J'Adore Dior H Wins Nurnberger Burgpokal Qualifier at 2026 CDI Hagen

-- Text and Photos © Astrid Appels - NO REPRODUCTION ALLOWED (no screenshots for social media!)
This article expresses Eurodressage's' eye-witness account and opinion about the competition. Quotes provided by Horses & Dreams PR

The 2026 CDI Hagen "Horses & dreams' competition at Hof Kasselmann came to a conclusion on Sunday 26 April 2026 with the Nurnberger Burgpokal qualifier for Developing Prix St Georges horses. 

Eye-Brow Raising Warm-Up Round

With 29 starters in the "Burgpokal" the field was packed and the grandstand filled with spectators enjoying fabulous, sunny spring weather and a wide array of very interesting dressage horses in all shapes, styles, colours, training and rideability.

Eurodressage saw and photographed the qualification round for the Burgpokal (and Louisdor Cup) on Saturday (and Friday) and approved of the quality of horses, but the judging, particularly in the burgpokal, left much room for questioning. The halo effect of the stars worked their magic: big name riders got easy points, while some horses were presented in an image far from the ideal of lightness and effortlessness. Of course these horses are green and not yet have accomplished the required straightness and ease, but there were some fundamental training issues with some (very strong contact against a spurring leg, unhappy mouths, riders swinging in the saddle to achieve a flying change). The balance for mistakes weighed more heavily for the lesser gods than the famous ones in the sport because the quality and potential of their horses shone through.

Some lesser known riders; who presented more old fashioned or non-flashy horses but showed beautiful riding, were sent home with scores between 66 - 69%. It felt like a flashback to the good old-fashioned prejudice of subjective dressage judging.

The use of marshmallow fluff and other sugar/lime juice derivates was back en vogue with a few. Throughout the weekend we did see noseband tightness being checked with the FEI measurement tool at the start of their warm-up. 

J'Adore Dior Wins Burgpokal Qualifier

The winner of the warm-up round, German based Swedish Olympian Patrik Kittel and J'Adore Dior H continued their winning ways on Sunday, clinching a ticket to the Finals in Frankfurt in December.

Patrik Kittel (SWE) and the very talented Oldenburg mare J’Adore Dior H (by Jovian x Sir Donnerhall) won the Burgpokal qualifier with 75.512% after also winning the warm-up with 74.171%. Four of the five judges placed them at the top of the rankings but there was a spread in the scores going from 72.561% to 76.829%.

J’Adore Dior H is bred by Hof Kasselmann's Michael Holtgers and was initially owned by Helgstrand. He was first trained and competed by Helgstrand's Spanish team rider Alvaro Conesa de Oliveira. In 2023 the pair finished 15th in the 4-year old finals at the Danish Young Horse Championships, while in 2024 they went to the World Young Horse Championships in Ermelo, where they were 6th in the 5-year old final. The promise in this horse was already obvious in Ermelo. She then moved to Patrik Kittel and was purchased by his in-laws, Carol and Sandy Oatley, for him to ride.

In an interview with the Hagen press office Kittel explained that the bay mare "belongs to his wife Lyndal Oatley, who entrusted the mare to him because, in her view, she was a better fit for him. “And I suppose I also let my charm work its magic a little,” said Kittel with a wink."

Kittel said about the mare, "she’s a real powerhouse, yet still relaxed. I’ve never had a horse that’s so refined without being complicated. We’d been to the indoor arena in Ankum once before, but of course you can’t compare Ankum and Hagen.”

Frederic Wandres and Iris Oberkampf's Oldenburg stallion Fänomen de Malleret (by Foundation x Sezuan) were second with 74.463%, while Danish Marianne Yde Helgstrand rode Palle Thomsen and the Schrödter family's Hanoverian bred Valerio (by Vitalis x Belissimo M) to third place with 72.146%.

An honourable mention goes to Yara Reichert on the 8-year old Swedish bred Skyline to B (by St. Schufro x Ampere). She probably presented one of the most talented horses in the field, but the gigantic black, who has been gelded to control his spiking level of testosterone, is a lot to handle for the Bavarian blonde. As last rider to go on Saturday in the baking sun, they showed much promise, but the judge at C was clearly lulled asleep as he hadn't noticed that the rider had gone off course three movements further down the programme. Also the speaker was on a different planet, announcing the rider had retired from her test while that was not the case at all. Reichert continued her ride and received a warm applause from the crowd at the end. 

-- Text and Photos © Astrid Appels - NO REPRODUCTION ALLOWED (no screenshots for social media!)

Eurodressage took photos of all CDI riders in Hagen. Contact us if you are interested in buying them for social media (or prints).

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