CDI4* Aachen 2013 - Grand Prix Special

Kristina Sprehe & Desperados: 75.771%

• Sprehe started on one of the straightest halts I'd seen so far at Aachen and followed it with an extravagant extended trot. Desperados showed fluid half passes with lots of crossing. Again, however, the passage was huge but highly irregular, including numerous double-beat steps behind. The collected walk became slightly lateral with tension. While Desperados became quite open in his frame (and off the contact) in the piaffe, he stayed more balanced than in the Grand Prix. The tempi changes bounced off the ground well, but the stallion became quite tight in his back. The first canter pirouette was truly excellent, but Desperados accelerated too quickly out of the second. This test looked much more polished than the Grand Prix two days before. 

Jessica Werndl & Unee BB: 72.250%

• Unee has a lot of power from behind in the extended trot allowing him to really cover ground, though at times he gets a touch deep in the neck. The haunches were lagging slightly in the half-pass right since the horse was not completely supple in the bend. The passage has plenty of suspension, but Unee needs to develop the power to keep that energy regular and on a straighter track. Unee's piaffe is sufficiently active though slightly uneven. The canter half-passes were powerful. Werndl had a mistake in the two-tempi changes. The pirouettes were uphill and small, but they could have keep a clearer canter rhythm. 

Victoria Max-Theurer & Blind Date: 70.792%

• After a slightly flat ride yesterday, Max-Theurer was making sure Blind Date had lots of sparkle in her test today before entering the arena. The trot half-passes were energetic and uphill but Blind Date does not show a high degree of crossing, especially behind. Blind Date walked with quite straight hindlegs but showed plenty of over-track. The piaffes were quite rhythmical but small, as ever. There were a few bobbles in the balance of the canter half-pass right. Despite Max-Theurer's greatest efforts the one tempi changes still became quite short strided. Blind Date broke twice in the first canter pirouette and then became crooked in the one tempi changes. The pirouette right was quite big. Max-Theurer had plenty of horse today, but the little issues cost her quite a few points. 

Sanneke Rothenberger & Favourit: 69.896%

• While Favourit takes nice long strides in the trot extensions he was a little short in the neck and tight in the back. Rothenberger rode regular and dynamic passage tours. The third extended trot was most uphill. Favourit's extended walk seemed slightly sluggish. The piaffe and the transition from piaffe to passage still looked to be a work in progress for this combination. The canter half-passes were correct in their bend and angle and showed impressive reach sideways. Rothenberger rode both lines of tempi changes with lots of spring and energy. The first pirouette started off the centerline and Favourit lost the canter towards the end. There were also problems in the second: the collected canter became somewhat backward-seeming and the horse could not maintain the collection. The pair finished on their very high quality passage. 

Susan Dutta had quite a nice ride in her test, with Currency DC looking slightly more supple than usual, and secure in all the movements. The passage was a highlight—a huge boost to the score in a test with so much of it! She finished on 67.042% for 6th place.