She’s one of three new German riders making their mark.
Some aspiring dressage stars got a chance to shine at the Dortmund CDI, March 13-16 in Dortmund, Germany.
The first three places of the Grand Prix Special went to three young ladies, who all have a good chance to become the international champions of tomorrow. Carola Koppelmann, 30, topped the class with her mount Le Bo. She and Le Bo were recently nominated into the championship cadre of the German team. The professional rider, based at the German federation’s headquarters and training center at Warendorf, presented the 15-year-old, chestnut gelding in a solid Grand Prix Special performance.
They performed straight and faultless one- and two-tempi flying changes, good pirouettes, well-done transitions between piaffe and passage as well as rhythmical and active piaffes. When it came to the extensions, the horse could have shown a bit more ground coverage, but they were supple and swinging.
With 71.28 percent Koppelmann was happy with her victory. “This is our first victory in an international Grand Prix Special. To win in front of such a super audience and on a self-educated horse, that is a really great feeling,” she said.
Koppelmann got the ride on Le Bo, who is sired by the Thoroughbred stallion Lauries Crusador, when he was 2 and came to her barn to be prepared for the stallion market at Verden. He did not become a Liscensed stallion, but his performance career blossomed.
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The young Austrian rider Victoria Max-Theurer took second in the Special with the Oldenburg gelding Falcao OLD (69.76%), with whom the 22-year-old rider has already been several times Austrian Senior Champion.
Max-Theurer rode on the Austrian team at the 2004 Athens Olympics and the 2007 European Championships. She has Olympic hopes again this year, but it won’t be until May that the Austrian federation gets word on whether they’ll be included in the Olympic Games.
Helen Langehanenberg and her elegant black mare Responsible OLD were showing in just their third Grand Prix Special, so third place was quite an accomplishment (69.64%).
Just one mistake in the one-tempi changes dropped their score from what looked like a winning test.
Responsible, a 9-year-old Rohdiamant daughter, showed lots of elasticity and relaxation, with impressive impulsion from behind. She had ample expression, but in a totally calm manner. Langehanenberg, 25, trains with Ingrid Klimke and shows a very elegant seat.
“I am happy with ‘Resi.’ We are both still young, and we have to gain experience. We still may have one or two mistakes, but we just have to stay relaxed,” said Langehanenberg.
While the Special tour showed new blood, the old guard was also well represented as Klaus Husenbeth dominated the Grand Prix freestyle tour with Piccolino, who is sired by the Thoroughbred Prince Thatch.
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In the Grand Prix, they earned 69.54 percent and then in the freestyle, Piccolino showed even more power than in the Grand Prix and lived up to the rock sounds of the band Kool And The Gang. They took victory with 73.45 percent ahead of Denmark’s Anders Dahl and the 18-year-old, Oldenburg gelding Afrikka (72.60%).
Isabell Werth used the freestyle at Dortmund to debut her 9-year-old, Rhineland gelding First Class (by Florestan I), in his first international Grand Prix freestyle. The performance has to mature, but 70.25 percent and third place was a good start.
A New Tour
The Dortmund CDI kicked off a new show series, the MEGGLE Champions tour. Sponsored by Toni and Martina Meggle, Bavarian entrepreneurs, the series encompasses 11 of the top German shows. At each show, the top three riders in the Grand Prix Special qualify for the series final, to be held at the 2009 Dortmund CDI and offer a purse of $76,968.
The MEGGLE Champions tour replaces the Kampmann Cup, which came to an end with its ninth final at the Bremen CDI in February. The Meggles had been active sponsors of dressage classes at the national and international level even before beginning the series.
The legs of the MEGGLE Champions series for 2008/2009 include:
• Dortmund CDI, March 12-16
• Bad Salzuflen Dressage, May 9-12
• Wiesbaden CDI, May 9-12
• Aachen CHIO, June 27-July 6
• Warendorf Dressage, Sept. 3-7
• Donaueschingen CDI, Sept. 18-21
• International Oldenburger Dressage, Nov. 6-9
• Stuttgart German Masters CDI, Nov. 19-23
• Frankfurt CDI, Dec. 18-21
• Münster CDI, Jan. 8-11
• Euroclassics Pferdesport Festival, Feb. 20-March 1
• Finale at Dortmund CDI, March 25-29
Birgit Popp
