His canter was outstanding–a perfect 10. In fact, Florencio 2 earned the only mark of 10 at the World Championships of Young Dressage Horses in Verden, Germany, July 1-3. The 6-year-old Westphalian, winner as a 5-year-old in 2004, finished with a score of 9.48.

Florencio 2 (Florestan–Walessa, Weltmeyer) also won the qualifying competition, scoring 9.38 for rider Hans Peter Minderhoud. Showing for the Netherlands, the bay stallion displayed correct gaits and brilliant movement, and judges praised his springy strides.

Florencio 2 scored 9.8 at trot and 9.5 for the walk. He was one of two horses scoring 9 or higher for the walk. (Edward Gal rode the other horse, Sisther de Jeu.) To move into the top standings, the young horses had to show three excellent gaits–balanced by scores for suppleness and impression. Florencio 2 scored 8.6 for suppleness and 9.5 for impression.

Judges rewarded horses for freedom of movement and rhythmic gaits. Florencio 2 showed a loose, swinging back along with exuberance in covering ground. He also displayed superior rideability, focusing completely on Minderhoud’s aids.

Another Westphalian won the 5-year-old championship. Damon Hill 4 (by Donnerhall out of a mare by Rubinstein I) scored 9.26 in the qualifying test, over two other stallions of related breeding. Rusty 223 (by Rubinstein out of a mare by Weltmeyer) was second, and Donnerball (by Donnerhall) third.

In the final, the dark chestnut started the canter to the left on the wrong lead. Rider Helen Langehanenberg, substituting for Ingrid Klimke, quickly corrected the mistake.

Despite the error, Damon Hill 4’s marks kept him in first place (9.02). Judges remarked “not always obedient in canter work,” but praised his engagement and quality trot (9.8).

The audience of knowledgeable spectators grumbled about the score given for Rusty 223. The chestnut earned 8.42, receiving a mark of 7.2 for suppleness. His walk earned the best score among the 5-year-olds–a 9.5 for a free stride with a great overstep. Holga Finken showed both Rusty and Donnerball.

Aiming Toward Prix St. Georges

The quality of horses, especially the 6-year-olds, who are being steered toward Prix St. Georges, represented the best in German breeding and training. The winning horses showed their ability in flying changes and half pass.

Spirit Freedom, the second-placed 6-year-old (8.9 in final), received comments from the judges such as, “Powerful flying changes and in contact.” The Oldenburg (by Sion) received 8.9 for his canter and 9.4 for trot. He was the only entry showing for Great Britain, ridden by Damian Hallam.

Scott Hassler of Hilltop Farm, Colora, Md., noted how trainers target these horses early for international levels. “You can’t just take your 4-year-old and jump right in. Get going early, with a 2-year-old. To compete here at these high levels, you need time on the horses.”

This year, entries represented 12 European nations, plus Canada and the United States. Given the quality among the entries, qualifying for the final was an achievement. Only 15 of 34 horses in the 5-year-old division advanced to the final. In the 6-year-olds, 31 horses sought to be among the 15.

Both age groups offer a “B” final, for those horses lower in the standings after the qualifying test. Three of the 6-year-olds have the opportunity to move into the final, if their second scores move them ahead of horses that scored better in the qualifying class.

Currency DC Makes The Cut

A single U.S. entry made it to the final: Currency DC, with Susan Dutta. The 5-year-old Oldenburg (Clintino–Cinderella, Classiker) was in his third show, with his second being the East Coast Final at the Raleigh CDI (N.C.) in June.

“I had one goal and that was to try to get into the final,” said Dutta, of Wellington, Fla.

In the qualifying competition, “Curry” scored 8.3. He earned all scores above 8, except for the walk.

“He’s listening to me,” said Dutta. “His mind isn’t anywhere but with me.”

She’s aiming him at the international levels. “He is a nice horse for the future. He’s showing me he’s a real show horse,” said Dutta.

“I haven’t had to put very much mileage on him. He’s been so great. He has a very good character.”

In Verden, Klaus Balkenhol coached Dutta. “Klaus is always helpful. I hear a lot of ‘Easy, Susan.’ He has such a calm demeanor about him. It’s an honor to have him stand there and help me,” she said.

She also had support from German young horse expert Ulf M?r. Her husband Tim Dutta, his business partner Guido Klatte, and wife Britta Klatte also cheered her on. “Britta was one of his first riders,” said Dutta.

