Surprise! Germany Takes Commanding Lead Midway Through European Championships, Netherlands 2nd, Denmark 3rd

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Helen Langehanenberg on Damsey FRH during the European Championships first of two days of team competition at Grand Prix. © 2017 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com (click images for full size)

By KENNETH J. BRADDICK

GOTHENBURG, Sweden, Aug. 22, 2017–Germany, to no one’s surprise, took a commanding lead at the midway point of the European Championships team competition Tuesday with the Netherlands standing second and Denmark third.

Helen Langehanenberg on Damsey FRH was leading individual combination with a score of 74.986 per cent and 2012 Olympic team mate Dorothee Schneider on Sammy Davis, Jr. was second on 74.586 per cent with the two Germans team gold medal pairs of Isabell Werth on Weihegold OLD and Sönke Rothenberger on Cosmo scheduled to ride Wednesday.

This was the first Big Tour championships for both Damsey, a 15-year-old Hanoverian stallion that Helen has been competing for the last 16 months, and Sammy Davis, an 11-year-old German Sport Horse gelding that Dorothee began riding at top sport just five months ago, after winning the German developing Grand Prix title last December.

“To be here today is honestly a bit more than I expected at the beginning of the year,” Helen said after her ride. “I am happy with our performance today, but we have some points to improve, we are getting there step by step. My horse felt great and I think he was in a good mood today.”

Helen had been ranked as high as No, 1 in the world on Damon Hill, the horse she rode at the 2012 Olympics and the 2011 and 2013 Europeans before losing the ride after the 2014 World Games. She was without a Grand Prix horse until April, 2016 when she began competing Damsey and brought Suppenkasper to Big Tour before she sold the horse last month for Steffen Peters to compete for the United States.

Dorothee Schneider on Sammy Davis, Jr. in the European Championships. © 2017 Ken Braddick/dressage news.com

Dorothee, who was selected on Sammy Davis after her Olympic team gold medal mount Showtime was still recovering from an injury, said: “I am very satisfied with my test because he is very inexperienced. I think the horse did an amazing job, he was very concentrated. We had one or two small communication mistakes, but still I am very happy with how he listened to me in this big arena with so much atmosphere. I think there is still a lot of air left to get higher points in the future.”

The big arena she was referring to is the stadium that has become known around the world as in having to be reinforced after a sellout crowd for a Bruce Springsteen concert was so enthusiastic it threatened the structure/

The stadium has been configured to seat 27,000 spectators for these championships, but the chilly weather may have been a factor in keeping the crowd to about a third that number in the competition that began mid-afternoon and went until after nine o”clock in the evening.

The team results of the top 10 after the first day of Grand Prix were: 1. Germany 149.572; 2. Netherlands 143.642; 3. Denmark 143.586; 4. Sweden 142.721; 5. Austria 134.028; 6. Spain 134.014; 7. Portugal 133.571; 8. France 131.099; 9. Russia 129.500, 10. Finland 128.500.

Anna Zibrandtsen on Arlando that put Denmark into medal position at the European Championships. © 2017 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

Denmark’s Anna Zibrandtsen on Arlando, the 12-year-old KWPN stallion that Diederik van Silfhout rode for the Netherlands at last summer’s Olympics and Anna has been riding for only five months, helped Denmark into a medal position with third place individually on a personal best score of 72.957 per cent.

“I was a little bit insecure at first,” the 23-year-old rider said, “but then I felt he was with me I could give some more than I have had before. You know I only had him five months, so we don’t know each other that well. It is a super arena and this horse just goes in and gives everything. I had a mistake in the two tempis, but the rest was super good.”

Tinne Vilhelmson Silfvén on Paridon Mago gave the home crowd a lot to cheer about at the European Championships. © 2017 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

Tinne Vilhelmson Silfvén, Sweden’s seven-time Olympian, gave the crowd good reason to cheer when she rode Paridon Magi to a score of 72.857 per cent that put the pair in fourth place individually.

“I had a quite tough situation going in on such an inexperienced horse, not knowing how he would react, and being a member of the team at the same time,” she said of the 14-year-old Swedish gelding that she has competes in Wellington, Florida in winter. “But he felt really good and for next time I can even put some more pressure on him. It’s fantastic riding in this arena, we have been talking about it so long, and being a part of the team feels very important for me.”

