CDI Villach Treffen 2013 - Grand Prix Freestyle

Again, I decided to slack off and only watch a few rides of the Grand Prix Freestyle, but I couldn't resist seeing how Edward Gal did on "home" turf (okay, not really). The freestyles I saw all were ridden with nice contact from supple horses, making them a real pleasure to watch.

Edward Gal & Undercover: 83.450%

• The trot work from this combination's ride was exemplary, adding more suppleness and relaxation to their usual activity and power. The extended trots did not only reach up and forward in front, but had power from behind creating good ground-cover. They were also more uphill than usual. Gal increased the tempo of the collected trot, getting Undercover to carry and step under more. The trot half-passes were powerful, cadenced, and in soft bend—the best I've seen from this combination. The power of the piaffes really moved over Undercover's back into a nice frame. The canter work was slightly tense today. Gal rode tiny, active pirouettes, but the canter was almost too quick and Undercover turned more around his middle than his haunches. The two-tempi changes were nice, but the ones were not sufficiently ground covering. Even with the small weaknesses in the canter, it is hard to beat Gal's precise riding and the seeming effortlessness of the test. 

Milczarek Katarzyna & Ekwador: 75.500%

• Milczarek rides Ekwador in a lovely soft frame: he is up in the bridle and moves through his spine into a contact where his nose is just in front of the vertical. The passage has nice cadence and elevation, though could perhaps Ekwador could step more underneath himself in it. The piaffe was the weakest part of this test: it was very small and slow in the rhythm. Ekwador's elastic trot carried through into half-passes with good crossing. Unfortunately, to the right, the half-pass slightly lacked bend and in both the haunches were lagging slightly too much. In his relaxed extended walk, Ekwador stretched into the bit and showed good over-track. The pirouettes were the highlight of the test: closed at the base, uphill, in-place, light in the contact, and maintaining a good collected canter. Both the one- and two-tempi changes were uphill, straight, light-footed, and ground-covering. Milczarek's music is very pretty and it's lightness suits the apparent lightness of her huge horse, though if I were to nit-pick, the transitions in the music are not always smooth. This test was the best I have seen from this pair and left a wonderful impression.

Juan Manuel Munoz Diaz & Fuego de Cardenas: 79.225%

• Fuego showed his excellent piaffe and passage which have lots of expression and strength behind. Although they lacked some cadence, the extended trots were very ground-covering and showed lengthening of the frame and stride. Fuego sometimes became slightly short in the neck. The collected walk was diligent, but slightly short in the strides behind. There was much better over-track and relaxation in the extended walk. The transition from extended walk to collected canter was effortless, a reflection of the horse's training and attentiveness. The canter pirouettes were executed in a good collected canter, but were slightly big. The one-handed changes down the centerline were straight, effortless and uphill, but Fuego could have stepped under more. The music—the same as from the 2010 WEG—was still great for the horse.

CDI Villach Treffen 2013 - Intermediare I Freestyle

I turned on the live steam of the CDI at the sparkling Glock Horse Performance Center to watch a few of the freestyles, starting with Anja Plöznke and Le Rouge. I was quite enjoying her test: she always picks dynamic and unusual music and Le Rouge was going positively and energetically. Unfortunately, it seems that the judges saw some blood on the horse's mouth, so she was eliminated. 

I have two overall criticisms from the tests I saw. The first is that many people ended their tests on weak notes, both in the music and sometimes the movements. Much of the music trailed off into halt, giving no suggestion that the end of the test was approaching except that the rider had turned down the centerline. The second was that a significant number people were riding tempi changes by turning their horses' heads from side to side, resulting in changes that were crooked and lost their forward momentum. 

Timna Zach & Federleicht: 68.700%

• The best element of the test might have been Zach's shoulder-ins, which were uphill, powerful, lightfooted and in nice bend and angle. The trot extensions were huge, with the horse reaching powerfully across the arena, though the horse climbed and got tight in the neck rather then lengthening the frame. The half-pass right was lovely and flowing with the horse showing very good freedom in his shoulder to reach forward and sideways; the one to the left was similarly good, except that it lagged slightly in the haunches. The flying changes were executed with much turning of the head causing the haunches to swing slightly from side to side. While uphill, none of the canter pirouettes showed sufficient bend and Federleicht was running through them a bit. The horse's incredible gaits—as a result of tension—often were not quite harnessed to the movements of the test. The music by Yann Tiersen was incredibly lovely, especially for the trot and walk, though it did not quite have enough variation for the changes of collection in the canter work. 

