Dressage-News

By ILSE SCHWARZ

VERDEN, Germany, Aug. 27, 2021–The seven-year-old division debuted at the World Championships when it was held at Ermelo six years ago. In its developing years I think riders were unsure of what this class was really asking. Was it for the most accurate test you could ride? The reality is that this is a difficult test for most seven-year-old horses. Was it a chance to show off your mega-moving horse and maybe trip over a few movements without concern as after all… it was a “young horse class?” I think that with this clear lack of direction we saw many tests of the above. Horses forced into tests they weren’t ready for, huge passagey trots getting through the trot work and then not being able to perform a canter pirouette. Horses whose walks showed a complete loss of rhythm due to a lack of throughness and careful training. You may have guessed that the first few times I tried to sit through this class I was horrified and literally had to walk away.

I am absolutely thrilled to be able to report that I believe the class has found its direction, and it is very good for the sport. I feel that this class requires the rider to be able to maintain the purity and quality of the gaits, whilst introducing true FEI levels of collection, and being able to ride an accurate and clean test that is a little less demanding than the Prix St. Georges test. That is what was demonstrated Friday and it makes me rather excited about the future of the sport as these horses continue to develop to true FEI competitors. The top 10 or so combinations really showed horses maintaining and developing their talent and being able to perform the required elements without loss of balance, throughness and quality. Further, I fervently hope that riders can continue to maintain the quality and purity of the walks we saw as they develop these horses to Grand Prix.

The winning combination of Jovian and Andreas Helgstrand was a textbook example of this. I know that when many classes are sponsored by the Helgstrand group, it is easy to believe that points are given a little more easily. Whilst this may or may not be true, I assure you that they cannot control the weather. Jovian was ridden in the heaviest of the rain… it was bucketing down in true “Florida storm” style and Jovian NEVER missed a beat. You know he was light in the contact and carrying himself as there is zero chance that those reins weren’t slippery as hell. He deserved his 10 for trot and the 10 for perspective. No argument. Basically all the riders in the last group suffered the same conditions. It didn’t go well for any of the riders who had contact issues!

Results:

7-Year-Old Qualifier