FEI World Cup Final 2014 Lyon - Grand Prix Freestyle

Charlotte Dujardin & Valegro: 92.179%

• Though the sound is very different, more cinematic, Dujardin's new choreography is like her Olympic program in two ways: it contains lots of transitions between quiet and dramatic and is highly difficult and technical. Their first extended trot was not only enormous but very settled and the following half-pass reached strongly forward and sideways. The passage is ridden to quite a quiet Irish-sounding tune that adds percussion for the transition to piaffe. The piaffe work was superb, with Valegro dropping his croup, closing well at the base, and staying up in the bridle. Valegro was a hair less underneath himself at times in the passage than the day before and there were a few times when Valegro got a little deep in the bridle in the trot work, but these were incredibly minor deviations for his overall correctness. The extended walk should still push forward a little more from behind. The canter pirouettes were impeccably balanced as they turned, though the one to the left was a hair big. At the end of the test Dujardin rode a marvelous piaffe pirouette with the horse turning without the slightest loss of rhythm or step off the line behind.

Helen Langehanenberg & Damon Hill: 87.339%

• Langehanenberg's music fits Damon Hill so perfectly, with the notes to carry power, but still some softness and beauty. Their entrance had a halt that was out behind and the first piaffe was quite irregular. The combination settled into their ride well, though. Damon Hill really compressed in his body a lot in the piaffe, holding himself up and together better than ever. The lovely flowing half-passes in trot could have pushed a little more sideways today. The passage work was remarkably uphill and engaged, almost as though Damon Hill's front legs needn't touch the ground at all. The two tempis were beautiful and ground-covering, though Damon Hill has the potential to be a little freer in front. The canter zig-zag was perfectly balanced in its changes of direction. Damon Hill lost energy in the transition to passage at the end and looked just a touch laboured in his extravagant final extended trot.

Edward Gal & Glock's Undercover: 83.696%

• Gal's entrance looked quite settled in its characteristic high-stepping piaffe and passage, though the frame could still have been more open. The rhythm was a little slower in a nice way, showing more relaxation. The early extended trot was not quite as tense in the body as it can be, but still lacked over-track. The trot half-passes had lovely reach forward and sideways both in  front and behind. The extended walk was relaxed, but actually a bit too open in the frame. The canter half-passes were superbly balanced, but very short in the stride. Undercover came up in the shoulder nicely in the tiny canter pirouettes. The extended canters were huge, but rather croup-high. The one tempis were incredibly tight in the body and Gal had trouble making his transition after them down into passage. Gal had a solid and precise ride as always, but he couldn't quite prevent Undercover from getting a bit overcooked towards the end of the test.

 Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfvén & Don Auriello: 80.911%

• Don Auriello is a beautiful horse in the body, but he is still painfully slow behind in the passage. The piaffe with its super sit is a surprising contrast to the passage every time I see this horse go. The trot half-passes were beautifully open in the shoulder. Don Auriallo steps way under himself in the tempi changes, again a total contrast to the passage where he drag his toes. A couple of the canter pirouettes lost some of their uphill balance and their energy. The horse just seemed a little flat in these finals. At the end of the test, Vilhelmson-Silfvén really drove Don Auriello forward for two huge ground-covering extended trots—divided by a short line of slightly more energetic piaffe and passage—showing him push more from behind than he usually does.

Isabell Werth & El Santo: 79.071%

• The major strength of El Santo is how much he engages behind, particularly in passage. He still cannot quite carry his super engagement into an in-place piaffe, however. As sick as I am of Queen in freestyles, I love the cheerful energy of Werth's music for this horse. The extended trots have enormous over-track. In the extended walk, Werth rode El Santo correctly into the bridle. The incredibly sitting canter pirouettes looked a little tenuous in their balance, but held together. The extended canters were absolutely enormous without getting the least bit hurried. There was an error behind in one line of two tempis. El Santo stepped under nicely in the canter half-passes, whereas many horses tend to get quite short behind. Werth rode at full power and El Santo was definitely with her today. 

Danielle Heijkoop & Kingsley Siro: 77.946%

• After an unsteady halt, Heijkoop sprang off into her energetic freestyle.  Heijkoop was the first in the class to really hit clear musical transitions and precise lines. Her trot half-passes drove beautifully up and sideways. The trot work looked controlled, but also effortless. The transitions in and out of the canter pirouettes were very fluid, though in the pirouettes, the horse could carry a little more behind rather than pushing up and back off his front legs. Siro got a touch braced upward in the canter half-passes. In extended trot, the horse should reach more out into the bridle and step under more behind, but the last one created quite the power for the last steps of piaffe and passage. The beat of the footfalls in piaffe and passage hit the music exactly as Siro took his very deliberate and regular steps. 