Valentina Truppa & Ranieri: 70.500%

• Ranieri looked a little heavy in the contact at times and could show more shoulder freedom. In the voltes Ranieri could have come up more in front and carried more weight behind. This was also the case in the shoulder-ins. The difficult half-passes were very nice with Ranieri coming up more and showing good crossing and power sideways. The canter half passes were also ridden at steep angles very effectively. The canter pirouettes were problematically enormous and not sufficiently uphill. The finish of the test, three-tempi changes on the centerline, was rather ineffective since the changes were executed with lots of turning of the head and were sometimes short or late behind. Truppa's symmetrical test pattern was beautiful to look at, and the electronic music she used was compelling and suitable. 

Allan Skov & Walk Of Life: 77.575%

• The shoulder-ins were ridden at too steep an angle sometimes resulting in some moments of imbalance. The half passes were steep and ridden with lovely engagement that just floated sideways. The extended walk showed nice overstep but not enough stretch into the contact. The pirouettes were small, uphill, and had good bend—without a doubt the best that I saw in the class. The tempi changes were still ridden with some twisting of the horses body. The rhythm of the canter music did not match the rhythm of the horse's canter and was rather loud without sufficient variation. The pattern of the test showed the horse off very well, and Skov rode Walk Of Life in a consistently nice uphill and soft frame. 

Hans Peter Minderhoud & Ziesto: 79.650%

• Minderhoud looked like he had a more relaxed Ziesto on his hands today and rode a mistake-free test. With consistently correct angle and effortless balance, the shoulder-ins were superb. The trot extensions covered ground well and Ziesto had incredible shoulder freedom, but he could have lengthened a touch more in the frame. The walk was slightly quick in the rhythm from tension. The canter pirouettes, ridden following fluid half-passes, were very small; however, the canter in them became slightly tense, and they needed to develop so that they carried more weight behind. There was some swinging of the haunches in the tempi changes which caused them to lose a little of their forward power, but they had plenty of jump. The patten of the test was much like the Prix St. Georges, so was not the most difficult, but Minderhoud rode to his music with accuracy and harmony, allowing Ziesto to flow through the movements while maintaining his incredible gaits. 

Jennifer Hoffmann & Ramon: 72.700%

• Hoffmann started her test with very powerful half passes that could have shown more suppleness in their bend. The horse shows lots of power and moved well uphill but the contact was very strong. The pirouettes were small enough but sometimes the canter strides jumped together behind. Hoffman effectively rode the Grand Prix level canter half passes with lots of power.

World Dressage Masters Munich 2013 - Grand Prix

It was a miserable day in Munich, with a few stalwart fans hiding under umbrellas to watch the rides, and mud splashed all over the legs of the horses. That said, the dressage was good, and I enjoyed watching the competition from the comfort of my dry apartment.

The top three were Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfvén, Valentina Truppa, and Victoria Max-Theurer.

Renate Voglsang & Fabriano: 70.553%

• Nice beginning extended trot with good lengthening of the frame and carrying steps forward. Some a loss of uphill balance in trot half passes. Perhaps at becomes a little out behind in lengthened trot but they are still very good. The last steaks active stretching extended walk very high-quality, And the collected walk was diligent but still with good over track. The transition from walk to the passage took a long time to develop. The pair's two tempi changes were energetic and carrying nicely forward but were not quite straight as they jumped a bit from side to side, so not swinging the haunches. The canter half passes for the zigzag were also a little week as there wasn't quite consistent parallel canter. The ones did not jump quite powerfully forward enough. Voglsang kept her horse in a very nice frame in the neck and rode in good energy, always with a soft relaxed back, but the weakness was that the horse needed to come under more and carry more weight behind; he was just a little heavy at all times in the front legs. 