Curry ended 11th in the final, with a score of 7.76, with judges commenting, “Obedient and supple.” Again, the walk was his lowest score, faulted in this test for being “short in front.” “It swings in the judging,” said Dutta. “You need a horse that can walk.”

Royal Prince, representing Hilltop Farm, was making his second trip to Verden. The 6-year-old Hanoverian had placed fourth in 2004.

Like Currency DC, Royal Prince won his Eastern USEF Selection Trial. Susanne Owen Hassler again showed the bay stallion.

In the qualifying competition, Royal Prince resisted the reinback and trotted in the walk. His score of 6.76 put him in 21st place.

“He warmed up perfectly,” said Scott. However, a delay extended their time in the schooling area, and Royal Prince entered the arena with reduced energy.

“It was too bad to have my first bad ride at the championships,” said Susanne. “We warmed up too long, and he was too tired. He came out so relaxed. It was a learning experience.”

The pair bettered their score the next day in the “B” final (7.52), to end up ninth. “He had more power and was better engaged,” said Susanne. “My overall experience was not disappointing, but I’m disappointed I didn’t put in better performances.”

Royal Prince will move up to Prix St. Georges next year. “He wants to work for you all the time,” said Susanne. “He is so much in self-carriage, and it’s so light and natural.”

The third U.S. horse, Donegal (Davingport–Guadaloupe, Grundstein I), was the first entry of a U.S.-bred horse. The bay is a second-generation domestic-bred Hanoverian owned and bred by Joanne Balling, Barboursville, Va.

“I bred his dam as well,” said Balling. “I started with one mare, Trixie, who’s now 23. It’s all on a very small scale.” She also owns a full brother and full sister to Donegal.

With rider Hokan Thorn, Donegal was 29th in the qualifying competition (7.04). He scored 7.28 in the “B” final, for 16th place.

Tebbel Takes German Show Jumping Title

Before the third and final leg, which went over two different courses, the top 11 riders in German Show Jumping Championships were separated by less than one pole.

In the end, the 36-year-old Rene Tebbel kept cool nerves and won his first national title (4.78) with a double clear round aboard Quel Homme. Tebbel is working for the stud farm of the Sprehe family and has had the Belgian gelding, who had been a licensed stallion till last year, in the barn for two years.

The Quidam de Revel son was ridden by Joerne Sprehe for one year before Tebbel took over the now 12-year-old mount from his student. But in the year since Tebbel has had the ride, Quel Homme has been ill for five months. Though their last results had been promising the combination were not favorites at Verden.

After placing third in the speed class, the first leg, and finishing the second leg with just one pole down, Tebbel had taken over the lead, but he did not want to comment on his chances. “In the past I have made prognosis and they always did not come true; this time I better keep my mouth shut.” Obviously, a successful tactic.

The title did not bring a ticket for the European Championships at San Patrignano, but Tebbel knew his chances would be slim. “I would not say ‘no’, if they nominated me, but the Europeans come too early for Quel Homme.”

Olympic bronze medallists Marco Kutscher and Montender claimed silver (7.45), after working their way up from 11th place in the first leg. They posted a double clear round in the third leg, a feat accomplished only by Tebbel and the European Double Champions Christian Ahlmann and C?r.

Pia-Luise Aufrecht and Hogut Liederbach’s Ingmar took bronze (9.05), though the 27-year-old rider had been in silver position with Abrisca before the last round, where the combination had three poles down.

In the first leg, the speed class, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum took first and second aboard Shutterfly and Checkmate. But the 2005 World Cup Champion lacked a bit of luck and placed fourth aboard Shutterfly (9.58) and sixth aboard Checkmate (12) in the final standings.

In between, Marcus Ehning aboard Gitania (10.03) took fifth place. Ludger Beerbaum with his just 9-year-old Grand Prix shooting star Couleur Rubin was seventh.

While Gladdys, Ludger Beerbaum’s mount for the 2003 Europeans, has still not returned to training and Goldfever has lacked a bit of form in the last weeks, Beerbaum decided to bring Couleur Rubin and L’Espoir, of which the first one proved to have the better form. Also Ehning had at the end only one choice, since Anka and then For Pleasure suffered injuries. But with Gitania he has proven great reliability, placing third in the 2005 World Cup Final.

