Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfvén & Don Auriello: 81.950%
- After a perfectly precise centerline, Don Auriello tripped slightly at the beginning of his extended trot. The trot-half-passes had nice power and sideways reach. Don Auriello stepped under behind in passage better than before, though the steps were still quite slow. The single pirouettes on the centerline were tiny and balanced; the double pirouettes after the half-passes were also small, but could have shown slightly more elevation in front. The horse also tripped at the beginning of his half-pass left. The second line of one-tempis showed a little more energy than the first and were quite lovely. In the final piaffe, the horse was sitting to such a high degree that he stepped a bit backwards (though never lost his rhythm) and he tripped (again) quite dramatically in the final extended trot. The frame in the test was as impeccable as ever.
Edward Gal & Voice: 79.275%
- Gal's music for Voice is in his usual dramatic style. The test began with a passage with plenty of elevation and a slightly quiet piaffe that tends to snatch up a bit out behind. The stallion also tended to leave his left hind leg behind a bit in transitions in and out of passage. The trot-half-passes had extravagant and supple crossing: they just flowed sideways. Voice kicked out in the transition down to collected walk. In extended canter, the horse could soften in the back and reach more forward in front. The tempis were clean and ground-covering (unlike Totilas and Undercover, who have the expression, but not the forward propulsion). The canter pirouettes were a touch big, but superbly uphill. The horse quit for a stride in the transition down from canter, but the final centerline of passage was impressive. The test could use some polish, but the horse is presently in a soft open frame with lots of expression.
Hans Peter Minderhoud & Romanov: 78.850%
- The passage into the first halt lacked a little sparkle, but the horse stepped off into a well-engageed and light-in-front extended trot. Romanov showed nice swing in the half-passes, but the angle was not very difficult. The piaffe consistently stepped evenly back and forth from diagonal pairs and was totally in place with good activity. The horse showed some resistance to the bridle in the transition from collected walk to extended walk. Romanov was a little short in the neck throughout the test. The canter half-passes with changes of direction had a high degree of difficulty and were beautifully smooth. There was one almost-late change in the twos, which were otherwise supple and ground-covering. The canter pirouettes could have been better placed around a single point. A couple of the ones jumped together behind. The piaffe quarter-pirouette onto the final centerline was magnificent in its rhythm and expression and appeared effortless.
Nanna Skodborg-Merrald & Millibar: 76.425%
- Their test began with a very large double pirouette to springy one-tempis to a large double pirouette in the other direction. The trot-halfpasses has good crossing and pushed well sideways. The trot half-passes were ground-covering and had plenty of suspension. The piaffes traveled a meter or so forward each time. The tempos were big and jumped light-footedly off the ground. Sadly, Millibar had a bit trip in his final extended trot. Skodborg-Merrald's power riding carried the pair through the test; in a way, it is reminiscent of Minna Telde's style with Santana: full risk in a way that brings out the most in the horse, though it sometimes becomes a shade hectic.
I saw some of Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and Unee's test, but was not watching with my full focus. The horse always looked quite open in the neck and soft in the bridle, though at some times he got a bit low in the frame. The trot-half-passes had lovely flow, but the horse tilted his head in the half-pass right. The soundtrack music was familiar, but well-chosen, so never dull.
Lone Bang Larsen & Fitou L: 74.175%
- Bang Larsen did not have her most harmonious test today, with a number of small communication errors taking away from the strong quality of the movements. Their active and springy entrance passage sometimes showed slightly more engagement in the left hind. In extended trot the horse really steps under behind, though is a bit heavy on the ground. The piaffe had good sit and suspension. Fitou became a bit crooked in collected walk and was a bit stuck in the transition to collected canter. The horse showed some resistance into the first line one-tempi changes. The extended canters were a bit rushed. Bang Larsen then rode a nicely uphill second line of one tempis. Their transition from extended trot to piaffe did not quite go off smoothly. She finished to the beat of Robin Thicke's Blurred lines, but it didn't quite fit musically with the rest of the freestyle. The catchy music has a great sound for a kur, but I think the lyrics are pretty inappropriate for a freestyle and should be excised.