Uta Gräf & Le Noir: 68.681%

• The harmonious pair started their test with an extended trot that did not quite show enough lengthening of the strides. Gräf rode very fluid half passes which stepped energetically sideways. The second extended trot showed bigger steps but still needed more power from behind. Gräf kept her horse in a very nice classical frame and activity in piaffe, but there was some weakness in the transition to passage, with the hind legs left behind slightly. Gräf rides with incredible lightness, but it seemed at times that Le Noir should step more powerfully into the contact. The one-tempis were uphill and rhythmical until towards the end where a couple were missed. The canter pirouette left was in good uphill collection maintaining a nice canter but got a bit big, and the one to the right was less uphill. The passage on the final centerline was the most engaged but Le Noir was pulling down slightly in the piaffe. 

Patrick van der Meer & Uzzo: 70.511%

• With such long legs Uzzo should just give up dressage and be a supermodel. His power extended trots need to show a more open frame to match the huge steps. The reinback had very small steps and was tense. Uzzo did not quite find a frame or rhythm up that he was comfortable with in the first piaffe, even though he was dropping his croup and lifting his legs. Often the horse came behind the vertical in movements. There were some significant issues in the canter zigzag with the haunches not following enough the forehand at times and at other times swinging ahead of the change of direction. Van der Meer rode the canter pirouettes well: the horse comes under nicely but you can see he is inclined to turn too quickly around, which van der Meer did a good job slowing. Uzzo's very big final passage was slightly uneven in the elevation behind. The last piaffe was best of all with a good rhythm and Uzzo staying up in the frame. 

Matthias Kempkes & Ricoletto: 67.404%

• Ricoletto's nice extended trots could have used to be slightly more uphill. The first piaffe had nice sit but got just a little too slow in the rhythm. The second was a little better in this respect. Ricoletto cross-cantered for a a few strides it after the transition out of passage. The extended canter lengthened the stride nicely and was powerful while still coming back softly into an uphill collected canter. In the zig-zag Ricoletto's canter became a little flat. The one tempi changes were short, lacked energy, and there were some missed changes behind. The passage was nicely active and elevated. 

Dorothee Schneider & Forward Looking: 70.383%

• Forward Looking showed nice big steps in the first extended trot; unfortunately, there was a small loss of rhythm in the middle. The half passes in trot were big, elegant, and swinging. Forward Looking became nicely closed at the base in piaffe, but with so much sit she had trouble establishing a rhythm. The extended walk had nice over track but was slightly out behind. The second piaffe had a more energetic tempo, but the transition out into passage was a little flat. Forward Looking really stepped under and carried behind in the two tempi changes which were fantastic, even if showing some small degree of tension. The one tempi changes were very short, crooked, and tense resulting in a few missed changes. The canter pirouettes were superb with the horse really sitting taking the steps in a nice rhythm around and maintaining a great canter. 

Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfvén & Don Auriello: 76.000%

• What an extended trot: it had huge reach in the front and now comes with lots of pushing power behind! Vilhelmson-Silfvén asked in this test for more energy behind in the passage, which was improved, though Don Auriello could not quite maintain the rhythm. There was significant tension in the collected a walk. Vilhelmson-Silfvén did a good job riding more activity behind in the second passage and produced a nice piaffe, but the hind toes began to drag a little again before canter. The one-tempis needed to jump through more though they were nicely uphill. Again, there was some slight unevenness in the passage on the final centerline, coming with the increased activity Don Auriello has started to offer. The test today was not quite as exact as usual in parts, but it seemed like Vilhelmson-Silfvén was trying to see if she could ask for more. 

Lisbet Seierskilde & Raneur: 69.021%

• Raneur showed a very energetic springy passage but it was quite short in the neck in the first two tours. Even in extended walk, though he stretched nicely, Raneur did not stretch enough into the contact. Raneur carried himself forward nicely in the two tempi changes and was springing off the ground. Seierskilde lost some control of the positioning of her horses body in the canter zigzag. Final piaffe and massage was the most open in the frame and into the contact. 

