Isabell Werth & Don Johnson: 77.333%
- Werth established super positioning and crossing in the trot half-passes, but the first became just a little hurried in the rhythm, while the second had more cadence. Don Johnson spooked after the second half-pass. The third extended trot showed Don Johnson not only reaching up and forward in front, but staying soft enough in the back to step more underneath himself. The transition from walk to piaffe was clean and relaxed, though the piaffe was a little small. The two-tempis were super; the ones needed to travel a bit more forward on both lines. The final passage had lots of power, and the piaffe at X was absolutely regular (not always Don Johnson's forte!).
Ulla Salzgeber & Hezruf's Erbe: 76.854%
- Hezruf's Erbe has a very nice extended trot with elastic lengthened strides that are well-matched behind and in front, and plenty of power. The half-passes were solid. The chestnut has an airy passage with very good elevation in front. The extended walk had good overtrack but could have shown a bit more energy. There was a bobble in Salzgeber's first piaffe, but the horse really sits while staying decently active. The two-tempi changes were uphill and jumped up well from behind, but the horse jumped noticeably from side to side. The one-tempis were quite short. The balance in the canter pirouettes was super, and they were nicely uphill (just one stride that jumped together behind in the first one). Good last line.
Marcela Krinke-Susmelj & Molberg: 74.688%
- Molberg can really cross in his trot half-passes, and Krinke-Susmelj sets him up beautifully. The extended trots were correct in the body, but rather lacking in ground-cover and cadence. The horse looked nicely compact in the body for much of the test today, though he sometimes became a bit flat in the back during his active passage tours. While extended walk was relaxed, Molberg should have stepped more actively into a contact in it. The canter half-passes and flying changes were super correct, though they could have shown a a shade more drive from behind. Beautifully precise and effective riding from Krinke-Susmelj.
Victoria Max-Theurer & Augustin: 72.167%
- Their first extended trot was a bit restricted, as Augustin was looking quite fixedly at the scary arena. All the extended trots became a bit croup high, with Augustin needing to reach a bit more under behind instead. A few of the passage lines had steps that were a bit lackluster or a bit irregular, but they mostly showed Augustin's characteristic activity and suspension. The piaffe had good sit and rhythm, but the first did not have enough steps. Augustin's haunches were swinging quite a bit in the ground-covering two-tempis; the ones were a bit hurried. The stallion pulled above the bridle in the extended canter. The first pirouette was small, but lacked bend. In the second, the horse again pulled above the bit. The final passage had major spring and activity, and Max-Theurer rode a beautifully classical last piaffe.
Nadine Capellmann & Girasol: 71.458%
- Unsurprisingly, given the reactions of other horses, Girasol spooked quite dramatically at the arena, starting at the end of the first extended trot. The tension led to some moments of irregularity in the mare's incredible passage. The trot half-passes were super. The first piaffe had an unclear number of steps, and though Girasol lifted her limbs plenty, she did not jump clearly between diagonal pairs. The tempi changes became quite short in the stride and tight in the back, marring the picture created by Girasol's naturally beautiful canter rhythm. The enormous final passage was very uneven in its activity.
Christoph Koschel & Rostropowitsch: 70.354%
- Super active passage work. Koschel's first half-pass swung nicely sideways, but second half-pass was quite passage-y and lost its crossing. The piaffe was in place, but rather tense and arhythmical. Rostropowitsch lost quite a bit of energy in his two-tempos, swinging a bit in the body and getting a bit low in front. The ones were better, especially in their straightness. The final extended trot had top class reach in front and lots of forward power. Their ending centerline was expressive.
Anabel Balkenhol & Diamonds Forever: 69.500%
- Balkenhol rode nice first trot half-pass, establishing a good balance between cadence and crossing. Diamonds Forever could carry herself a little more behind in the passage. The mare hurried out of walk into piaffe, and it was going quite well, but Balkenhol seemed to ask for just a bit more than the horse could offer in the moment, resulting in a few levades. The two tempis were flowing and ground-covering; the ones were as well, but the first few were close behind. In their super extended canter, Diamonds Forever unfortunately changed early behind. The final piaffe had good lift of the horse's limbs and good sit, and seemed like it will be very regular with a bit more time.
Uta Gräf & Dandelion: 66.625%
- Dandelion was quite tense and spooky today, creating a number of small issues in the test. The trot half-passes were quite fluid with good crossing. In the first passage tour, the horse was climbing in the frame and became a bit out behind. Dandelion was much more underneath himself in the passage after the walk, but sometimes lost rhythm. The canter half-passes seemed restricted and the horse spooked and changed leads several times behind on the short side afterwards. Gräf had quite nice uphill one-tempis with plenty of spring, though the horse's energy could have carried it more forward. The final passage didn't quite find a steady elevation, but the final piaffe had very good sit and activity.
Susan Dutta & Currency DC: 66.104%
- Currency DC unfortunately looked quite inelastic today. He is a horse who shows a lot of variability, but today was not one of his best days. The extended trots did not show quite enough lengthening of the strides and were a bit hurried. The passage was always regular, active, and uphill. Currency stays quite active in piaffe, but to do so, he travels forward significantly. The two tempi changes jumped off the ground, but did not show enough suppleness in the back or shoulder freedom to score highly. There were mistakes in the one tempis. Dutta rode final centerline with and expressive and regular passage and an active (and more in-place) piaffe.
Patrick van der Meer & Zippo: 63.417%
- Like Dandelion, Zippo sometimes found the plants around the arena quite frightening, sometimes interfering not just with the overall submission score, but with movements like the passage tour. Overall, the passage was elevated and relaxed, though at times slightly irregular. The extended trots could have showed a bit more power and reach. The piaffe out of the walk was sitting and regular, but van der Meer could never quite get the second one into a rhythm. Zippo swings his haunches just slightly in the tempi changes, The first pirouette was nicely up in front, though a touch unbalanced; the second was steadier, but more earthbound. Unfortunately there were problems again in the final piaffe.
