Deja Delights in Grand Prix for Kur at 2014 CDI Hagen

Mon, 05/05/2014 - 11:12
2014 CDI Hagen

Swedish Patrik Kittel and his rising Grand Prix star Deja was a delight to watch as they won the Grand Prix for Freestyle at the 2014 CDI Hagen on Saturday 26 April 2014. The bay Swedish mare (by Silvano x Don Schufro) scored 74.240% but showed potential for much more in the future.

Kittel and the 10-year old Deja were the last pair out of 21 combinations that contested the Grand Prix for Kur. The horse showed brilliant trot extensions, but refused to do the rein back initially. The passage is buoyant and lightfooted, in piaffe the side view has improved much with the mare being more settled in the rhythm, but the balance and self carriage in the piaffe are still shaky as the mare gets very wide in front and leans on the forehand. Still the rhythm in piaffe was not too bad. The extended walk was super, the collected walk was good but a bit open in the frame. The mare has huge, scopy tempi changes, which are straight, the extended covers much ground and is uphill, the zig zag was well ridden. Deja showed small pirouettes but in time should improve the jump and self carriage.

A more experienced pair finished second, Dutch Hans Peter Minderhoud on the Oldenburg licensed stallion Romanov (by Rohdiamant x Grundstein II). The beautiful bay stallion executed big trot extensions and half passes, but in the rein back the horse dragged the legs. The rhythm in the first piaffe and passage was good. The horse had much overtrack in the extended walk but paced in the collected. In the second piaffe Romanov hollowed the back a bit. The two tempi changes were big but the horse swung in the quarters. The zig zag was good even though the horse dragged the right hind in the first flying change to the right. The one tempi changes were spaced poorly on the diagonal and needed more ground cover. The pirouettes were small but could have had more airtime in each stride. The final piaffe-paffe centerline was regular but the horse could have pushed more from behind. Throughout the test, the horse was showing its tongue on the right side of his mouth. They scored 73.340%.

American based Dane Lars Petersen brought Marcia Pepper's 16-year old Danish warmblood mare Mariett (by Come Back Ii x Sidney) to Europe for the 2014 World Cup Finals but a hoof abscess prevented them from competing there. They made up for that missed performance by proving form in Hagen. Petersen started off with big trot extensions and much crossing in the half passes. The extended walk could have a bit more stretch forward-downward, the collected walk was ok. The piaffe and passage look solid even though Mariett sometimes showed a bit more right hind leg activity. The extended canter was well ridden, the two tempi's were good, but there was a mistake in the ones. Also in the last trot extension the rhythm could have been a bit purer. Mariett is ridden with quite a lot of curb and it would be nice to see her a bit more independent in the contact in the future. The pair scored 69.580% and would definitely have crossed the 70% barrier.

Text and Photos © Astrid Appels - No Reproduction allowed

Eurodressage's Astrid Appels was on the scene taking photos of all Louisdor cup riders as well as the CDI riders. Contact us if you are interested in photo prints, collages or albums

Related Links
Scores 2014 CDI Hagen
Eurodressage Coverage of the 2014 CDI Hagen