Hans Peter Minderhoud & Romanov: 71.529%
- The first extended trot showed lots of reach in front, but not nearly enough engagement behind. The passage was a bit irregular, with Romanov not really stepping actively behind with any consistency. The trot half-passes were excellent. The extended walk had nice overtrick, but Minderhoud could not really let the horse out in the neck, as he was very much acting like a distracted stallion. The piaffes were absolutely rhythmical. Romanov got quite low in the neck and over bent in the canter half-pass right. There were a few steps of cross-canter at the end of the one-tempis. The stallion is very supple in the neck and body, and today he used this suppleness to create evasions.
Anne van Olst & Zidhane: 68.902%
- Zidhane is quite a heavy horse, and though he seemed hot enough, there were moments where he gave the impression that there was just a lot of him to carry through a Gran Prix. The trot half-passes were quite restricted with little lateral power. The extended trots showed quite nice lengthening of the strides, with activity that was evenly matched in front and behind. The piaffe had excellent suspension, a little reminiscent of another chunky grey: Guenter Seidel's Aragon. The tempi changes lost some of their forward momentum towards the end, and Zidhane failed to change behind in one of the tempis down the centerline. The pirouettes had a poor canter rhythm, but were tiny.
Diederik van Silfhout & Arlando: 68.372%
- The pair began on a quite unbalanced halt. In the first trot extension, van Silfhout had to give a major half-halt to rebalance the stallion. The trot half-passes had super shoulder-freedom and suspension, but limited crossing. In extended walk, the stallion was tense and distracted. The first piaffe crept forwards a fair amount, but Arlando was springing off the ground with his hind legs coming well underneath him. The other piaffe maintained this level of activity while also staying more in-place. The transition from passage to canter was effortless. The tempi changes were a bit hectic and short in the stride. Overall, the horse still needed to shorten and come up more in the frame, but at a very young eight years old, the horse still has plenty of time to develop.
Juliette Ramel & Ten Points: 66.607%
- Ramel opened on an extension with nice supple lengthening of the strides, but with the horse a bit short in the neck, giving the impression that there was more in the tank. The half-pass right powered sideways nicely with lots of crossing. The horse tripped behind in the extended walk as Ramel asked for bigger strides. There were some miscommunications in the piaffe out of the walk, but the second was better. The transition out of piaffe, however, was quite weak. The canter half-passes showed lots of lateral strength. Ten Points had super two tempis that were energetic and uphill without getting hectic. There was a small bobble in the ones on the diagonal. The canter pirouettes were small, but lost some energy. The final centerline showed their most uphill and springy passage, a piaffe that was active, though perhaps a bit over-closed at the base, and improved transitions.
Ona Dewaegenaere & Dabanos: ? %
- The rhythmical half-passes had excellent swing in their crossing. In passage, the horse steps way up and under behind, without any loss of freedom in front. The piaffe was regular and active, but the horse steps forward on the right front and back on the left front. The one tempi changes were straight with decent jump, but Dewaegenaere asked for them with very big aids. The horse cantered nicely in the pirouettes, but could have taken more weight behind.
Claudia Fassaert & Donnerfee: 66.392%
- Donnerfee is a mare with excellent engagement behind and a lovely light-footedness. The trot lost some suspension in the half-passes, though the one to the right was better. Donnerfee was nicely relaxed in the back for the extended walk, though she became a bit low in her frame. The piaffes were rather lackluster, and while the passage was airy, it could have been a bit more controlled in its steps. The tempi changes showed good impulsion, though the mare became slightly restricted in her shoulder. The pirouettes were huge and a touch above the bit. Though Fassaert's riding was soft, she seemed to lose the connection with her mare (both literally in the bit, and figuratively) towards the end.
Jana Kun & Watson: 65.725%
- The trot half-pass left showed nice energy and crossing, but the one to the left got a touch flat. The passage tended to get a bit laboured and the piaffe not quite diagonal in its steps. The two tempis had lots of jump, both upwards and forwards. The ones lost some energy as the horse swung his haunches from side to side. Overall, the horse was a bit heavy in front, causing him to trip a few times.
Ilka Boening & Sommerliebe: 65.176%
- Boening's trot tour was quite obedient and each movement nice, but Sommerliebe did not show the consistent rhythm across the movements that is ideal. Boening lost the canter before her two tempis, which needed a little more sparkle. The canter pirouettes lost energy and turned a bit around the middle of the horse. The final extended trot was more fluid and less mechanical than the earlier ones, with good long strides. The final halt appeared a bit like a horse slamming on the brakes before a cliff.
Wilma Wernsen & Oklarette: 64.941%
- Oklarette looked like she was still developing power behind, especially in the trot tour. The passage was active, but the mare could not quite use her hind end to spring really uphill in her strides. There appeared to be nice potential for a piaffe with super sit and activity, but it was a touch irregular in this test. Wernsen had a big miscommunication at the beginning of the diagonal of one-tempis. The first pirouette had decent sit, but the second got a bit hectic and unbalanced. The final line of piaffe and passage was their best.