Great Britain’s Emile Faurie, riding Lollipop that was called to duty when Weekend Fun on which he was selected for the team was injured turned in a score of 72.286 per cent for sixth place individually. And as Britain was left with only three combinations after Don Carissimo to be ridden by Gareth Hughes was injured and pulled from competition, all the remaining scores count as the country seeks to extend its string of medal placings to five having been on the podium in 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2015.

“He is relatively inexperienced, he has only done four international shows in his life,” said Emile who was on the 2011 European gold medal team. “But he was really, really good. He stayed with me all the time. I actually really enoyed it in there, halfway around I realized I am having a great ride. But at the same time I also tried to ride safely, we needed a clean round for the team.”

Emile Faurie on Lollipop in the European Championships. © 2017 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

Results:

European Championships Grand Prix team–first day

Judges–K: Susie Hovenaars (AUS) E: Annette Fransen Iacobaeus (SWE) H: Isobel Wessels (GBR) C: Evi Eisenhardt (GER) M: Anne Gribbons (USA) B: Francis Verbeek v. Rooy (NED) F: Hans Christian Mattiesen (DEN)
RANK HNR COMPETITOR NAT. K E H C M B F TOTAL
1. 635 Damsey FRH Helen Langehanenberg GER 73.400 % 77.700 % 74.400 % 75.100 % 73.700 % 75.700 % 74.900 % 74.986 %
bay / 15y. / S / HANN / Dressage Royal / Ritual / GER45558 / Leatherdale,Louise & Meyer,Susanne (2.) (1.) (2.) (2.) (1.) (1.) (1.)
2. 637 Sammy Davis Jr. Dorothee Schneider GER 74.600 % 74.700 % 75.500 % 76.300 % 72.300 % 74.800 % 73.900 % 74.586 %
black / 11y. / G / BAY / San Remo / Wenckstern / 105KW44 / Herbert,Matthias (1.) (2.) (1.) (1.) (3.) (2.) (2.)
3. 615 Arlando Anna Zibrandtsen DEN 71.000 % 73.200 % 72.500 % 74.600 % 71.300 % 74.500 % 73.600 % 72.957 %
dbay / 12y. / S / KWPN / Paddox / Mytens XX / 103LG06 / Bregnerödgaard APS (6.) (5.) (6.) (3.) (5.) (3.) (3.)
4. 665 Paridon Magi Tinne Vilhelmson Silfvén SWE 73.400 % 74.300 % 73.700 % 72.300 % 72.800 % 71.600 % 71.900 % 72.857 %
bay / 14y. / G / SWB / Don Primero / Napoleon 625 / 102QX23 / Lövsta Stuteri AB (2.) (3.) (3.) (6.) (2.) (5.) (6.)
5. 644 Four Seasons 19 Diederik Van Silfhout NED 71.200 % 73.300 % 73.000 % 72.800 % 72.300 % 72.300 % 72.800 % 72.529 %
chest / 13y. / G / WESTF / Fürst Piccolo / Mon Cheri / 104KH92 / S.D.O. Dressage & J.v.Silfout & A. (5.) (4.) (5.) (5.) (3.) (4.) (5.)
6. 630 Lollipop 126 Emile Faurie GBR 72.200 % 73.100 % 73.200 % 73.200 % 70.400 % 70.900 % 73.000 % 72.286 %
bay / 13y. / G / HANN / Lord Sinclair I / Welt Hit I O / 105DY76 / Knyaginicheva,Elena (4.) (6.) (4.) (4.) (6.) (8.) (4.)
