"Los Lagos is so sensitive that I immediately fell in love with him," guest rider Nicole Casper said. The Oldenburg chestnut Los Lagos, by Le Ceour x Figaro, was presented by owner Susanne Gattermann.
While in the first qualifier Los Lagos was only fourth with an 8.1 score, he improved every minute and absolutely shimmered under guest rider Nicole Casper in the finals. Even though the sensible Los Lagos was tensed in his body, he did get looser and more powerful. His walk was worthy a 9.0, while the canter and trot, featured by rhythm and self-carriage, earned him an 8.5. Los Lagos' conformation appealed to the judges and was rated 9.5. Guest riders Nicole Casper and Michael Thieme, head trainer of the Redefin State Stud, gave a 9.0 and 9.5 for his rideability.
Hannes Baumgart rode the Hanoverian Warum Nicht to a silver place. Sired by Weltmeyer, Warum Nicht enherited his sire's expansive trot (9.0). In canter Baumgart pushed his horse a bit too much, causing tension in that gait (8.5), while it is obvious that his mare definitely got more in store for the future. The walk was clean and tactful but a bit underscored by the judges (8.0). The conformation earned a 9.5. Third place went to Genoveva, a Trakehner mare by Gestut Domselshof's Finley-M. Under Katrin Hackemann the horse scored high notes in canter and trot (9.0). The walk was a bit short and slow (8.0) and her conformation was good for an 8.5 as she could have been more stronger and solid in the way she is built.
More was definitely expected from Ephedra S, a Westfalian beauty by Ehrentusch. Owned and ridden by double Olympic gold medallist Nicole Uphoff, Ephedra S won the first qualifier but descended to a final fifth place. The young bay mare, sold at a Munster auction for 360.000 DM, gave a tired impression in the final and thus lost her brilliance. 8.0 was the verdict.