Patrik Kittel & Scandic: 71.447%

• The first extended trot did not show enough lengthening of the steps or power from behind, and the later ones were quite conservative as well. Scandic looked softer in the bend right in trot half-pass than he usually does and stayed nicely uphill. He was difficult again in the bend left. The half-passes stepped very energetically sideways in both directions. The reinback was not good at all: it was small and shuffling. Scandic showed super rhythmical and bouncy piaffe and passage, as always. The transition to extended walk began early in the passage as Scandic lost expression. The transition from passage to canter was very early. The flying changes were uphill and quite straight, but could have traveled more forward. Scandic broke into canter in the final extended trot.

Gonçalo Carvalho & Rubi: 69.489%

• The pair began with a nice lengthening in the extended trot, but Ruby could have opened more in the frame. The bend in the half passes was correct and that changes of been soft, though it's at half past itself could show more sideways energy. Both extended and collected walk needed more energy. The two tempi changes could have sprung more off the ground. Little ones were more elevated and covered ground better. The pirouettes were small nicely maintained the canter.  Carvalho rode a super precise test with much correctness in the movements, but it needed to show more power.

Isabell Werth & Don Johnson: 73.064%

• Don Johnson showed significant unsteadiness in the contact from the initial centerline. The trot half-passes were huge, with the one to the right in softer bend that the one to the left. Don Johnson pulled down before the halt and reinback, and dragged his feet in the reinback. There was some unevenness in the steps behind in the first passage, but the passage itself is very powerful. The collected walk was active and still relaxed. The tempi changes were springing uphill, but did not jump through enough. In the canter pirouettes Don Johnson became a bit stuck behind at times. The final piaffe was most rhythmical in addition to being well elevated. 

Jessica Werndl & Unee: 71.149%

• Unee had a very good first extended trot coming up in front and stepping up under nicely behind in good balance. The trot half passes were a little rushed and resistant in the bend. The second extended trot was not quite as uphill. The passage was active and light throughout though the degree of activity was not one hundred percent consistent. The piaffe was very evenly rhythmical, though Unee steps out more in front with the left front than with the right. Werndl rode the zig-zag with lots of sideways travel but sometimes the horse could not quite keep his balance doing so. Unee lost quite a bit of energy in the transition from canter to collected trot. Werndl rode her horse in a nice, open, uphill frame. 

Valentina Truppa & Eremo del Castegno: 75.085%

• Eremo looked nicely relaxed today and stayed soft and a little more open in the frame to add to his super energy. The passage was explosive, but well controlled by Truppa. The two tempi changes have lots of jump but were a little frantic rather than flowing. The change at the end of the zig-zag was early. In the small canter pirouette left Eremo became a little flat and quick in the canter, while the one to the right was better. The passage, piaffe, and transitions on the final centerline were not only dynamic, but rhythmical and smooth—really top-notch!

Nadine Capellmann & Girasol: 72.426%

• The pair's entry centerline was very nice with soft collection, and Girasol stepping beautifully through into the contact. She became slightly short and deep in the trot half-passes, which were otherwise super in their bend and energy forward and sideways. The first piaffe was very early before the centerline and did not find a good rhythm. The extended walk was swinging with lovely stretch and over-track. The second passage started out quite uneven in the rhythm as was the second piaffe. The canter zig-zag was quite nice with very soft changes of bend and good balance. In the one tempis Girasol sometimes changed together behind. The final passage was the most rhythmical in addition to being huge and really stepping under, but the piaffe was still slightly uneven. The transitions between the two were clean. Girasol is staying more consistently up in the contact as of late, including in today's test. 

Victoria Max-Theurer & Blind Date: 74.468%

• This relatively new combination had an excellent day today. Their test started with a very nice uphill extended trot, though there were a few strides towards the end that lost the rhythm. The half-passes traveled well but could have shown more crossing. The passage was active, with Blind Date really reaching up in front. The first piaffe, by contrast, was very small and not really rhythmical. The second piaffe was more active, though still small. In the two tempis, Blind Date was stepping powerfully foreword and carrying weight behind. There was a change behind before the start of the one-tempis which were otherwise good. The canter pirouettes did not quite consistently maintain a canter, but were small and well-collected. The last centerline was very good with a diligent if not big piaffe. 

