Golden Glory for Merrald and Dufour at 2011 Danish Youth Riders Championships

Shows

2011 Danish Youth Riders Championships

Nanna Skodborg Merrald and Cathrine Dufour had the platform to theirselves for golden glory at the 2011 Danish Junior and Young Riders Championships held at the Ringsted Riding Club in Ringsted, Denmark, on 26 - 28 August 2011. Both European Championship individual medal winning ladies felt little competition from their country mates and flew to national gold.

In the junior riders division Nanna Skodborg Merrald saddled her elder sister's horse Weltliebe, an 8-year old Danish bred Weltjunge x Andiamo offspring, while she kept her kur gold medal winning mount Millibar at home for holiday. The new ride posed little difficulties as Skodborg Merrald, who is trained by Michael Sogaard, won all three rounds. She scored 72.342% in the team test, 70.789% in the individual test and 75.800 % in the kur. Henriette Dam Vestergaard ended up with silver aboard the 9-year old Danish bred Leopold (by Loudini x Temple Wind xx). She improved throughout the competition with growing scores of 66.937%, 69.211% and 72.750% to place her second overall. The 15-year old Kathrine Sumborg Christensen and her experienced mount, the 16-year old Rohmario (by Rohdiamant x Märchenprinz), were very consistent at this show scoring between 67.29% and 69.45% and finished with bronze.

"Nordic Champion, European Champion and now National champion. It can't get any better than this," said Nanna Skodborg Merrald. "Big thanks to my sister Sandra who loaned me her lovely horse."

Cathrine Dufour on Cassidy Cathrine Dufour and her number one horse Atterupgaards Cassidy (by Caprimond x Donnerhall) were a league of their own in the young riders division. They were the only pairs to consistently score over 70% in all three rounds and earned gold. With 71.895% in the team test, 72.632% in the individual and 76.500% in the kur Dufour, who is trained by Rune Willum, tallied a 221.027 point total and was almost a full 11% ahead of silver medal winning Carina Nevermann Torup on the 10-year old liver chestnut Blue Boy (by Don Schufro x Chromico). Torup improved each round and built her score up from a 67.421% in the team test and 74.050% in the kur. Rikke Sofie Bøllingtoft and her massive dark bay 18-year old Danish warmblood Finale (by Fanal Prydsholm x Alibi) were very solid in Ringsted and scored 69.053%, 69.158% and 71.900% to end up with bronze.

"What a fantastic weekend," said Dufour. "It's been indescribable, despite the weather."

Photos © Ridehesten.com

Results

2011 Danish Junior Riders Championships
Horse - Rider - Team Test - Individual - Kur --- Total

1. Weltliebe - Nanna Skodborg Merrald - 72.342 - 70.789 - 75.800 --- 218.931
2. Leopold - Henriette Dam Vestergaard - 66.937 - 69.211 - 72.750 --- 208.898
3. Rohmario - Kathrine Sumborg Christensen - 67.297 - 68.596 - 69.450 --- 205.343
4. Gørklintgårds Domello - Anna Zibrandtsen - 66.306 - 66.579 - 71.950 --- 204.835
5. Hevi's Futuro - Isabella Holtze - 69.099 - 64.737 - 68.550 --- 202.386
6. Lambada - Cecilie Lyndrup - 65.946 - 66.228 - 68.850 --- 201.024
7. Pantani - Emma Holm Westergaard - 65.315 - 66.053 - 69.550 --- 200.918
8. Calexia Vibeholm - Camilla Hylager - 64.324 - 67.632 - 67.700 --- 199.656
9. Selimon Attrup - Simone Barnekow - 65.586 - 63.947 - 68.100 --- 197.633
10. Pele'S Samba - Anna Bjørklund Themsen - 65.045 - 64.386 - 67.700 --- 197.131
11. Tai-Nin - Charlotte Aarestrup Bruun - 65.405 - 65.351 - 66.150 --- 196.906
12. Don Dino - Pernille Teidor Olesen - 64.054 - 63.947 - 67.750 --- 195.751
13. Heslegård'S Lullu - Melina Iversen - 63.153 - 64.912 - 66.500 --- 194.565
14. Højmosens Avion- Amalie Overgaard- 63.784 - 64.947 - 64.500 --- 193.231
15. Eridanus T - Sabrina Barnekow - 64.414 - 64.035 - 64.500 --- 192.949

2011 Danish Young Riders Championships
Horse - Rider - Team Test - Individual - Kur --- Total

1. Atterupgaards Cassidy - Cathrine Dufour - 71.895 - 72.632 - 76.500 --- 221.027
2. Blue Boy - Carina Nevermann Torup - 67.421 - 69.000 - 74.050 --- 210.471
3. Finale - Rikke Sofie Bøllingtoft - 69.053 - 69.158 - 71.900 --- 210.111
4. Brohaves Cæsar - Anne Laursen - 64.789 - 64.947 - 66.100 --- 195.836
5. Phantom - Anne Sofie Aaen - 61.316 - 65.316 - 69.150 --- 195.782
6. Romar - Marie-Louise Larsen - 63.579 - 64.895 - 65.700 --- 194.174
7. Faidon - Henriette Boe Mortensen - 65.632 - 62.789 - 64.350 --- 192.771
8. Hot Shot - Karina Holdt Andersen - 62.526 - 63.263 - 66.700 --- 192.489
9. Laurentius - Cecilie Stengelshøj Madsen - 67.000 - 60.368 - 64.750 --- 192.118
10. Moesgaards Azia - Katja Ehmsen - 62.526 - 63.421 - 63.650 --- 189.597