7. 643 Zippo Patrick van der Meer NED 71.000 % 71.000 % 71.300 % 70.900 % 70.400 % 71.300 % 71.900 % 71.114 %
chest / 13y. / G / KWPN / Rousseau / Haarlem / 103NA98 / Trainingsstal De Hoeve (6.) (7.) (8.) (8.) (6.) (7.) (6.)
8. 614 Jojo AZ Agnete Kirk Thinggaard DEN 69.000 % 70.000 % 72.300 % 71.400 % 70.000 % 70.000 % 71.700 % 70.629 %
dbay / 14y. / G / HSH / Ginus / Justboy / 103KA01 / Julianelyst Aps & Claus Thinggaard (11.) (9.) (7.) (7.) (8.) (9.) (8.)
9. 663 Zuidenwind 1187 Rose Mathisen SWE 69.500 % 70.900 % 68.900 % 70.100 % 67.800 % 71.500 % 70.700 % 69.914 %
bay / 13y. / S / KWPN / Oo Seven / Jazz / 104RQ40 / Gränsbo Stuteri & VDL Stud (8.) (8.) (11.) (9.) (12.) (6.) (9.)
10. 658 Raffaelo v. Bene Anna-Mengia Aerne SUI 69.100 % 65.700 % 70.500 % 67.900 % 67.800 % 69.700 % 70.000 % 68.671 %
grey / 16y. / S / Royal Diamond / Lanacar / 104NB08 / Aerne-Caliezi Anna-Mengia (10.) (20.) (9.) (14.) (12.) (10.) (10.)
11. 618 Mango Statesman Jordi Domingo Coll ESP 69.300 % 69.400 % 69.000 % 68.300 % 68.100 % 69.700 % 66.200 % 68.571 %
bay / 10y. / S / Sandro Hit / 103XJ43 / Jordi Domingo Coll (9.) (10.) (10.) (10.) (11.) (10.) (17.)
12. 651 Sai Baba Plus Boaventura Freire POR 67.300 % 68.100 % 66.200 % 66.900 % 68.200 % 66.900 % 66.900 % 67.214 %
bay / 10y. / S / HANN / Sir Donnerhall / de Niro / 103LR81 / Dressage Plus,Lda (12.) (12.) (18.) (18.) (10.) (14.) (14.)
13. 602 DSP Rodriguez Astrid Neumayer AUT 67.300 % 65.700 % 67.800 % 68.000 % 66.500 % 66.900 % 67.300 % 67.071 %
dbay / 17y. / G / BRAND / Rubinstern Noir / Gaspari II / 103VJ26 / Astrid Neumayer (12.) (20.) (12.) (11.) (15.) (14.) (12.)
14. 603 Auheim’s Picardo Christian Schumach AUT 66.100 % 68.500 % 67.800 % 67.300 % 65.500 % 65.800 % 67.700 % 66.957 %
bay / 16y. / S / HANN / Prince Thatch XX / World Cup I / 103DP44 / Mag. DI Ägyd Pengg (15.) (11.) (12.) (16.) (17.) (19.) (11.)
15. 657 Awakening Tatiana Miloserdova RUS 66.100 % 67.900 % 65.700 % 67.100 % 69.000 % 65.300 % 67.100 % 66.886 %
dbay / 12y. / M / KWPN / Sandreo / Welt Hit II / 104EP15 / Miloserdova,Tatiana (15.) (13.) (22.) (17.) (9.) (20.) (13.)
16. 627 After You Ludovic Henry FRA 67.100 % 67.400 % 66.200 % 67.500 % 65.200 % 66.400 % 64.900 % 66.386 %
bay / 14y. / G / BAY / Abanos / Ragazzo / 103EV75 / Henry Giorgia & Ludovic & Alexandre (14.) (16.) (18.) (15.) (18.) (17.) (20.)
17. 652 Bariloche Vasco Mira Godinho POR 64.600 % 67.600 % 67.200 % 68.000 % 64.000 % 67.300 % 65.800 % 66.357 %
grey / 11y. / S / LUS / Rouxinol / Hostil / 103KX01 / Christine Jacoberger (22.) (15.) (14.) (11.) (21.) (13.) (18.)
18. 648 Dzeko Katarzyna Milczarek POL 65.900 % 67.100 % 66.100 % 62.500 % 67.300 % 68.500 % 66.800 % 66.314 %
dchst / 11y. / S / OLDBG / Dimaggio / Continue / 103JX25 / Katarzyna Milczarek (17.) (17.) (20.) (26.) (14.) (12.) (15.)
19. 646 Bordeaux 28 Isabel Freese NOR 64.200 % 67.700 % 66.600 % 68.000 % 65.000 % 66.600 % 64.100 % 66.029 %
