Justin Verboomen & Zonik Plus of Belgium Win European Championships Individual Gold, Denmark’s Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour on Mount St. John Freestyle Silver, Isabell Werth of Germany on Wendy de Fontaine Earns Bronze
4 months ago StraightArrow Comments Off on Justin Verboomen & Zonik Plus of Belgium Win European Championships Individual Gold, Denmark’s Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour on Mount St. John Freestyle Silver, Isabell Werth of Germany on Wendy de Fontaine Earns Bronze
By KENNETH J. BRADDICK
CROZET, France, Aug. 29–Justin Verboomen rode his spectacular Zonik Plus to the European Championship individual gold Friday, the first Belgium to claim the title since the competition was first held 62 years ago. Denmark’s Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour on Mount St. John Freestyle took silver and Isabell Werth of Germany on Wendy de Fontaine earned bronze.
The personal best score of 82.371% by Justin and the nine-year-old black Hanoverian stallion came just nine months since the partnership began Big Tour.
Cathrine’s silver medal on the 16-year-old mare Freestyle with a score of 81.687% came a year after placing atop the Paris Olympics Special to lead her team to silver.
Isabell on Wendy, who led Germany to gold in the Grand Prix, scored 79.027% in the Special.
Katharina Hemmer, her team mate on the American-owned Denoix PCH, also posted a personal best of 78.678% to place fourth.
None of the combinations appeared affected by a brief rain shower and occasional chilly breezes that are common in this mountainous region.
The Belgian combination made only one error in the ride, in the line of changes between the pirouettes, but made up for it with the second pirouette and the final centerline.
The duo received six 10s and six 9s and one 9.5 for general impression from the seven judges.
Justin said after the ride, “I’m really struggling to realize what’s happening! My horse is still young, and I didn’t expect this to happen so soon. But I’m very happy!
“I bought Zonik Plus when he was just 2 ½ years old, and we’ve done everything together. From the beginning, he showed exceptional qualities, great balance, and a very good temperament. He still has all that, so we try to protect it. He’s an incredible horse.”
Cathrine said: “It’s very hard to predict anything with such an incredible group of riders competing this week. I’m really, really proud of my silver medal today.
“Justin showed amazing sport, and so did I, actually. But I made a mistake in my one-tempi changes. The fact that this sport allows new combinations like Justin and his amazing horse to emerge is something that really motivates me a lot.
“In a way, it was horrible watching my competitors, because I wanted to be on the top step of the podium, but at the same time, it gave me so much motivation and really pushes me to keep improving. So yes, I’m really proud of my silver medal today.”
Isabell commented: “I’m sorry, I’m not part of the young generation. But anyway, I did my best to defend my position today.
“I’m really happy with Wendy de Fontaine. I expected it to be an easy competition today. In reality, it was very close and tough, which made it really exciting for all of us. And of course, when you’re here, it’s about giving your best and trying to win. I expected great performances from Justin and Cathrine, of course. So for us, it was important to go into the arena and give everything. I lost a bit of energy in the transitions. I did my best. I’m not yet at the level I’d like or should be at right now, because we started a bit late in the season due to a small injury. That made the path to peak form more difficult. Nevertheless, Wendy de Fontaine did many good things, and I was really happy with her passage and piaffe work.”
