The German young rider team with Semmieke Rothenberger, Anna-Christina Abbelen and Hannah Erbe seccured the win in the Nations Cup for Young Riders at the 2017 CDIO-PJYR Hagen "Future Champions" international competition at Hof Kasselmann in Hagen, Germany, on Thursday 15 June 2016.
The German co-team trainer Oliver Oelrich was visibly pleased with the performance of his girls in Hagen: “All three showed very concentrated and exact rides, and have called on their best training from the last week.”
While the competition was top class - Hagen is the final German team selection trial for the 2017 European JR/YR Championships - the judging on the other hand was all over the place. The Young Riders CDIO team championship test was assessed by Fouad Hamoud (ALG), Christoph Hess (GER) and Barbara Ardu (ITA). German judge Hess was overly generous with his marks, but Italian Barbara Ardu stayed in line with him with more realistic scoring. Algerian Hamoud, however, could not find consistency nor agreement with his colleagues and his marks went up and down like the graphic of a seismographic chart for an earthquake.
Semmieke Rothenberger and the 15-year old Danish bred Geisha (by Gribaldi x Weltmeister) topped the board with 74.474%. The silhouette of the black mare has improved but. She developed more muscle and strength. The right half pirouette was a highlight. Unfortunately Rothenberger rode her quite on the curb rein especially in the canter work and the horse got tighter in the bridle, becoming more sour in her expression towards the end of the test. The trot tour had much flow and rhythm, even though the rider leaned too much back in the saddle in the well executed shoulders-in.
Hannah Erbe and her 10-year old Rhinelander gelding Carlos (by Carabas x Weltmeyer) would have been the clear winners of the class and even Hess' inflated score of 77.237% could not balance out Hamoud's surprisingly low 68.553%. Carlos is a world class horse which so much power, strength and self carriage, uphill in every stride. He did get a bit tight in the neck and the rider restless with her hands in the canter work, but overall the test was top class. They finished second with 73.158%.
Germany's scratch score came was Anna Christina Abbelen's 70.395% for fourth place. Riding First Lady (by Florencio x Donnerhall) she also had to deal with big score differences: 65.658%, 73.158% and 72.368%. “I am satisfied with my ride, just the difference between the grades from the judges is irritating," said the 20-year old, “nevertheless I find riding in Hagen insanely fun”.
Team Great Britain finished in second place and on the silver step of the podium. British teaam anchor was Charlotte Fry on the 9-year old Dutch bred Dark Legend (by Zucchero x Tango). The tall black gelding is very uphill and up in the bridle throughout the test, but could stretch more over the back and lengthen the frame in the extensions. They finished third with a score of 72.895% (marks ranging from 70.132 - 75.789%).Together with Rebecca Edwards on Headmore Delegate (69.868%) and Ellen Mccarthy on Donna Summer (67.237) and supervised by Chef d'Equipe Cara Hayward, Team GB finished second.
Team Denmark, made up of Louise Karstoft, Josefine Hoffmann, and Rose Marie Henriksen, and supervised by Ulrik Sörensen finished third place. As first starter to go in the class, Louise Karstoft and her 15-year old Oldenburg bred Famaso (by Furst Heinrich x Aletto) pulled the Danish caravan onto the podium with their fifth place and 70.351% score. Hoffmann made her CDI debut aboard Anna Kasprzak's former Grand Prix horse Honnerups Driver (by Romanov x Don Schufro). The liver chestnut gelding, who was the 2009 World Young Horse Champion, proved his worth as a schoolmaster and Hoffmann did an excellent job riding him through a secure test (68.772%). Rose Marie Henriksen and the 16-year old Danish mare Donna Silver (by Don Schufro x Willemoes) were 11th with 67.500%. The grey mare was very secure in all the movements and showed good flying changes, but had the tongue hanging out of her mouth.
Text and Photos © Astrid Appels - No Reproduction Allowed
Eurodressage's Astrid Appels was on the scene taking photos on Thursday. If you are interested in digital files or prints for personal use, social media, contact us.
Related Links
Scores 2017 CDIO-PJYR Hagen
German Juniors Supreme in Nations Cup at 2017 CDIO-PJYR Hagen