The 17-year old Jil-Mareille Becks and her 15-year old schoolmaster Damon Hill are continuing their string of success with a first major victory on international level at the 2015 CDI Hagen only one week after they scored a whopping 82% at their show debut at the Preis der Besten qualifier in Vechta. Becks and Damon Hill scored 79.211% to win the CDI Prix St Georges at Horses & Dreams on Wednesday 22 April 2015.
The annual Horses & Dreams competition at Hof Kasselmann in Hagen, Germany, is a spring show season highlight and has a huge group of German and international dressage riders flocking together for a fantastic CDI extravanganza. The decision for Becks participate with Damon Hill in Hagen was only taken one day before the official opening of “Horses & Dreams meets Australia”. It turned out to be completely correct.
The CDI 1* Prix St Georges class was the opener of the show and with 27 combinations from 12 different countries entered the test was an exciting one to watch. Becks and Damon Hill proved form and the panel of five judges awarded the ride a winning 79.211%. She will not return for the Intermediaire I as the goal was to get one international qualification score for European Championship nomination.
"Jil still needed an international result of 64% to have the chance to be nominated for the European Young Rider Championships. We narrowlu managed it," said Jil's father Christian Becks.
“Everybody thinks it would be easy to ride such an experienced Grand Prix horse, particularly in an advanced level dressage test, but it is even more difficult,” said Jil. “First he wanted to perform even more than less changes and was pretty much focused on Grand Prix.” Jil trains under the watchful eye of her father and with the professional help of coach Heiner Schiergen. “I simply benefit from Damon Hill’s experience. He is a strict teacher. If I make a mistake, he does the same. This way he forces me to ride completely concentrated all the time," she explained.
Coach Schiergen added, "Jil is capable to completely concentrate during the test, she simply sets everything else aside. The conditions here in Hagen helped a lot. We were able to work peacefully, the footings are fantastic and Dami simply felt comfortable."
Swedish Jessica Andersson finished second on the South African owned 8-year old Bundeschampion Benicio (by Belissimo M x Velthen Third x Wanderkönig). This bubbling duo stayed quite close on Becks' heels with their power score of 77.553%.
German 2012 Olympic team rider Dorothee Schneider completed the top three on Arlette Jasper-Kohl's chestnut Derano (by De Niro). The duo posted a score of 75.105%.
Photos © Stefan Lafrentz - Thomas Hellmann - LL-foto
Related Link
Eurodressage Coverage of the 2015 CDI Hagen