Dutch Lisanne Zoutendijk wielded the axe of power in the young riders division at the 2016 CDI Drachten on 8 - 10 January 2016. The 17-year old decided back in November 2015 to compete in both the junior and young rider division and has produced her first Young Rider hattrick at the first CDI of the year 2016.
A smaller field of 11 young riders gathered at the Friesian Convention Centre in Drachten, The Netherlands, and Zoutendijk brought along the 13-year old Dutch warmblood bred Watteau (by Jazz x Houston) for the small tour level YR classes. Throughout the show the pair faced stiff competition from German duo Anna Lisa Theile on Ducati K (by Damon Hill x Rosenkavalier) and Dutch Laura Quint on Velazquez (by Krack C x Alasca). They were on Zoutendijk's heels the entire time.
Still Lisanne, an experienced Dutch youth team rider and European Pony Championship medal winner, topped the leader board three times. She scored 69.035% in the team test, 72.939% in the individual test and 75.333% in the Kur to Music.
"I didn't expect this when we drove here," said Zoutendijk. "I've only been riding at Young Riders level for a short while and last month in Roosendaal Watteau was very tense. Now the tension was gone and I can really focus on riding the test."
Zoutendijk also contested the junior classes on her younger horse Davina, an 8-year old Dutch warmblood mare by Johnson x Ulft. She will be moonlighting in both age categories this 2016 show season.
"I'm preparing myself for the Young Riders' tests. The next three months I will be competing Watteau in the young riders' division at the three observation trials for the European Championships," Zoutendijk explained. "In agreement with Tineke Bartels (Dutch team trainer) we can then still choose, junior or young riders. I'll ride the mare Davina with the juniors. She's only 8 and has less experience compared to Watteau."
Photos © Digishots
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