Minna Telde & Santana: 70.979%

• Santana had lots of power in the extended trots. The trot work was really high quality, with half passes that just effortlessly flowed sideways with enormous cadence. The steps in the reinback were uneven and Santana dragged his feet. The passage had an amazing elevation, but it was a bit too much, and Telde could not quite control the consistency of the steps. The canter strides became a bit tight in the zigzag, and Telde missed a few changes in the ones. She rode quite big pirouettes to maintain the canter. Telde got very good energy in Santana's movements, but there were little mistakes when this power was not quite under control. 

CDI Saumur 2013 - Grand Prix Freestyle

Today I elected to stay in my nice warm bed instead of getting up to watch all the freestyles, but I have comments on the top eight combinations. The lovely commentator for TopIberian thoughtfully kept quiet during the freestyles themselves, making her remarks about the test between riders, and allowing viewers to really hear the music. The rides were nice, but often lacking that last bit of polish. Some people had some trouble making transitions that were really with their music and a few others had trouble keeping the quality of the movements while also keeping up with their music, but these were minor flaws that come with the extra difficulty of putting together and riding a kur.  


Catherine Henriquet & Paradieszauber: 70.350%

• There was an organizing hiccough at the start of Henriquet's test: they didn't have the right music for her! And they couldn't find the right music. This is really hard on Henriquet, who would have been all focused and warmed up to enter, and then spent several long minutes walking around and standing at the music booth before the crew found the right track.
• In the first halt Paradieszauber did not put all four feet fully on the ground. The pair had good rhythm in the extended trot but it could have been more ground covering. In the piaffe pirouette that followed, the piaffe became quite small. Henriquet kept the horse quite uphill in two tempis on a half circle, and then executed very straight, uphill ones on the centerline. The canter music was very dramatic and seemed a bit much for Paradieszauber's rather light-footed but small canter. The canter pirouette left had some strides that jumped together behind; the one to the right was smaller and with a better canter quality. The half-passes in both trot and canter were of good quality, with the horse soft in the body and reaching well laterally. In today's passage, however, Henriquet did not quite maintain enough energy and rhythm. The test had a quite high degree of difficulty with movements following quickly after one another including canter pirouettes to half-passes and ones immediately after twos. 

Tommie Visser & Vingino: 72.125%

• Visser began his program with very nice piaffe quarter-pirouettes in good rhythm and nice activity, with the horses croup lowered. The music for the extended trots had lots of percussion, and did not fit the horses rhythm which was quite slow and needed to come more forward from behind. Vingino showed good crossing in his half-passes but they needed to be a little quicker and less passage-y in the tempo. The flying changes in the twos had plenty of spring, but the horse jumped through better to the left that to the right. The extended walk became quite nicely relaxed through the back. For a number of the incidental flying changes the horse was ahead of Visser's aids. The canter pirouettes were in good uphill balance but were quite big. At the end again, Visser again executed very good regular active piaffes and an engaged, if somewhat tense, passage. 

Anne van Olst & Netto: 69.975%

• At the entrance, Netto' passage was quite slow and not sufficiently active behind. The second piaffe was much better in stepping up and being quick behind to match a little bit more the expressive front. In extended trot, Netto needs to lengthen more the frame and steps. The extended walk was quite short in the frame and did not have sufficient over-track. There was a mistake in the twos, and that canter pirouette that followed them was sitting but got far too slow in the canter rhythm. That second canter pirouette, on the other hand, kept a good canter though it was significantly bigger. The piaffe was more active behind today but still needs to stay more in place; the final piaffe had some double-steps. I except that with experience, this pair will produce steadier tests that show off Netto's quality. 