dbay / 11y. / S / KWPN / United / Gribaldi / 103PS35 / Schockemöhle,Paul & van Uytert,Joop (23.) (14.) (16.) (11.) (19.) (16.) (22.)
20. 616 Diavolo II de Laubry Cristobal Belmonte Roldan ESP 64.700 % 61.600 % 67.000 % 65.600 % 66.300 % 66.200 % 66.700 % 65.443 %
14y. / S / BWP / Alibi de Laubry / Unknown / 104EX78 / Cristobal Belmonte Roldan (20.) (27.) (15.) (21.) (16.) (18.) (16.)
21. 620 Landy’s Akvarel Dina Ellermann EST 65.400 % 66.400 % 64.000 % 66.100 % 63.500 % 65.300 % 63.900 % 64.943 %
bay / 14y. / M / Landcruiser / Noble Champion / 103KA33 / Dina Ellermann & Genofen Ltd (19.) (18.) (26.) (19.) (24.) (20.) (23.)
22. 626 Quartz of Jazz Marie Emilie Bretenoux FRA 65.800 % 63.900 % 66.600 % 64.500 % 63.100 % 65.200 % 63.900 % 64.714 %
bay / 13y. / G / SF / Lawrence / Urleven Pironniere / 104IB12 / Monsieur Jean Bretenoux (18.) (25.) (16.) (22.) (26.) (22.) (23.)
23. 640 Mystery Anikó Losonczy HUN 64.700 % 64.000 % 64.400 % 65.700 % 64.200 % 65.200 % 64.500 % 64.671 %
chest / 14y. / M / HANN / Margue H / Delano / 103ZB82 / Andrzej Salacki & Santos Developmen (20.) (24.) (24.) (20.) (20.) (22.) (21.)
24. 624 Kom Ragdoll Niina Nilosaari FIN 63.700 % 64.400 % 65.800 % 64.400 % 61.800 % 65.200 % 65.100 % 64.343 %
bay / 13y. / M / FWB / Playboy 107 / Tolstoy 701 Swe / 104EW24 / Nilosaari Niina (25.) (22.) (21.) (23.) (27.) (22.) (19.)
25. 625 Thai Pee Terhi Stegars FIN 63.900 % 66.300 % 64.200 % 63.200 % 63.600 % 64.000 % 63.900 % 64.157 %
bay / 11y. / M / OLDBG / Farewell III / Dormello / 103FY73 / Tania Kayser und Terhi Stegars (24.) (19.) (25.) (24.) (23.) (26.) (23.)
26. 666 Enrico Oksana Gusarova UKR 62.800 % 64.300 % 63.600 % 62.800 % 63.400 % 64.800 % 61.600 % 63.329 %
bay / 12y. / G / WESTF / Ehrentusch / 104DA74 / Oksana Gusarova (26.) (23.) (27.) (25.) (25.) (25.) (27.)
27. 654 Vosk Stanislav Cherednichenko RUS 61.200 % 63.100 % 64.800 % 60.600 % 63.700 % 61.300 % 63.600 % 62.614 %
bay / 12y. / G / HANN / Vodoley / 102YV88 / Merkulova,Inessa (28.) (26.) (23.) (28.) (22.) (27.) (26.)
28. 610 Vatikan Ala Nikanorava BLR 61.800 % 61.000 % 60.700 % 61.300 % 61.200 % 59.800 % 56.500 % 60.329 %
bay / 14y. / G / HANN / Kobrin / Vozgon-26 / 102OQ62 / Mogilev regional olimpic centre (27.) (28.) (28.) (27.) (28.) (28.) (28.)
29. 611 Latino Katsiaryna Yafremava BLR 60.900 % 55.200 % 58.900 % 59.900 % 59.100 % 55.600 % 55.400 % 57.857 %
bay / 11y. / G / PHBA / Caretino K / Landfuerst / 104HO24 / Yafremava Katsiaryna (29.) (29.) (29.) (29.) (29.) (29.) (29.)
30. 661 Darko of de Niro ZS CH Charlotte Lenherr SUI
black / 13y. / S / CH / de Niro / Gagneur / 104AU21 / Zellweger-Schmidhauser Mauz&Zellweg
30. 634 Elmegardens Marquis Joanne Vaughan GEO
bay / 18y. / G / DWB / Michellino / Lucky Light / EST40062 / Joanne Vaughan