Results:
European Championships Individual Competition–Grand Prix Special
| Rk. | Num | Rider / Horse | K | E | H | C | M | B | F | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 708  | Justin VERBOOMEN Justin VERBOOMEN ZONIK PLUS HANN/Stallion/Black/2016/by ZONIK N.O.P. x HEIDEBLUME by HOHENSTEIN 4 | 82.128 (1.) | 81.702 (2.) | 81.915 (1.) | 78.936 (2.) | 85.638 (1.) | 83.723 (1.) | 82.553 (2.) | €10,000 | |
| 2. | 713  | Cathrine LAUDRUP-DUFOUR LAUDRUP-DUFOUR & ZINGLERSEN ApS, Mount St John Equestrian LLP MOUNT ST JOHN FREESTYLE HANN/Mare/Bay/2009/by FIDERMARK x DONNA GRACIA by DONNERHALL 11 | 81.277 (2.) | 82.128 (1.) | 81.596 (2.) | 81.809 (1.) | 80.851 (2.) | 81.489 (2.) | 82.660 (1.) | €8,000 | |
| 3. | 734  | Isabell WERTH CHATEAU DE FONTAINE, Madeleine WINTER-SCHULZE WENDY DE FONTAINE DWB/Mare/Black/2014/by SEZUAN 2 x SKOVENS VANILLA by BLUE HORS SOPRANO | 77.021 (4.) | 77.553 (5.) | 81.170 (3.) | 77.979 (4.) | 80.106 (3.) | 79.468 (3.) | 79.894 (3.) | €6,000 | |
| 4. | 731 | Katharina HEMMER Nancy GOODING, Hubertus SCHMIDT DENOIX PCH OLDBG/Gelding/Chestnut/2012/by DESTANO x PRINCESS by PIK NOIR | 78.830 (3.) | 80.532 (3.) | 80.638 (4.) | 78.936 (2.) | 78.617 (5.) | 76.383 (7.) | 76.809 (4.) | €4,500 | |
| 5. | 730  | Becky MOODY Becky MOODY, Jo COOPER JAGERBOMB KWPN/Gelding/Bay/2014/by DANTE WELTINO OLD x UDYSEE by JAZZ | 76.915 (5.) | 77.447 (6.) | 77.021 (5.) | 77.979 (4.) | 79.149 (4.) | 79.468 (3.) | 76.596 (5.) | €3,000 | |
| 6. | 729 | Carl HESTER Fiona BIGWOOD, Mette DAHL, Carl HESTER FAME KWPN/Stallion/Bay/2010/by BORDEAUX 28 x BONAVENTURA by RHODIUM | 75.532 (6.) | 76.489 (8.) | 76.170 (7.) | 77.447 (6.) | 77.872 (6.) | 76.170 (8.) | 75.000 (6.) | €1,500 | |
| 7. | 733 | Frederic WANDRES Hof Kasselmann BLUETOOTH OLD OLDBG/Gelding/Other/2010/by BORDEAUX 28 x LORENA by GB RICCIONE | 74.468 (8.) | 78.511 (4.) | 76.596 (6.) | 76.596 (7.) | 76.064 (8.) | 74.894 (9.) | 74.468 (8.) | €1,000 | |
| 8. | 743  | Dinja VAN LIERE Joop VAN UYTERT HERMES KWPN/Stallion/Bay/2012/by EASY GAME x BUKKIE by FLEMMINGH | 74.362 (9.) | 73.936 (9.) | 75.426 (8.) | 74.894 (9.) | 77.553 (7.) | 77.234 (5.) | 75.000 (6.) | €1,000 | |
| 9. | 727 | Charlotte FRY Charlotte FRY, VAN OLST HORSES GLAMOURDALE KWPN/Stallion/Black/2011/by LORD LEATHERDALE x THUJA by NEGRO | 75.000 (7.) | 76.915 (7.) | 74.149 (10.) | 76.489 (8.) | 73.617 (11.) | 76.809 (6.) | 74.043 (9.) | ||
| 10. | 746  | Isabel FREESE Oivind BACHE, Lone BOEGH-HENRIKSEN, Paul SCHOCKEMÖHLE TOTAL HOPE OLD OLDBG/Stallion/Black/2012/by TOTILAS x WEIHEGOLD OLD by BLUE HORS DON SCHUFRO | 74.149 (10.) | 73.404 (11.) | 75.426 (8.) | 74.362 (10.) | 74.574 (9.) | 74.255 (11.) | 74.043 (9.) | ||