Jessica von Bredow-Werndl & Unee BB: 77.768%

• Von Bredow-Werndl had a rather rough start with no real halt and a stride of cross-canter in before her first canter pirouette. Unee settled well into the work, and the tempis that polished off the first centerline were big and flowing. The canter pirouettes are nicely measured and sitting. Von Bredow-Werndl rides a lovely series from extended canter to piaffe pirouette to extended walk that came off cleanly in a way that showed off the horse's attentiveness. The transition from piaffe to passage is a little difficult for Unee and he often pulled out on the bit as he steps forward. The originality of von Bredow-Werndl's pattern is unfortunately offset by very unoriginal use of "Pirates of the Carribean" and "Painted Black". Still, the music choices do work decently for the dramatic horse. 

Hans Peter Minderhoud & Glock's Johnson TN: 77.625%

• Minderhoud created a very polished and soft picture with this horse right from the outset. The piaffe and passage were rhythmical with plenty of lift, though Johnson could come a touch more under behind. The extended trot is really loose in the body in a nice way and Johnson steps way underneath himself. The extended walk got too deep in the bridle and the collected walk was very short behind in anticipation of the canter. The extended canter beginning through the short side stepped under beautifully. The tempis were ground-covering and the canter rhythm clear. The canter pirouettes could have been more uphill with a bit more jump. After the canter work, the passage took a little while to develop, but looked strong and relaxed for the finish. 

Marc Boblet & Noble Dream Concept Sol: 74.875%

• This mare really steps off the ground in her passage, but the piaffe by contrast is quite a struggle, and Noble Dream showed her tendency to lurch out of piaffe back into the huge passage. The early line of two tempis were dropped in the back and the mare jumped together behind a couple of times. The subsequent line of ones was much stronger, with Noble Dream stepping way under herself and pushing upward from behind. In the canter half-passes, however, she got rather restricted behind again. The extended trot was high-powered with the mare traveling with huge suspension across the arena. The music had a bit of techno flair, but seemed maybe a bit too jazzed up for the mare, adding to the sense of her tension. Boblet cleverly ended on Noble Dream's super passage. 

Inessa Merkulova & Mister X: 73.786%

• In the initial trot work, Mister X traveled with lots of engagement from behind, but Merkulova could have done more to get him to open up his frame. The passage and piaffe was regular in it's rhythm and had lots of suspension, but didn't quite step up consistently behind. The collected walk was quite tight in the back while the extended walk was clean but a little laxidasical. The canter pirouettes were impressive. Mister X carried his weight completely behind. In the one tempis, the horse's haunches were swinging way too much, causing him to lose his forward momentum. With the horse's impressive gaits, and clean riding, the test definitely earned its good score.

Mikala Münter-Gunderson & My Lady: 72.250%

• Münter-Gunderson really rode for her first extended trot, and boy can My Lady show over-track. The music was Broadway style, with the catchy "All That Jazz" for the piaffe and passage. The piaffe and passage are quite energetic, though it often looks like quite a struggle for Münter-Gunderson to keep her mare together. My Lady changed behind in the first canter pirouette. The forward tempis looked great. My Lady's collected walk got quite artificial in front, though the extended walk was quite nice. The second canter pirouette also didn't quite show clear steps behind and was a bit big. The final piaffe left a good last impression, with My Lady stepping strongly up and under behind.

Tina Konyot & Calecto V: 71.893%

• Konyot has a great freestyle, but I have to say, it's getting a bit old. Calecto definitely got quite croup-high, high in the neck, and low in the shoulder in the piaffe and passage today. He really pushes up with his big neck, making it hard for Konyot to get his hind legs under him. The extended trot to half-pass was a super effective move to get a really dynamic half-pass, though when she rode the other order in the other direction, the extended trot was a bit flat. The extended walk had a very good rhythm. The first canter pirouette was rather tense and the horse jumped together behind. The rhythm and jump of Konyot's tempis always give the impression of lots of power and energy, but there was an error in two of the four lines of one tempis. Calecto didn't quite seem with Konyot today, getting quite croup high again in the final tour of passage and piaffe and completely quitting into the halt several seconds ahead of the musical end. 

