Karen's WEG Blog - Impressions from the Grand Prix Dressage

Germany's highest scoring rider: Heike Kemmer & Bonaparte (75.792%) photo © www.CLiXPhoto.com

Ashley and Evi Have Their Moment Onstage
Ashley Holzer and Gambol were the first of the two to go today. The moment they came in the stadium the Canadian contingent started screaming, only to be shushed by Ashley (using her hand) who was concerned about Gambol’s delicate nerves. As Ashley said a couple of days ago, it’s a tough balance to achieve with the stallion, who likes to show off but also gets intimidated by certain atmospheres. Their test had no big mistakes, but it almost seemed like Gambol was holding his breath. Ashley looked disappointed as she left the stadium. Afterward, she said that the stadium is so large that the arena felt like she was riding in the middle of a big field, “and that’s not normal for dressage horses,” she added.

Evi, on the other hand, left the stadium smiling, after having pulled off a higher score than she has seen all summer in Europe. Quantum Tyme sometimes looked like he had two trots, the one that is exaggeratedly expressive in front, and another less flashy one, that nevertheless looks more through. The piaffe has improved, and the whole picture was quite harmonious. Quantum looked confident and happy out there. Evi had an understandably broad grin as she exited to the cheers of the Canadian supporters, who were joined by other appreciative spectators in the crowd near the gate. She just missed the cut for the Speciale by a few horses, as this time they are letting the top 30 instead of the historic 25 go forward.

Jacqui Brooks confirmed that Sam (Gran Gesto) had an abscess, normally the best lameness diagnosis you can hope for, and good news. The timing sure sucked, though.

Grand Prix Impressions

Gambol was far from the only horse to react to the charged atmosphere; Miguel Duarte from Portugal got a nice capriole before every piaffe, and finally on the last center line his mare threatened to unload him as a grand finale. It was a credit to him that he managed to get her through the test at all. I caught a bit of Jan Brink’s final warm up in the ten minute ring, which is only 20 by 40 and in a really busy place beside the main thoroughfare. Briar was just about unrideable for the first couple of minutes and Jan made good use of his long legs to stay in place through the bucking.

I finally found out what it was that caused Guenter Seidel to evoke gasps from the crowd and a low score for his one tempis yesterday: he did seventeen instead of fifteen. This IS a knowledgeable crowd! Poor Guenter – it is so unlike him and it cost him the 70% I’m sure he wanted to walk out of the arena with.

Nadine Capellmann’s Elvis is a real talent and will no doubt become a champion one day. He has very elastic paces and looks like he has a heart of gold. At ten he still shows greenness in the piaffe and tempi changes, but he deserved the eights and nines he received for extended trot and passage. I like him better than Farbenfroh, who was all front legs. Elvis moves more ‘honestly’.

There was a delightful little Russian horse called Royal Black Label. The Russian contingent were sitting next to me during his test and they went wild when the harmonious ride was over. I thought the rider, Elena Kalinina, was a bit robbed with 67% and change. It is hard to really be critical when you aren’t sitting in the judge’s box, but from the stands it just seems that the judges use a different measuring stick with the Germans and Dutch and some of the Scandinavians, one that starts a few inches off the ground…

I didn’t think Kyra could rise any higher in my esteem, but when she gave Max a sugar as she exited at A, my heart melted. She is coaching no fewer than eleven riders at this WEG, more than any team coach!

It was an outstanding performance from Dane Andreas Helgstrand and the young mare Blue Hors Matine. Her passage and piaffe were probably the single highlight of the whole competition so far. Rumour has it she has already been sold to the UK for a fortune.

Surprisingly, Anky didn’t ride last for Holland, Edward did. You could almost taste the tension in the stadium when Anky came in. I can hardly imagine what the atmosphere will be like in the Speciale and Freestyle. Salinero was one of the sweatier horses, with white lather growing on his neck through the test.  She had a couple of big booboos: a wrong lead in the canter depart, a mistake in the twos, and no halt whatsoever in the final salute. Remarkably, at least one judge in every case still gave her six for the movement. Now don’t tell me that if Ashley’s horse didn’t halt at the end that he would get more than a three or four. The Dutch fans were very well trained; they stayed quiet as mice until the test was over, at which time they exploded in a flurry of orange.  She ended up the day tied with her old rival Isabell Werth, who was not even on her number one horse. Isabell’s 75% meant that Edward would have to get more than 77% to put the Netherlands ahead of Deutschland. Lingh was the last horse in the ring today. He didn’t look like he did in Vegas, with wings on his feet, but the pair are still wonderful to watch. Lingh was guilty of prolonged (no pun intended) indecent exposure in the awards ceremonies, when teammate Sunrise was a bit too enticing with her proximity. Nadine Capellmann had to resort to yanking and seesawing to keep Elvis from bolting in the victory lap.

Unlike Salinero, Brentina didn’t look like she had cracked even a slight sweat in her test. The ride looked rather conservative, and had a couple of little mistakes, but it was enough to clinch bronze for the US team.

Team Medal Standings
Gold - Germany - 223.62
Silver - Netherlands - 217.91
Bronze - USA - 213.91

For full results, see http://results.aachen2006.de/default_e.htm 

 

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