- This leggy stallion really reaches forward in the extended trots maintaining a lovely loose back. There was some unevenness in the trot on the short side, but the half-passes were balanced with very good crossing. The passage was also not really regular and the piaffe did not find a clear rhythm (though the last piaffe on the centerline was best). Sprehe could not keep a good contact in the piaffe and the horse sat too much, coming above the bit. The quality of the changes in the two tempis was very good but there were lots of counting mistakes. The zigzag was smooth and obedient with good lateral travel in the half passes. The ones were clean, active, and uphill. Desperados has an amazing talent to sit, which sometimes led to problems with the rhythm, including, to a small degree, in the canter pirouettes. Overall the ride was very expressive but also quite unpolished.
Victoria Max-Theurer & Blind Date: 72.617%
- Max-Theurer rides this mare in a positive forward way, with the horse moving nicely into an uphill, open frame. Blind Date stepped nicely under in the first extension but could have pushed from behind with a little more energy. The trot half-passes became slightly flat though they stepped well sideways. Blind Date's first piaffe was very small and behind the leg. Both the collected and extended walk were relaxed and had nice overtrack. The second piaffe was still small but the passage was bouncy and rhythmical. Though Blind Date was snorting through the two-tempi changes they were uphill and without mistakes. The zigzag was nice but slightly slow in the canter rhythm. The one-tempi changes became very stuck. The canter pirouettes were uphill and kept a decent quality of canter. Blind Date seemed slightly behind the leg for this test, leaving Max-Theurer just short of a second win for the day.
Hans-Peter Minderhoud & Romanov: 72.553%
- Minderhoud rides Romanov into nice extended trots but they could still use to lengthen more in the stride and frame. The transitions between piaffe and passage were seamless but at times the passage lacked energy. The piaffe is nicely in place but could use a little more sit and elevation. The two-tempi changes showed a lovely canter but unfortunately some of the energy was lost with the horse swinging his haunches from side to side. The extended canter was beautifully ground-covering. The one tempis were uphill but short in the stride and sometimes behind the bit. The canter pirouette left lacked some energy, while the one to the right was slightly unbalanced but better. Though Romanov would be better with still more engagement behind, Minderhoud's final centerline was elegant and obedient.
Nadine Capellmann & Girasol: 71.787%
- Girasol seemed quite spooky today, shown in a degree of tension in the otherwise lovely first extension. In the half-passes Girasol could use to push a little more sideways in addition to the reach she offers with her front legs; on the whole, they have good crossing. The first passage was very tense and behind the leg, as was the first piaffe. The second passage was also tense and uneven with Girasol snatching up the pair of the right front and left hind. There was a mistake in the two tempi changes. Girasol reached up and forward energetically and softly for the extended canter. The ones were very nice: uphill and rhythmical. The canter pirouettes were stuck and almost backward feeling. Unfortunately, the tension got in the way of Girasol's quality really shining in the movements.
Ingrid Klimke & Dresden Mann: 69.894%
- Dresden man showed an uphill and reaching extended trot that became slightly tensed and hurried. The half-passes in trot step to beautifully and powerfully sideways. Dresden man looked a little overly electric today, including piaffing instead of halting before the reinback. The piaffe was rhythmical and closed at the base but the transition out was still slightly unbalanced. While the extended walk had plenty of over-track there was evidence of tension in a funny step in the front. The two-tempi changes were springing and ground-covering but too quick. The one tempis were quite good. The canter pirouette right was small and in super collection but resistant in the bend. The final centerline showed the most rhythmical and expressive piaffe and passage, with clean transitions between the two. Dresden Mann is blessed with natural uphill carriage in all of his movement but today's test was marred by lots of tension and anticipation.
Sanneke Rothenberger & Favourit: 69.319%
- The extended trot showed nice reach in its striding but could have used more power from behind. The half-pass right started out sticky with the haunches lagging after the change of bend. The half-pass left showed better crossing. The passage was quite expressive and springy though a little stiff behind at times. The first piaffe was very small. The second passage after the walk showed better engagement behind but the piaffe still did not hit a consistent rhythm. Favourit showed nice uphill lengthening strides for the extended canter. Rothenberger had some difficulty controlling the haunches in the canter zigzag. The one tempi changes were rhythmical though not sufficiently ground-covering, and the ones to the right were bigger than the ones to the left. Rothenberger rode small uphill canter pirouette but the strides around were very large. Throughout the ride, Rothenberger maintained a soft and consistent contact with the bit, making for a very harmonious picture.
Uta Gräf & Dandelion: 69.095%
- Even with his rather short legs, Dandelion showed good lengthening of his stride in the extended trot. The half-pass right had good crossing but the one to the left was weaker. The second extended trot showed less power than the first, and the subsequent passage had little of the required elevation. The first piaffe came above the bit and was slightly resistant. The second piaffe-passage tour showed much better engagement, though Dandelion still came a touch above the bit in piaffe. The two-tempi changes were springy but short. As in trot, Dandelion left his haunches behind in the canter half-passes to the left. Gräf rode pirouettes that were small with an active canter.
Isabell Werth & Der Stern: 68.404%
- Der Stern's extended trots are not quite uphill enough, even while the horse reaches nicely forward in front. The half-passes, always Werth's specialty, showed lovely reach laterally. The piaffe does not come completely in place, while the passage is quite good and active. The canter zigzag was of very good quality with clear changes of bend and moved well laterally across the centerline. The ones were weak and small and then became mistake riddled. The first canter pirouette was uphill but slightly stuck behind, while the second became a bit big and was not as uphill. Though the final passage was dynamic, Der Stern shows some weakness in the left hind, often stepping out with it, rather than under.
Fabienne Lütkemeier & Qui Vincit Dynamis: 67.043%
- Qui Vincit Dynamis lengthens his strides in the extended trot but does not step under sufficiently behind. In the trot half-passes the rhythm of the trot lost its suspension and became slightly rushed, though the crossing was nice. Qui Vincit Dynamis appears springy in passage, but drags his haunches slightly behind. His piaffe is decently rhythmical but small and without bringing the hind legs under. The change left in the two tempis had good engagement, but the change to the right was often short in the right hind. The canter pirouette left was of very high quality: tiny, uphill, and keeping the appearance of a canter in a beautiful way. The one to the left was also very good, but slightly bigger. The contact in passage on the final centerline became quite strong.
Natalie zu Sayn-Wittgenstein & Fabienne: 64.021%
- This pair began with a pleasant extended trot that was not at the horses full power. The trot half-passes lost some of the quality of the gait. Fabienne dragged her hind legs in the reinback. The piaffe is developing but has quite nice rhythm and spring, even though it eventually needs to come under more behind. There was some miscommunication and resistance in the transition from walk to passage. The two tempi changes were light and flowing. Sayn-Wittgenstein could not get the first flying change in the canter zigzag: a major error. The overall picture is of a pair in harmony that will be of high quality, but of a horse that is very green at this level.
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