In contrast to the German dressage committee, which had some problems accumulating a team, the German show jumping committee could have put together two teams with a chance for gold at San Patrignano. They finally nominated Ahlmann/C?r, Ehning/Gitania, Kutscher/Montender, and Michaels-Beerbaum with Shutterfly and Checkmate. Otto Becker and Dobel’s Cento are reserves.

Ludger Beerbaum has his sights set on the 2006 WEG at Aachen, which is understandable since the only individual title he has not won is that of an individual world champion.

Birgit Popp

Kemmer Takes German Show Jumping Title

Heike Kemmer and the Hanoverian chestnut gelding Bonaparte took the overall victory (234.105) in the German Dressage Championships at Verden, July 1-3. Hubertus Schmidt and Wansuela Suerte finished second (231.455), winning the gold medal in the men’s division. Schmidt won the freestyle (80.62%), besting even Kemmer (80.07%).

But there were also many surprises on the show grounds around the Hanoverian breeding association, which attracted approximately 40,000 spectators.

Isabell Werth withdrew Satchmo, following problems two weeks earlier at Balve, where the gelding got too hot. Ann Kathrin Linsenhoff’s Sterntaler-Unicef, who had been runner-up to Kemmer and Bonaparte two weeks before Verden and bested Olympic individual bronze medalists Beatriz Ferrer Salat and Beauvalais, also did not show up. The 10-year-old Oldenburg gelding had strained his hoof the Monday before Verden. The German dressage committee agreed to the withdrawal so as not to risk the health of the horse.

Nadine Capellmannn and Elvis had come to Verden with a lot of expectations after some successes earlier this season, though her 9-year-old Espri offspring is just in his first Grand Prix season. But while warming up for the Grand Prix, Elvis tried to dump his rider when she asked him to piaffe (he has succeeded in doing this in the past with Capellmannn as well as with Klaus Balkenhol and Martin Schaudt, possibly the only horse who can claim to have set three Olympic gold medallists in the sand!)

During the Grand Prix Elvis was just as rebellious, placing 14th (67.63%). He had the same attitude in the warm-up before the Grand Prix Special, so the reigning World Champion decided to withdraw.

These withdrawals have dwindled the possible candidates for the European Championships. Linsenhoff was competing Wahajama-Unicef, who had been her first choice in the beginning of the year, but who had not competed in the first trial in May, due to a bad nail. He returned to training just three weeks before Verden but did not enjoy the noisy arena at Verden. Finally, Linsenhoff withdrew before the freestyle. And she decided not to show her team world champion Renoir-Unicef.

“With the World Cup shows and the early outdoor season he has had a very long season already. I do not believe he could keep his form till the Europeans. It had not been my plan this year to try to make the team with him,” she said.

Schaudt and Weltall VA placed third in the Grand Prix (73.67%). In the Grand Prix Special the 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding did not show a real walk, broke to the trot in the extended walk, came close to a four beat in the canter tour and lost rhythm in the trot extension. With 69.84 percent he placed just 10th. In the freestyle he placed fifth (74.91%) and took the bronze medal in the men’s division (218.33).

Team European and World Champions Klaus Husenbeth and Piccolino scored 77.22 percent in the freestyle to place third. He finished with an overall result of 220.515 points for the silver medal in the men’s division.

The nomination of the European Championship squad caused quite a surprise. The Athens Olympics team gold medallists Kemmer/Bonaparte and Schmidt/Wansuela Suerte were guaranteed a spot. Husenbeth and Piccolino had also placed themselves well with their rides at Verden, but Schaudt and Weltall VA were not even nominated as reserve combination.

German team coach Holger Schmezer said, “He was not in form. The horse has some weaknesses and some great points but the great moments were not as great as they were last year.”

In the Athens Olympics the combination helped win the team gold medal with a fourth place in the Grand Prix, but their Grand Prix Special (eighth) was disappointing and the freestyle was a disaster.

Linsenhoff and Sterntaler-Unicef were nominated as the fourth team members, given that the horse’s hoof would soon be OK. The week after Verden the shooting star of this season had a vet check and returned to training. Ellen Schulten-Baumer and Lesotho are the reserve combination, although they had only been 16th in the Grand Prix (67.38%). In Special they took third (72.72%) and in the freestyle eighth (73.02%).

Birgit Popp