Dressage-News

By KENNETH J. BRADDICK

VERDEN, Germany, Aug. 11–Sa Coeur, ridden by Eva Möller of Germany, won the World Young Horse Championship for six-year-olds Sunday, taking the gold medal for the best youngster for the second year in a row having claimed the title as a five-year-old.

The Oldenburg gelding by Sir Donnerhall from a Don Davidoff mare scored 9.04 with 9.2s for the trot, walk and final impression, 8.9 for the canter and 8.7 for rideability. The win was popular with the crowd that was knowledgeable but not partisan.

German Olympic team silver medal rider Helen Langehanenberg rode Damon’s Delorange, a Westfalen mare offspring of her London Games mount Damon Hill NRW, to 8.92 for the silver medal while Discovery OLD with Heiner Schiergen aboard took the bronze on 8.80.

Germany was more dominant in the final, capturing the first six places, than in the qualifying when they filled the top five. Combinations from six nations, Australia, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the United States competed in the final but all the horses except one were born in Germany and the Netherlands, the exception being Duke of Britain, a Hanoverian gelding born in Great Britain of decidedly German bloodlines.

Doubleyou W that Laura Stigler, the kid sister of German-born American dressage rider Silva Martin, had won the qualifying class two days ago but mistakes dropped her to sixth in the final.

Charlotte Jorst who was riding Vitalis in the American’s first competition ever in Europe, found herself with a horse affected by the atmosphere of an arena surrounded by packed spectator stands to place 13th. The result, though, did not diminsh her enthusiasm that was on display and commentators described as wonderful to see someone enjoying themselves so much.

Jayden Brown, a 25-year-old Australian riding San Andreas, a horse he never expected to sit on again after competing it in Australia, battled his way through the qualifying class and then finished high enough in the so-called “small” final to go to the big final where the pair placed 14th.

The results for Eva Möller and Sa Coeur showed consistency over the three gaits, or as noted by Isabelle Judet of France as president of the ground jury of four judges, Sa Coeur “is really on the right path of training.”

The trot was described as “very expressive,” the walk “really relaxedthe horse works works through his whole body, has good overtrack and has freedom in the shoulder” while the canter was “very rhythmic and balanced though… could have more ground cover.” The horse overall had very good collection, steady contact, was fully balanced.”

For Helen Langehanenberg, the World Cup champion and German Olympic team silver medalist, the reserve championship on Damon’s Delorange was the first top three finish for the three horses she competed in the the qualifiers and finals of the five and six-year-old divisions, among them the much anticipated Damon’s Satellite in the five-year-olds. Both Damon horses are offspring of Damon Hill, the stallion on which she is ranked No. 2 in the world.

The judges described Damon’s Delorange as an obedient horse with canter that was “uphill and active,” with good lengthening inthe medium canter.

Delorange, they said, was “very supple, very correct, good contact, with fluid changeshalf passes and good crossing of the legs.

“A very elegant horse with good prospect for the future.”

Helen said there were many simiarities beween Satellite and Delorange.

“They are willing to work in the arena. It’s fun to work with them and compete them.”

Heiner Schiergen who rode Discovery OLD for the bronze medal said the ride in the final was more what was expected of the Oldenburg gelding (Dimaggio x Classiker).

“We were a little bit disappointed in the first qualification,” he said of the 13th place finish which forced them to compete in the “small” final to win a start in the big final.

“We are happy now we got the marks we expected.”

The horse was judged as “very elastic, elegant and a good horse for the future.”

Results:

6-Year-Old Championships