The 2015 Barcelona Dressage Tour is over! The second edition turned out to be another amazing event. In the CDI4* there were good quality rides and very good horses. The amazing come back of Spanish Beatriz Ferrer-Salat and Delgado (by De Niro x Weltmeyer) was definitely one of the highlights of the show. Lovely spring weather with sunshine in a mild climate rounded up this second week of competition. What a show! Thousands of spectators enjoyed the four Grand Prix classes.
Beatriz made a fantastic comeback with Delgado and won two Grand Prix tests. The combination celebrated an overwhelming victory in the Albany Trustee Grand Prix in the CDI4* at the Barcelona Dressage Tour, which has not only been a sporting success, it has been a clear example of respect for the horse.
Not having forced Delgado to obtain a fleeting success earlier in difficult circumstances and loyal to the conviction that with time and proper care injuries can be overcome, Beatriz has been a shining example of fair play with her Delgado and he has repaid her with the best Grand Prix score she has achieved thus far in her career: 75.540%, her new personal best.
The judges gave them a multitude of 8 and 8.5 marks, for half passes, passage/piaffe and transitions, extended canter and flying changes. All this was after a two and a half-year absence since the summer of 2012. What will the future bring with this combination that seemed to be still far from its possible best?!
The award ceremony was led by international rider Carl Hester and the representatives of the Guernsey company, Albany Trustee, a family management business which is passionate about horses. Albany Trustee Company has committed once again, for a second year, to supporting dressage at the Barcelona Dressage Tour.
Behind the winners was British rider Fiona Bigwood with her beautiful mare Atterupgaards Orthilia (by Gribaldi) who is quite the prima donna: she knows herself to be attractive and elegant and she shows it in the ring.
Orthilia's extended trots were the epitome of elegance and her passage with magnificent moments of suspension was awarded several eights by the judges, but there is still room for more once she is 100% regular. Her half passes in the trot tour were very lateral and fluid, but unfortunately she made an error in two tempi changes in the Grand Prix, her capacity for big and forward changes is outstanding. The score was 74.660% and then in the Special the pair achieved a 71,255%.
And as the British have adopted this habit of always being on the podium, in third place in the Grand Prix there was Michael Eilberg with Marakov (by Rufs out of Mazepa), who were given a score of 70.480% by the judges. The errors in the two tempi changes and in the flying changes prevented them from scoring higher, but their presentation also offered many moments of quality, such as the passage and piaffe, which were very regular and on the spot, plus beautiful half passes and magnificent canter pirouettes.
No doubt that conformation and outstanding movements are highly valued in competition horses, but than again, talent without the consistency in the daily work won't be enough! This is what Claudio Castilla and his Lusitano Alcaide (by Lobito out of Paloma) showed us in the Special where they stepped up to the third place with a 70,804%. This was their debut at Grand Prix level, so there is definitely space for improvement but yet they did show a piaffe and flying changes for an eight.
Prix St Georges Liberto Trophy
And again this second week was highly successful for the Eilberg family. Maria Eilberg won the Small Tour with her Royal Concert (by Royal Diamond out of Ricona) with 72.263%. Beautiful trot extensions and flowing half passes, probably one of the best collected walks we have seen in this class were hers. Finnish Stella Hagelstam and New Hill Julitrea (by Revan out of Julerose) repeated this second week with a 71% in the Prix St Georges.
And then he came! Some might remember him from Verden 2012 but now presented by Michael Eilberg: Der Designer (by De Niro out of Welldone), one of the most expensive dressage Horses ever sold at the PSI auction. After an unsuccessful appearance at the World Championship for Young Horses in Verden in 2012 he had disappeared, until now. The Eilberg family has been training the horse for over a year and Michael’s excellent riding shows the horse's capacity. They were third placed in their first outcome ever as a combination. Der Designer still does seem to stay under his full capacity.
Intermediaire B Superwagen Trophy
Woodlander Dornroschen (by Dimaggio out of Claire) and Michael Eilberg did it again also in the second week: they won the Intermediaire B. All in all during these two weeks they took three out of four wins! No wonder, the dam of Faoruche, the beautiful Dornroschen herself is the daughter of a world champion in young horse classes!
Intermediaire I
Brazil is looking strong! In the Intermediaire I class the first place went to young Brazilian rider Joao Victor Marcari Oliva with 10-year-old Haddington KHR (by Hofrat out of Wicky) with an average of 66.737%. His test was very regular, although an error in the changes and tension in the walk cost them some points. Nonetheless, this young Brazilian shows promise. He has been living in Germany for some years and came to Barcelona accompanied by his trainer Norbert van Laak. With equal scores but in second place after the leader was Finnish competitor Stella Hagelstam with New Hill JUlitrea, a horse bred in Finland. The walk meant a drop in the average for her test as well, but she countered this with very nice shoulder-in. The best Spanish combination came next and, what's more, with a PRE, as Antonio Verdejo competed once again on Centurion stud farm's Kafu III, scoring 66.605%. T his pair was the winner of the COPA ANNCE in their category.