| 11. | 707 | Larissa PAULUIS Caroline LEPAGE, Emmanuel LEPAGE, Jean PAULUIS, Marie Christine PAULUIS FLAMBEAU KWPN/Gelding/Bay/2010/by AMPERE x LAKARLA by ZEOLIET | 71.383 (15.) | 72.553 (14.) | 73.404 (12.) | 73.723 (11.) | 73.617 (11.) | 74.362 (10.) | 73.936 (11.) | ||
| 12. | 714 | Nadja Aaboe SLOTH Nadja Aaboe SLOTH FAVOUR GERSDORF DWB/Gelding/Black/2013/by FOUNDATION 2 x VIRKELYST BENIDA by LEANDRO | 72.766 (12.) | 73.404 (11.) | 72.979 (15.) | 72.872 (12.) | 71.489 (17.) | 73.191 (14.) | 72.979 (13.) | ||
| 12. | 750  | Sandra SYSOJEVA Sandra SYSOJEVA, Dominika KRASKO BIALEK, Piet LENSKENS MAXIMA BELLA OLDBG/Mare/Black/2016/by MILLENNIUM x CIAO BELLA HRH by CHRIST 3 | 72.872 (11.) | 73.830 (10.) | 73.191 (14.) | 72.021 (18.) | 72.021 (14.) | 73.511 (12.) | 72.234 (16.) | ||
| 14. | 762  | Maria VON ESSEN Alexanders Hovslageri & Häst AB INVOICE OLDBG/Gelding/Black/2012/by JAZZ x ROXANNE by OLYMPIC FERRO | 72.553 (13.) | 72.660 (13.) | 70.745 (22.) | 71.809 (19.) | 74.574 (9.) | 73.191 (14.) | 73.511 (12.) | ||
| 15. | 759 | Patrik KITTEL Sommarkvarn AB TOUCHDOWN SWB/Gelding/Bay/2012/by QUATERBACK x LA MOUR by SACK | 71.702 (14.) | 71.809 (16.) | 74.043 (11.) | 72.234 (14.) | 72.021 (14.) | 73.511 (12.) | 72.553 (14.) | ||
| 16. | 732 | Ingrid KLIMKE Rudolf SPIEKERMANN VAYRON NRW WESTF/Stallion/Bay/2011/by VITALIS x GLORIA by GLOSTER | 71.298 (17.) | 72.255 (15.) | 71.511 (19.) | 69.170 (24.) | 71.404 (18.) | 71.617 (19.) | 72.468 (15.) | ||
| 17. | 752  | João Pedro MOREIRA Roberto Pedrosa HARAS DO DROSA, Joao MOREIRA DROSA FUERST KENNEDY OLD OLDBG/Stallion/Black/2015/by FUERSTEN-LOOK x FIODORA by DON KENNEDY | 71.383 (15.) | 68.617 (29.) | 71.277 (20.) | 72.128 (15.) | 71.702 (16.) | 72.872 (16.) | 70.957 (18.) | ||
| 18. | 761 | Tinne VILHELMSON SILFVÉN Lövsta Stuteri AB HYATT KWPN/Mare/Chestnut/2012/by APACHE x DORETTA FUGA by SANDREO | 69.362 (21.) | 70.319 (21.) | 72.766 (16.) | 72.766 (13.) | 70.745 (21.) | 70.000 (25.) | 69.787 (21.) | ||
| 19. | 741  | Nicolas WAGNER EHLINGER Soc.Hippique et d’Elevage S.A., Nicolas WAGNER EHLINGER QUATER BACK JUNIOR FRH HANN/Gelding/Chestnut/2009/by QUATERBACK x BONITA by BONHEUR | 70.426 (19.) | 71.170 (18.) | 70.638 (23.) | 69.149 (25.) | 70.745 (21.) | 71.277 (20.) | 70.532 (19.) | ||
| 20. | 745 | Thamar ZWEISTRA Stal Hexagon B.V., Thamar ZWEISTRA HEXAGONS LUXURIOUZZ N.O.P.T. KWPN/Gelding/Chestnut/2016/by JOHNSON TN x WALIDA V/D WAALSEHOEVE by SAN REMO | 68.617 (28.) | 70.319 (21.) | 73.298 (13.) | 69.362 (23.) | 71.064 (19.) | 70.851 (21.) | 70.213 (20.) | ||
