Dressage-News

ERMELO, Netherlands, July 31, 2016–Sezuan, ridden by German Olympian Dorothee Schneider, made history Sunday in winning the gold medal in the first seven year-old world championship and completing a hat trick of of young horse titles. Severo Lopez of Spain rode Fiontini to the championship for six year olds, after taking the five-year-old title in 2015.

Both Dorothee and Severo now head to the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro to ride different horses on their nation’s teams.

Sezuan, the Danish Warmblood stallion (Blue Hors Zack x Don Schufro) that won the world championships in 2014 as a five-year-old and 2015 as a six-year-old was awarded 89.005 per cent for the victory in the inaugural seven-year-old division championships being held at the Netherlands equestrian center for the first time.

Sezuan received 9.8 for trot, 9.8 for walk, 9.4 for the canter and 9.3 for submission but 10 for perspective.

“Wow!” was the reaction of Mariette Sanders-Gansewinkel speaking for the judges.

“Sezuan has a very energetic, swinging and uphill trot in which he shows a good cadence: a 9.8. The fantastic walk has a beautiful four-beat and also receives a 9.8. The canter is his best gait, with enormous power. But today he was a little tense right before the flying changes, therefore ‘just’ a 9.4. A technical piece of art, but the tension in the changes and the hind legs together in the first pirouette result in a 9.3 for the submission. And the perspective… well, that could only be a 10!”

Dorothee said: “This is something extraordinary. I want to thank the owners that I can ride him.

“Sezuan is a sensational horse with three excellent gaits that always wants to work with me in the test and always wants to make me happy. I have been working at Gestüt Peterhof for about 3.5 years now and I think it’s incredible to ride such a horse. The Nürnberger Burg-Pokal is probably also on the planning for next year. Afterwards we will work on the piaffe and passage and prepare for the next step.

“We take things slow and let Sezuan be a horse. We will see when the time is right and he is ready for the next level.”

Fiorucci HT, a Swedish Warmblood gelding (Florencio I x Rubinrot) with Sweden’s Jeanna Hogberg aboard took silver on 80.253 per cent.

Saphira Royal, a Rhinelander mare (San Amour x Monteverdi) ridden by Germany’s Stefanie Wolf earned bronze on a score of 78.641 per cent.

In the six-year-old final Fiontini was awarded 9.5 for trot, 9.8 for walk, 9.7 for canter 8.9 for submission but 10 for perspective.

Five Star, a KWPN stallion (Amazing Star x Jazz) ridden by the Netherlands’ Kirsten Brouwer took silver on a score of 89.000 per cent.

Sir Olli, an Oldenburg stallion (Sir Donnerhall x Florestan I) and ridden by Ann-Christin Wienkamp of Germany earned bronze on 87.600 per cent.

Maria Colliander, president of the ground jury, said: “The walk was a highlight, so relaxed in a wonderful rhythm. What was interesting was how well the horse collected in the medium walk and before the pirouettes; a 9.8. The horse has lovely clear ground cover in the trot, although at times Severo must be careful that it will not become a passage.

“But I must mention that the extension totally blew us away. The canter has such an active hind leg and it so well placed under the body. Wonderful propulsion with a great extension and he came back so well: a 9.7. On the submission there is still room for improvement, the natural bending could be better and the one-change was not so fluent as the mare anticipated a bit, which caused tension: 8.9.

“What a talent for the future, she receives a 10 for the perspective.”

Results:

WYHC 6yo_final

WYHC 7yo_final