Dutch Domination with a Hint of Spanish Influence!
The entire podium for the Final for six year olds showed the Dutch colours. First place, with a hint of Spain, went to Dutch competitor Emmelie Scholtens with the PRE bred Genciano BCN (by Datil VII out of Genciana II), or George, as they call him at the Witte & Scholtens stables. Their average rose to 81.600%. These two are aiming to participate at the World Championships for Young Horses in Verden in 2015. In second place was Wilma Wernsen with her two KWPN horses: Estupendo (by Ziesto out of pretado) with 80.200% and third place was awarded to her KWPN bred Elmar (by Serano Gold out of Vestrade), scoring 74.600%.
The Final for five year olds was won by Lauro Aguiló, who returned with San Diego (by San Amour out of Donna Doria), the magnificent horse of his pupil Timofei Rusakov. Once again, they beat the 80% barrier with an average of 83.400%. Following these leaders was the son of Damon Hill, the Rhinelander Der Zauberer ridden by Russian Polina Afanasieva who achieved a score of 82.800%. The third place on the podium was for Juan Francisco Fernández from Galicia with Fine Time on a score of 79.200%.
Emmelie Scholtens and BCN Horses Team at the top in the Clasica 3
In the two star national competition in the Clásica 3, Dutch rider Emmelie Scholtens triumphed with Dorado (by Krack C x Rousseau) with a score of 71.806%. Annabelle Collins and Dimacho BCN (by Johnson x Sandro Hit) achieved a 70.046% and overtook Nuria Vila and London Pride with 67.639%. Annabelle was very pleased with her mount: “Dimacho has masses of strength and maybe he was a little tired today but it was very good for me, he behaved phenomenally. I am pleased with him and with the test, I’ve got really good feelings about it.”
Young Spanish, German and Swedish winners were on the podiums of the youth rider classes. German Julia de Ridder had great success with her two mounts in the Young Riders test, Lord Sunshine (by Lord Loxley out of Gillyflower) and Comtessa (by Royal Hit out of Charisma), with this last horse she showed excellent walk pirouettes, which is a difficult exercise! Spanish Cristina Torrent Moll and her horse De Vic (by Chagal out of Espiga) from Menorca followed closely.
Swedish rider Celine Milton and her mare Private Diandra (by Donnerhall x Alabaster) took the lead in this second week in the Junior Class with their first hattrick at their debut scoring close to the 70%. The young lady is based in Spain and trains with her mother Linda Swande and Jordi Domingo at home. An ambitious, promising combination!
Also the Childrens class saw young Spanish competitors triumph. First position was for Ariadna Llabrés on Rosenmontag with 68.556%. Second position was awarded to Katia Klimek with the Pure Breed Spanish Omega Aifos (by Guapo Seni out of Seni Rapida), scoring 68.444% and third place was held by Gisela Salord with Stella, a pair that scored 67.222%.
In the Pony test, the podium was full of Spanish competitors. Diego Martínez won on Picachu with 64.359%. He was followed by Ane Lide Galindez on Altanero CXXXIV with 63.932% and in third position was María Esperanza Navarro with Carlo Colucci, who scored 62.991%.
Dressage at its best
Dressage at its best deserves not only a beautiful surrounding but also any possible help from judges and officials. The JSP was on the spot for this CDI4*, it was one of the unique occasions and an initiative of the organizing committee, as well as the 12 international 5* judges some of them part of this year's European Championships Ground Jury in Aachen 2015.
Albany Trustee company, Mondepra Piscinas, Toni Monés, and Superwagen, Cava Rotxa, Liberto and many other collaborators sponsored the Barcelona Dressage Tour. The Village offered an interesting variety of horse products as well as some innovative stands such as Barcelona Dogs, where Dressage enthusiasts could find all types of Dog Collars, beautiful belts and even clothing prepared by Swedish Designer Angela Syro and many other equestrian fashion items. Zona Equus, Equippos, Classic Dressage, Central Hípica, Can Alzina Restaurant and Barcelona Dogs did not miss this year’s competition and saw it as a great opportunity to engage with national and international equestrian clientele.
So far with Barcelona Dressage Tour 2015. In Spain we'll be heading first to the CDI Valencia, followed by the Madrid Dressage Festival with a CDI3* and the Spanish National Championships at the end of May.
by Katharina Braren - Photos © Arnd Bronkhorst - Celeste Ribo for Top Iberian
Related Links
Scores: 2015 CDI Barcelona
Nights of Records Under the Lights at 2015 Barcelona Dressage Tour
Promising British Combination Wins GP Special on Closing Day 2015 BCN Dressage Tour
Fiona Bigwood Makes Stunning Come Back To the Big Tour at 2015 CDI Barcelona
First Big Tour Winners, Spain and Britain Take the Podium at 2015 BCN Dressage Tour
Michael Eilberg and Woodlander Farouche Impress at 2015 BCN Dressage Tour
2015 Barcelona Dressage Tour Ready for Kick Off
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