Carl Hester & Fine Time: 74.400%

• The first passage was very energetic and stepping under well. However, the transition to piaffe did not quite go through and the piaffe rhythm never quite got established. The second piaffe was more regular but was a little bit stuck in front. Fine Time almost broke into canter in their third extended trot, which was a shame because his other extensions had nice power from behind and good ground cover. The half passes were smooth and in correct bend, but the horse could reach out more with the shoulder sideways. The canter pirouette left followed two-tempi changes and was very nice in maintaining the canter, but could sit more. The canter half passes had better lateral reach that the trot half-passes. The canter pirouette right was more uphill. The passage half-passes for the final centerline were expressive and had good crossing. Hester rode precisely to the music, which was dramatic without overwhelming the horse. 

Pierre Subileau & Talitie: 70.450%

• After the first centerline, Subileau began with huge trot half-passes with lots of swing. Unfortunately, the passage half-passes became a little slow behind. The piaffe came up nicely in front but was a little stuck behind. The canter half passes were energetic and stepped well sideways and forward, but the horse sometimes became slightly unsteady in the contact. The canter pirouette left was very resistant. The tempi changes were uphill and well engaged. The final piaffe had the best activity behind. The music over all was a little bit much, but the choreography had good musical transitions to match the transitions in the gaits. 

Charlotte Dujardin & Uthopia: 81.600%

• In an example of how a freestyle can really be used to show off the strengths of a horse, Dujardin's test began with a power extended trot down the centerline. As in the Grand Prix, there was some unsteadiness in the transition to and rhythm of the piaffe. Uthopia's passage was really expressive in front and springing from behind. The second piaffe had slightly better rhythm, though there was a double step in the transition to piaffe and a few steps of the passage afterward were a little uneven behind. The extended walk stretched nicely but could have been looser through the back to get more over-track. The canter pirouette left was very small and really sitting but sometimes a bit big in the steps around. Dujardin rode a lovely light footed flat serpentine of two-tempi changes. The second canter pirouette kept very good canter. Before turning up the final centerline, Uthopia showed a lovely soft transition from huge extended trot to airy and effortless passage. 

Anders Dahl & Wie Atlantico de Ymas: 73.525%

• The first piaffe was very regular and even from front to back, though the second piaffe lost some of its rhythm. The half-pass right had a nice trot but the haunches were lagging slightly, the half-pass left was more parallel but lost some of the engagement of the trot. The extended walk did not show much over-track. The canter pirouette left was small and uphill. The one-tempi changes that followed were short and rather flat. The strides in the two-tempi changes were bigger. The transition from canter to piaffe on the final centerline stuck a little at first and the piaffe became a little frantic and Dahl tried to get Wie Atlantico active again. The tempo and energy of the music seemed decently appropriate for the horse and the transitions in it were good. 

Jessica Michel & Riwera: 74.025%

• Michel's test was starting with nice energy, but unfortunately Riwera broke into canter and at the end of the extended trot. The passage afterwards was uneven, and then the piaffe was very small. The pair was not quite in harmony in all the trot and piaffe-passage work. Her music is a version of the Totilas music in few parts! The canter pirouettes were small and uphill really carrying weight behind in lovely way—obedient and controlled. The canter music had a good rhythm for the horse but did not have much variation. The canter half-passes were really nicely balanced uphill and stepped energetically sideways. The final trot extension could have shown longer strides, but was uphill and powerful. 

CDI Saumur 2013 - Grand Prix for Kur

The test I most wanted to see—of course—was Charlotte Dujardin's ride on Uthopia, which was also the winning ride of the class. But that was also the only ride for which the live stream was very poor. I never saw more than a few seconds of the pair's test before the stream froze again. Luckily, TopIberian posted the ride several hours later, so I have now added my comments for their test. (And the live stream for the rest of the tests was very good quality!)


