
For more than one decade three riders are practically dominating the highest grade in international para dressage and shared titles on the European, World and Paralympic stage amongst each other. We are talking about Michèle George from Belgium, Sophie Wells from Great Britain, and Frank Hosmar from The Netherlands who have raised the bar in Grade V, with other competitors trying to get hold of them. With Sophie Wells’ having to fall back on her inexperienced 7-year old reserve horse instead of her top ride Don Cara M, it seemed that Riesenbeck would be a head to head between the Belgian Queen of para dressage and her long-term challenger from The Netherlands.
The Grade V individual class at this year’s Europeans was by far the largest one with 18 riders from 14 different nations. Belgium, Sweden, Great Britain and Denmark had two riders each in this class in which the majority of horses is trained to a higher level than required (about medium), with some starting at PSG-or even Grand Prix-level. The degree of collection, the submission, and the overall quality of gaits naturally have to be higher than in the lower grades, but this also means that horses of a certain price range are required which are hard to afford for quite many para riders, some develop the horses themselves, others get them provided by generous patrons or breeders.
The jury, consisting of Ineke Jansen (NL), Elke Ebert (GER), Eva Andersson (SWE), Sarah Leitch (GB) and Anne Prain (FRA) was a complete different one from the one that judged the head-to-head of George, Wells and Hosmar at the 2022 World Championships in Herning.
First to go of the potential medal candidates, to which also German Paralympic bronze medalist Regine Mispelkamp belonged, was Belgian Michèle George and her now 13-year-old Hanoverian mare Best of 8. The bay Bonifatius-offspring came to George four years ago through German dressage legend Isabell Werth and they clicked right away, medalling not long after at the 2019 Europeans in Rotterdam, before becoming double Paralympic champions in Tokyo, and double World champions in Herning over the past two years. However, George’s preparation for Riesenbeck had suffered a setback in spring when she sustained broken ribs right at her home CPEDI in Waregem. She had to cancel her start at the show after a brave attempt in the Grand Prix A class in which she came third. In Riesenbeck the 49-year-old didn’t let that missing ring practice bother her whose strength it to ride with such a routine and precision that mistakes are an exception. Only Best of 8’s last halt was a bit abrupt and the (double) bridle contact could be lighter at times.
The Swedish pair of Lena Malmström and Fabulous Fidelie, not only after placing three times second at the „Aachen of para-dressage“ in late April in Waregem, were ones to watch out before the break. For a few years now the gorgeous Swedish bred liver-chestnut mare by Floricello x Don Romantic and her 54 -year-old rider from Hässleholm stands out with their beautiful classical riding. Even though Malmström who trains with Kerstin André in Sweden had to take care not to let a bit of tension creep in. The 11-year-old mare showed a balanced program with very correctly developed trot extensions and tidy half pirouettes in walk. The judges’ were pretty in unison and scored her 72.897% to let them finish 4th in the end of the class.
Right after Alphaville N.O.P., the tall leggy FJ Veyron and British team newcomers Charlotte Cundall entered the arena to give their international championships debut. FJ Veyron who is an Oldenburg by Vivaldi out of a Fidermark dam, bred by former British Olympian Nicola McGivern. The former 3-star-eventer and the 2014 winner of the Potential International Dressage Horse of the 4-year-olds in Britain, known by his nick-name "Duke," had achieved encouraging results in Hartpury and Kronenberg and they absolutely justified the faith the selectors had shown in them. Respectable 72.308% meant a fabulous 5th place at this first attempt and best British pair on that day.
Grade V Riders in the Team Competition
On Friday, 8th September 2023, the Grade V Grand Prix B was ridden to determine team medals as well as individual freestyle qualification.
Germany’s Regine Mispelkamp repeated her 3rd place from Wednesday and put 74.079% for her country’s attempt to win a team medal on the table. She had, however, to share 3rd place with Britain’s Sophie Wells who scored the identically for her team with an improved performance on her young inexperienced mare.
Text and Photos © Silke Rottermann for Eurodressage (this article expresses Silke Rottermann’s eye-witness account and opinion about the competition).
Related Links
Scores: 2023 European Para Dressage Championships
Eurodressage Coverage of the 2023 European Dressage and Para Dressage Championships