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.