Charlotte Dujardin & Uthopia: 72.255%

• Dujardin rode Uthopia in a rather shorter frame than Hester, but still with a soft contact.  The entrance was pretty much perfect, taking an active collected canter softly and promptly into a square and engaged halt that then stepped smoothly into collected trot. In the extended trots, Uthopia steps correctly underneath himself, floating across the arena with power. The half-passes were fluid and regular with good bend. The passage was springy and elastic with a good frame through Uthopia's body, but the piaffe became slightly irregular (though it was also in a good frame) and the transitions were a little flat. The extended walk needed more over-track. In collected walk, Uthopia was stepping short in the right front. Again, the passage was good, but the piaffe showed signs of miscommunication. Uthopia's two-tempi changes jump light-footedly across the arena, flowing from one lead to the other without interrupting the rhythmicality of the canter. Unfortunately, the changes began to cause little problems after that. Uthopia added extra changes at the end of the extended canter and between the pirouettes and missed a few changes in the middle of the ones. Otherwise, the ones were lovely: straight, expressive, and fluid. The second pirouette got a bit open at the base, causing Uthopia to lose the quality of the canter for a couple strides. The passage on the final centerline was good, but there were a few double steps in the piaffe and in the transition from passage to piaffe. Overall, it was lovely riding with just the mistakes of unfamiliarity. 

Anders Dahl & Wie Atlantico de Ymas: 68.212%

• Overall, the horse was a little tight in the body, which limited some of the quality of the movements, though the ride had no mistakes. Dahl met some resistance in the first piaffe, including a little rear, and generally did not quite hit a rhythm.  extended walk short. Haunches too lost in one tendencies which were a bit short. Canter pirouette small but could be more uphill. Second was more uphill but bigger. Good rhythm in passage clean transitions between Piaf and passage. 

Sarah Casanova & Ulan: 62.744%

• Ulan's haunches lagging in half-passes. The extended trots needed more power and energy. The passage had a good rhythm but the piaffe was a bit uneven. Casanova rode a prompt and quiet transition from collected walk to passage. Ulan tended to come too much on the forehand in piaffe. The ones were quite crooked and almost crossing in front. 

Anne van Olst & Netto: 65.170%

• It appeared that van Olst was riding very conservatively for Netto's first Grand Prix. The test did not start too cleanly, with Netto crossing his legs in the first halt and stepping crookedly into trot. Netto was expressive in front in extended trot, but could use more forward power from behind. Van Olst rode fluid half passes that were a bit slow in the rhythm. The horse's knees came up very high in piaffe and passage, but he did not yet seem to have the strength to maintain a clear rhythm and power behind while lifting up so much in front. Netto's extended walk was very short and tense. The second piaffe was creeping forward and could not quite keep a regular rhythm behind. In the twos there was one missed change and Netto did not jump into the contact and forward enough. The ones were very straight and regular though could probably still be bigger. The canter pirouettes took a high number of steps to turn, but the canter became quite small. Netto closes nicely at the base in the pirouette but could still carry more weight behind in the future. 

Ludovic Henry & Nirvana: 63.978%

• In extended trot, Nirvana should push more forward from behind. The half passes were swinging decently sideways, though Henry had some difficulty with the contact in the change of bend. Nirvana showed decent sit and energy in his piaffe, but it was creeping forward and a bit arrhythmic. The horse was trying to passage out of collected walk even before passing C. The two-tempi changes were springy but a little on the forehand. Henry's horse was falling sideways as opposed to stepping sideways in the zig-zag, and the loss of balance led to a couple changes that were a stride late. There was a mistake in one-tempis, which were short and not very straight. The pair's final passage had clean steps with nice energy. 

Wim Verwimp & Pari Lani: 65.744%

• Pari Lani showed a very regular and active piaffe outside the arena, which he mostly maintained for the test. Verwimp rode a super entrance centerline with an active canter and prompt square halt. The first extended trot was not quite through over the back, but was decently ground covering. There was some loss of rhythm in the second half-pass. The horse showed very good rhythm and activity in piaffe, which would be slightly improved by coming under more behind. The passage had nice engagement. The second piaffe lacked some energy compared to the first one but was still rhythmical. Pari Lani produced big expressive uphill two-tempi changes and maintained good balance in the zig-zag. The ones had lots of jump, but could be a bit straighter. Pari Lani fell out of canter for a stride in the first pirouette, and both pirouettes turned too quickly around. Verwimp's test had some very good elements, but was not completely consistent. 

Dane Rawlins & Sydney: 62.936%

• Sydney showed good rhythm and crossing in the half-passes. The extended trots were tight in the back, with lots of movement in the legs but not enough engagement. The passage was very uneven and the transitions between piaffe and passage were not very clean. The piaffes were in place and in rhythm, but a little too small. Rawlins rode an extended canter that was big and energetic. The one-tempi changes were too short behind. The final centerline showed the most even and energetic passage. 

