Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025

Incremental Improvement Keeps Hendricks On Top At AGDF

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Wellington, Fla.—Jan. 23

Thanks to Felicitas Hendricks, the German national anthem “Deutschlandlied” was heard frequently during last year’s Adequan Global Dressage Festival. The German young rider rode eight tests with her partner Drombusch OLD, and they won all but one, where they finished second behind countryman Fredric Wandres.

Despite their success, the 24-year-old knew she’d have to keep bringing her A-game this season.

“I knew that I would have very good competition, very good other starters,” she said. “So I would never come here and say, ‘Oh, I’m ready to win again.’ You have to work for every single [one] of those wins, so I never take any one of those for granted. I get equally excited about every good test.”

Felicitas Hendricks and Drombosch OLD. Kimberly Loushin Photos

Her excitement isn’t reserved just for wins though; she said she was super happy with her second-placed finish in the Grand Prix (70.91%) during Week 1 with the 14-year-old Oldenburg (Destano—Wicomaggia, Dimaggio), bred by Ralf Stienke.

“He gave me an awesome feeling,” she said. “I was super happy with that test. So even if it’s not a win, it still is. I’m unbelievably proud of him and super happy.”

Hendicks picked up a win in the freestyle (78.20%) that week, and today she added another blue ribbon to her collection in today’s Grand Prix CDI-W, with a personal best of 72.45% in the class of 15. U.S. rider Anna Marek and Fire Fly were second on a 71.23%, and Kevin Kohmann and Dünensee were third on a 70.37%.

“He’s a good boy always, but I think he’s shown some great piaffe work and some nice pirouettes, some very nice trot half-passes,” she said. “He did great canter half-passes too, but I made a little mistake where I was a little too quick, and he kind of tripped a little bit with his front leg. But, I mean, I was very happy with him overall.”

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Anna Marek and Fire Fly.

Though Hendricks has competed in two World Cup qualifiers already this season, she’s not planning to compete in the FEI World Cup Final in Basel, Switzerland, in April. She’s planned her winter schedule around four shows in Florida: In addition to Weeks 1 and 3, she hopes to represent Germany in the Nations Cup during Week 7 and then will compete in the five-star Week 10.

For Friday night’s freestyle, she’s aiming for consistency and fun in her test with “Drömmel.”

“He keeps improving step-by-step anyway, so I don’t want to say, ‘Oh, I want to go a huge leap now,’ and then risk taking a step back,” she said. “I’d rather prove his consistency and take little steps forward, as he’s doing right now.”

Kevin Kohmann and Dünensee.

An Exciting Future

Michael Klimke’s Grand Prix string might be in their first season at Grand Prix, but it hasn’t stopped them from showing they’ve got plenty of talent. Two weeks ago he showcased Harmony’s Zomancier and Harmony’s Fado in their first CDIs, finishing third and fourth, respectively, and today he debuted another new ride in the Grand Prix CDI3* at AGDF.

The German rider guided Harmony’s Dante’s Peak to the top of the 10-horse class with a score of 68.08%. U.S. rider Erin Nichols finished in second with Elian Royale on a 67.63%, while Australia’s Jemma Heran was third on Total Recall with a 67.60%.

“I’m very happy because, yeah, the horse is green, but has all the quality and little things here and there,” Klimke said. “He was a bit looking, but overall, he gave me a really good feeling.”

Michael Klimke and Harmony’s Dante’s Peak.

It was the first CDI Grand Prix for the 9-year-old Oldenburg (Dante Weltino OLD—Apollina II, Desperados), bred by Werner Bertke and owned by Harmony Sporthorses. The gelding was previously ridden by Borja Carrascosa Martínez. “Dante’s” owner, Monica Burssens, was riding with Klimke when she decided to sell him.

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“I must say, I fell in love with him after riding him for two minutes,” Klimke said. “It’s really a top horse.

“He’s a little bit scared and looking, but you can give him confidence so easy,” he added. “And he makes no mistake, if you, as a rider, makes no mistake. I mean, this is most of the time with the horses, but with him, he really wants to do it.”

Erin Nichols and Elian Royale.

Dante was coming off a two-year break from the show ring when Klimke showed him in his first national Grand Prix at World Equestrian Center December Dressage (Florida), where they won on a 71.41%.

With a win under his belt, Klimke says that Dante will have a nice break from the show ring after this weekend. He’s tentatively looking at showing in four weeks, but he will evaluate how the gelding feels after this competition.

“The plan is, really this Florida season, not to ride him [at] too many shows, but give him confidence, and hopefully then in the summer in Europe, we have some good shows coming up, and I think the horse has all the potential,” he said. “The horse is really good, and plan is to really give him confidence here in the competitions.”

Jemma Heran and Total Recall.

Results.

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