| 21. | 742 | Marieke VAN DER PUTTEN Jacques LEMMENS, Saskia LEMMENS-REIJNEN ZANTANA RS2 OLD OLDBG/Mare/Bay/2014/by ZONIK N.O.P. x SONDRA by SIR DONNERHALL | 69.255 (22.) | 69.787 (23.) | 69.787 (27.) | 71.277 (20.) | 70.957 (20.) | 72.553 (17.) | 69.149 (23.) | ||
| 22. | 717  | Beatriz FERRER-SALAT DELIBER S.L ELEGANCE KWPN/Gelding/Bay/2009/by NEGRO x REINA by MONACO | 68.936 (26.) | 70.638 (19.) | 70.319 (25.) | 72.128 (15.) | 70.106 (23.) | 70.532 (23.) | 69.574 (22.) | ||
| 23. | 751 | Maria CAETANO Maria CAETANO HIT PLUS PSH/Gelding/Bay/2012/by BRETTON WOODS x PLATINA PLUS by PERALTA PINHA | 68.936 (26.) | 69.255 (25.) | 71.170 (21.) | 72.128 (15.) | 69.574 (25.) | 68.723 (28.) | 71.383 (17.) | ||
| 24. | 711 | Rikke DUPONT Gert BUCHHAVE, Allan HANSEN GRAND GALIANO DWB/Gelding/Black/2015/by GRAND GALAXY WIN x DO IT by BLUE HORS DON SCHUFRO | 70.106 (20.) | 69.574 (24.) | 70.426 (24.) | 71.064 (21.) | 69.681 (24.) | 69.255 (26.) | 68.404 (27.) | ||
| 25. | 721  | Henri RUOSTE Equeco GmbH, Henri RUOSTE, Victoria Marie SCHÖNHOFEN TIFFANYS DIAMOND DWB/Mare/Bay/2012/by TAILORMADE TEMPTATION x HIGH TEK by HIS HIGHNESS 2 | 70.851 (18.) | 69.043 (27.) | 71.596 (18.) | 70.957 (22.) | 67.872 (30.) | 69.043 (27.) | 69.043 (24.) | ||
| 26. | 712 | Andreas HELGSTRAND HELGSTRAND DRESSAGE A/S, Patrik KITTEL JOVIAN KWPN/Stallion/Other/2014/by APACHE x ZINITH by TANGO | 69.255 (22.) | 70.638 (19.) | 72.340 (17.) | 69.043 (26.) | 68.936 (27.) | 68.404 (30.) | 69.043 (24.) | ||
| 27. | 760 | Sofie LEXNER Christinelund Dressage INORALINE W KWPN/Mare/Chestnut/2013/by JOHNSON TN x NORALINE by AMIRAL | 69.170 (24.) | 71.191 (17.) | 68.957 (30.) | 66.404 (30.) | 72.468 (13.) | 70.660 (22.) | 68.106 (29.) | ||
| 28. | 754 | João Miguel TORRAO SOCIEDADE AGRICOLA SANTANA DO CAMPO, MURALHA DOS SONHOS, UNIPESSOAL LDA, WESTAQUATY LDA LIRIO MVL LUSIT/Stallion/Grey/2015/by ZEUS DO LIS x QUIRA by EL-NEGRO | 68.298 (29.) | 69.255 (25.) | 69.255 (29.) | 67.340 (29.) | 68.085 (29.) | 72.553 (17.) | 68.723 (26.) | ||
| 29. | 740 | Fie Christine SKARSOE Manon ACKERMANN IMPERADOR DOS CEDROS LUSIT/Stallion/Grey/2013/by RUBI x CORTICA by HOSTIL | 69.149 (25.) | 69.043 (27.) | 70.319 (25.) | 68.404 (27.) | 69.149 (26.) | 68.511 (29.) | 68.298 (28.) | ||
| 30. | 716 | Borja CARRASCOSA Alexander BRENNINKMEIJER, Borja CARRASCOSA FRIZZANTINO FRH HANN/Stallion/Other/2015/by FINEST x QUALITY CHOICE by QUATERBACK | 67.660 (30.) | 67.340 (30.) | 69.362 (28.) | 68.191 (28.) | 68.723 (28.) | 70.319 (24.) | 67.234 (30.) |
