German duo Matthias Alexander Rath and the 14-year old Dutch warmblood stallion Totilas made a long awaited, smooth come back to the show ring at the 2014 CDI Kapellen on Thursday 21 May 2014. Their return was deliberately kept hush, but as soon as the black stallion appeared on the show grounds, the media buzzed with the news and a fairly large crowd gathered at the normally low-key CDI in Belgium.
In a field of 35 competitors, Rath and Totilas topped the leader board with a 78.680% earning test. The horse looked very relaxed in the show ring, was supple and swinging, especially in the trot. It was a strong test, after a two-year break due to injury, showing very positive developments as well as a few negative points that need working on.
The horse is well muscled, with an improved top line, more length in the neck and soft in the bridle, even though the contact with the curb could be lighter. The horse looked less jittery and electric in his movements and more supple and athletic overall. The trot extensions, while they did show improved overtrack (something which never happened under Gal!), the horse was visibly very irregular in front, lifting the left front leg much higher than the right. The pair scored an average 7.1 for the trot extensions, which was overrated due to the unevenness in the steps. The trot half passes were lovely, the passage regular and off the ground. The piaffe had good rhythm, the second piaffe was the best one of the three shown. The transition out of the first piaffe was a bit wobbly. Throughout the test the horse needed to be more up in the bridle in the piaffe and passage as he often became deep. The extended walk had very good relaxation and nice overtrack, the collected was clear in the rhythm. In the canter tour the two tempi changes were big but the horse swung too much in the hindquarters losing the straightness on the diagonal. The zig zag was well ridden. There were two mistakes in the one tempi changes. The pirouette left was slightly big, the right one was smaller but Totilas blocked behind right before the exit. In the final passage on the centreline the stallion anticipated the halt and braked a bit early.
It was very interesting to see how the judges would assess this test as their score would set the tone for future results. The fact that the panel of five disagreed and marked the ride between 73.700% (Lemmens) and 82.900% (Maknami) spoke words. Their marks averaged a fairly generous 78.680% which immediately made them competitive for a spot on the German 2014 World Equestrian Games team.
German team trainer Monica Theodorescu drove to Kapellen last minute to see the pair with her own eyes. Last time she had seen the duo train was at the Preis der Besten Qualifier at Schafhof in April. Rath and Totilas have only been back in full training since February 2014. In order to qualify for the team, Rath will have to compete at the mandatory selection trials in Perl (26 - 29 June) and Aachen (17 - 21 July).
Theodorescu was pleased with what she saw. "His neck is more nicely muscled and the trot is no longer so hectic," she told Reiter Revue. "It was a very nice test. The horse is in good condition and performed very happily. I'm pleased that Totilas is back. You can see that the horse has the willingness and eagerness, also in the warm up."
After winning the test Rath confessed he was very relieved. "The nerves and emotions were very intense today," Rath stated. "I can hardly describe in words the burden that has fallen off my shoulders, but I'm very content. (...) This show was not about placing well, but that Toto can show in the ring what we have noticed in training: his fun at going to shows and the joy he has in his work, which I feel and hopefully the audience can see too. I couldn't have longed for more than what he gave me today."
Kapellen in the Picture
The CDI Kapellen is quite a new show. It was first organized last year at the same time as the World Young Horse Championships in Verden. For 2014 the date was pushed forward to May and the event was able to attract a huge field of riders with action non-stop in the main show arena. The atmosphere is relaxed and quiet there, the main ring beautiful and serene with top footing. There are two 20 x 60 m warm up rings with excellent footing.
The runner up in the Grand Prix was Swedish Jennie Larsson on the 10-year old Dutch bred Zircoon Spring Flower (by Painted Black x Armstrong). They posted a score of 70.760% and left French based Belgian Grand Prix rider Laurence Vanommeslaghe behind them. Laurence is a newcomer on the Belgian A-team and has proven her A-status in Kapellen by scoring 69.420% on the chestnut Hanoverian Avec Plaisir. The combination stood out with its very accurate riding and a lovely, regular piaffe-passage.
Finnish routinier Terhi Stegars and her 15-year old Trakehner stallion Axis (by Sixtus x Angard) were fourth with 68.380%. She had newly engaged Belgian Grand Prix rider Julie de Deken right on her heels with 68.060%. De Deken and her Hessian stallion Lucky Dance (by Lucky Lionell) showed massive improvement in the top line, with a lighter contact and more supple stretch in the frame, especially in the trot extensions. The passage was regular and strong, the piaffe still a bit forward and could have been more settled.
Text and Photos © Astrid Appels - NO REPRODUCTION ALLOWED
Eurodressage's Astrid Appels was on the scene taking photos of ALL riders at the CDI Kapellen. Contact us if you are interested in photo prints, collages or albums.
Related Links
Scores 2014 CDI Kapellen
Totilas Buzz at the 2014 CDI Kapellen
Rath and Totilas to Make Show Come Back Tomorrow at 2014 CDI Kapellen