Carl Hester & Fine Time: 69.872%

• Fine Time's extended trot was rhythmical but could have shown more engagement behind. The trot half-passes were parallel but a little small and could reach more sideways. Fine Time steps beautifully under with lots of spring in passage, but is a little quiet in the piaffe steps and moves quite forward. While the changes flowed nicely from one lead to the other, the horse needs to step up and under more in them. The zig-zag was balanced, with clean changes of bend. Hester rode quite big pirouettes but with good canter rhythm. The pair had a very soft test, but it was still quite conservative and in need of significantly more power from behind. 

Tommie Visser & Vingino: 66.127%

• Visser started with a square halt from an engaged canter. The extended trot needed to show more lengthening of the frame and steps. The half passes crossed nicely and moved well sideways, but were a little arrhythmical. Vingino stepped under much more with the left hind than the right in passage. The piaffe had good sit and was spring, but the steps were quick and tense. The tempi changes were properly ground-covering and uphill. Vingino's pirouettes  showed a properly lowered croup, a nice transfer of weight to the haunches, and a good canter rhythm, but were just a bit big and tense. Vingino is a beautifully built horse, but loses quality in the movements as a result of tension. 

Pierre Subileau & Talitie: 67.595%

• This Gribaldi mare reminded me in appearance of Sisther de Jeu even before I heard her lineage. The entrance showed a canter in need of more articulation of the joints. The extended trot had good lengthening of the frame and steps. The half-passes were beautiful with lots of crossing and big, flowing reach sideways. In passage, the mare's toes were dragging slightly behind, and in piaffe there was much more activity in front than there was engagement behind. The two-tempis had good jump, but were very crooked; the ones were straighter. The pirouettes showed a lot of sit, but the first was almost backward feeling while the second got a little too quick in the canter rhythm. The last piaffe had better energy from behind and was more even from back to front. 

Jessica Michel & Riwerea de Hus: 69.464%

• Michel rode the most powerful extended trot we saw in the class, but it still needed to step under more behind. She really cut the corner before her half-passes but they were quite good in bend and with nice reach and suspension. Both passage and piaffe were not totally consistent in rhythm, though the passage is nicely springy off the ground and the piaffe is quite active. The two tempi changes were short and tense, leading to a mistake. The canter zig-zag half-passes had good bend, but the changes of direction were not always smooth. The pirouettes had a good canter rhythm, carried weight on the haunches, and turned in the right speed, but the horse turned a little more around the middle rather than around her haunches. The final passage was even and springy. 

Sarah Millis & HP Frontier: 65.361%

• Millis has a lovely quiet seat and gets good energy from HP Frontier, but the the horse needs to step more under behind and reach a little more into the bit at times. The passage was rhythmical. The piaffe was more active behind, with the front feet rather planted.  The extended walk needed more stretch and over-track. The twos sprang well off the ground, but Millis had counting mistakes for the last two. The ones were big and ground-covering. 

Camilla Kalseth & Carte D'Or: 64.042%

• The horse stepped nicely into the bit in the first extended trot but there was nowhere near enough lengthening of the stride. The passage was rhythmical and active, the piaffe less so. The two-tempi changes were flowing but perhaps a bit quick in rhythm. The zig-zag was smooth but canter became a big hurried and small. The canter pirouettes were a good size. The passage on the final centerline was energetic and ground covering. 

Catherine Henriquet & Paradieszauber: 67.148%

• Henriquet had Paradieszauber nicely responsive to her aids. The half-passes were energetic but sometimes slightly arrhythmical and could use more swinging reach sideways. The passage and piaffe were in good, even rhythm, with clean transitions between them, though they could use just a little more lift off the ground. The second piaffe needed to be more in place. The two-tempis were uphill but could have been more ground-covering. Pardieszauber changed in front before the zig-zag. The one-tempis were straight and rhythmical. The pirouettes started by carrying good weight behind, but became a bit downhill by the end. Henriquet rode a nicely clean test.