Wednesday morning was just gorgeous. It started out rather cool, but warmed up fast. Robin and Ralee rode thru both the para individual test and their freestyle. Missy Ransenhousen, our team trainer and chef d’equipe liked what she saw and had just a few suggestions. Ralee enjoyed a lengthy bath and a few hours in one of the gorgeous pastures at Kentucky Equine Research Center (again, my thanks to both Joe and Anna Pagan for their hospitality) and then he and I walked back from the main barn at KER to our little one about half a mile away, where he and Wendy Fryke’s German Riding Pony stallion Lateran have been staying.
Around 2 p.m., we headed over to the Horse Park to watch some of the Grand Prix Specials. As I already mentioned, I prefer to watch the warm-up, so here are a few things I noticed.
Christoph Koschel, coached by his father Juergen and Jonny Hilberath, looked solid just before going into the main arena. His horse Donnperignon is just one of a number of Donnerhall (or stallions by Donnerhall like DeNiro) offspring in this competition. Digby is another one; his rider Princess Nathalie zu Sayn-Wittgenstein gave birth just 2 months ago and looked in great shape.
Ashley Holzer had a great go with Pop Art. She, Matthias Rath and Steffen Peters all wore their hard hats during warm-up. Matthias brought along his dad Klaus Martin, his stepmom Ann Kathrin Linsenhoff and her young daughter—all were helping with the preparation of Sterntaler. I loved watching that family work together. The same goes for the Bechtolsheimer family—Mom and Dad, along with Klaus Balkenhol and two grooms, worked hand in hand to get Laura and Mistral to the starting gate and no loud or harsh words were spoken.
Laura did an incredible job with this huge horse. Watching them in the warm-up together is a treat. Edward Gal stayed across the street in the ‘no public allowed’ warm-up rings (they are visible from the road, but are off limits to the public) and yes, it was almost unreal to watch him and Totilas do the Grand Prix Special
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However, my heart beats for another stallion… His name is Fuego and in my recollection, he is the highest placing Andalusian stallion in the history of modern dressage, coming in fourth in the Special.
Talk to you soon,
Elly
