Dressage-News

By KENNETH J. BRADDICK

FRANKFURT, Germany, Dec. 17, 2016–Norway’s Isabel Freese rode Vitalis to win the Nürnberger Burg-Pokal Saturday, only the second non-German rider to capture the Prix St. Georges Special for seven to nine-year-old horses that is a pillar in Germany’s development of dressage sport horses.

The nine-year-old KWPN stallion (Vivaldi x D-Day) was awarded 79.220 per cent by the international five-judge panel. The horse was previously owned by American Charlotte Jorst of Reno, Nevada who competed Vitalis at the world championships for six-year-olds before selling it to Paul Schockemöhle of Performance Sales International as a breeding stallion. Isabel rides for the Schockemöhle stables.

Ingrid Klimke, the German eventing team superstar, was second on Franziskus on 77.634 per cent and third on Geraldine on 76.951 per cent in the final of the winning combinations in 12 qualifying events across Germany throughout the year..

The only previous non-German winner of the event in its 25-year history was Victoria Max-Theurer of Austria on Augustin OLD in 2007.

Isabell Werth has won the Burg-Pokal three times, more than any other rider but did not compete in the event this year.

A popular competitor in the competition was the 19-year-old Jil-Marielle Becks who rode Damon’s Satelite to fourth place on a score of 75.341 per cent. Jil-Marielle, whose family owns the Olympic medal winning stallion Damon Hill ridden by Helen Langehanenberg, has successfully competed Damon’s Satelite in both young horse and young riders events.

Isabel told dressage-news.com she “had no clue” about Vitalis before the horse arrived at the Schockemöhle stables at Mühlen, Germany.

It was couple of days before she got on the horse but from the first trot she “felt it could be good.” Work was begun slowly because the horse had not been bred for three years and needed a chance to get used to new surroundings and schedule.

As a breeding stallion, she said, the aim is to keep Vitalis to see how far he can go in competitions.

At a news conference following the competition, the Nürnberger company announced it has renewed the series for another three years.

Results:

Prix St. Georges Special