2014 CDIO Aachen, Home Coming Experience for Belgian Julie de Deken

Focus

Eurodressage F.O.C.U.S.

Competing at the 2014 CDIO Aachen felt like a homecoming for Belgian Grand Prix rider Julie de Deken who keeps this prestigious show close to her heart. The international Grand Prix career of the 27-year old Belgian was launched in Aachen in 2010, when she and her first GP horse Fazzino won the inaugural Aachen Under 25 competition. Julie has returned to the "capital of horse sport" two more times as member of the Belgian team for the CDIO Nations' Cup.

Julie and her 13-year old Hessian licensed stallion Lucky Dance (by Lucky Lionell x Placido Sun x Pik Bube) were members of the Belgian team at the 2013 European Championships in Herning and in 2014 they have further consolidated their position on the team by performing very consistently and reliably, scoring in the upper sixty range at 3, 4 and 5* events. Julie has had a beautiful show season so far, performing at the nicest shows in Europe, including the CDI Treffen and CDI Perl at the end of June.

"After Perl I practised a lot on the canter pirouettes and worked with our team trainer Sjef Janssen on the piaffe," Julie explained. "I went to Sjef a few times to work intesively on fine tuning everything in preparation for Aachen."

Warming up in Aachen In Aachen the 28-year old Julie and Lucky Dance scored 68.300% in the Grand Prix in the strongest field of international competitors. They qualified for the Grand Prix Special and finished 27th.

"We have been going away from home quite a lot lately and he becomes more stalliony when we travel much," she explained. "Aachen was good but I felt this stallion aspect bubbling in his training. In the Special he surprisingly felt better than the Grand Prix but I got less points. It's a strange, contradictive feeling for me. I probably should have ridden him with a bit more power and concentration I think."

Scores achieved at international shows this spring season are considered for Belgian WEG team selection, but the final observation and WEG selection trial will be this weekend at the 2014 Belgian Dressage Championships in Meerdonk, where the Belgian WEG long listed riders will contest against each other. With very consistent high marks this season, De Deken can ride at the Nationals with a safe feeling and at the same time aim for her goal, a podium place.

Julie and Lucky Dance "I just have been working on the basics in preparation of the Nationals," she stated. "I also paid a bit more attention to the piaffe as I want to have it more secure in the show ring. Joost Peters and I have looked at our music once more to get the timing really precisely. I want to ride a beautiful freestyle and showcase what we've have been achieveing the entire year, strong and correct tests."