a long drive home in the lorry, but it’s going to be a long drive with a really big smile on my face!”
Text and Photos © Selene Scarsi
Related Links
Scores: 2013 CDI Munich
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