Elena Sidneva & Romeo Star: 71.018%

• Sidneva began on a quite stunning extended trot, a little reminiscent of Damon Hill's open strides and even, supple engagement in front and behind. The first piaffe could have been more in place and active. The classical music for the trot work was a little flat, but for the piaffe and passage music had a good rhythm and the right weight for this horse's gaits: not to sparkling, not too heavy. The collected canter after extended canter and in the first canter half-pass needed a bit more jump and got rather slow behind. The two tempis were ridden very nicely forward, covering the whole diagonal, but to score up more, the horse needed to jump up a little more into them. In both canter pirouettes, the stallion seemed to want to fall out of them. Sidneva ended with another of Romeo Star's very nice extended trots. 

Marcela Krinke Susmelj & Smeyers Lazander: 69.857%

• The early trot work in this freestyle seemed rather hurried and short behind. The piaffe and passage transitioned to much much better engagement, though Lazander sometimes hasd a tendency to pull down in the bridle. The half-pass after the passage was much more powerful from behind, though Krinke-Susmelj had to give some pretty strong half-halts to get him up in the bridle. Krinke-Susmelj rather unsuccessfully rode two tempis on the circle, with the haunches swinging and a mistake at the end. The canter half-passes jumped sideways quite well, and Lazander got much lighter in the bridle in them. There was another error in a later series of one-tempis. The piaffe and passage at the end of the test were at full power, but it might have been nice to have a few more seconds of this highlight to really solidify a good final impression.

Mary Hanna & Sancette: 69.821%

• Hanna rides a really lovely collected trot with fluid uphill strides. The piaffe and passage are very solid, with Sancette getting just a bit wide in front in piaffe and having a minor loss of power in the transitions. Hanna rode right out of walk into a canter pirouette, which was not quite optimal today, since the horse got a bit flat from the tension of the transition, and it took Hanna the first rotation to get Sancette together. The one tempis were very uphill and nicely forward, but unfortunately Sancette bobs his head quite a bit in them. The final lines of passage were very nicely engaged behind, with Sancette reaching softly up into the bridle.

Cesar Parra & Van the Man: 68.429%

• Parra had some Latin pop, including the recognizable Shakira. The piaffe, where the horse can really spring off his haunches, did not always look very secure in it's rhythm. The passage is big and elevated in the shoulder, but Van the Man sometimes gets a bit out behind. The first canter pirouette was very poorly placed. The second was more deliberate and the pirouette overall was in better collection, though the horse lost the canter rhythm for a stride at the end. Another canter pirouette followed by one tempis was ridden in quick succession: a difficult move that got Van the Man nicely springing up  off his haunches in the ground-covering one-tempis. The lines in this particular freestyle should have could have been more precisely ridden.

Dong-Seon Kim & Bukowski: 68.089%

• Delightfully, the young Korean rider entered with a dose of Gagnam Style and stuck with pop hits.The passage and piaffe that began the test was the definite highlight, springy and rhythmical, though it ought to have been a touch more uphill and up in the bridle. The extended trot looked really nicely energetic with nice reach forward across the diagonal. The canter work looked more dynamic today, though there is at least one stride where the horse changes behind into cross-canter. The two tempis and very nice with the horse moving up through his body, but the ones got rather short and downhill. Even with its imperfections, the test gives the viewer a nice feeling: Bukowski looks very comfortable in the big arena under Kim's steady riding. 

FEI World Cup Final 2014 Lyon - Grand Prix

This was a really nice World Cup to watch with a really top group of riders and very good judging. It's a bit odd for the winner to come in on a wild card, but the win was certainly well-deserved!

Charlotte Dujardin & Valegro: 87.129%

• The first extended trot was not quite as jaw-dropping as usual, but still had amazing reach and over-track. The half-passes had lovely crossing and power. The piaffe showed amazing sit and spring from behind, really closing at the base to a degree that Valegro hasn't shown in a test before, but in the second piaffe, it became just a bit much and Valegro lost the rhythm for a second. There was also a tiny rhythm error into the transition into the second passage out of walk. The extended canter was huge and the transitions in and out had impeccable uphill balance. The one tempis were unquestionably the most ground-covering, engaged and straight. The tiny balanced canter pirouettes could have had a hair more jump. The passage and piaffe on the final centerline looked more powerful than ever. This pair has no real weakness and they slowly turn up the dial, today earning another world record score.

Helen Langehanenberg & Damon Hill: 83.343%

• Damon Hill was really reaching and pushing forward in his long and light-footed strides for the first extended trot. The trot half-passes were totally fluid, though they could have had a little more sideways power. The passage had super engagement as always. The two tempis were absolutely fluid. The transitions from collected to extended canter and back were smooth and relaxed, with none of the tension in the back that other horses often show. The ones were just a hair shorter in the stride than one might want. Both pirouettes turned in excellent lateral balance with nice sit. Damon Hill was really on his haunches on the final centerline, but just before the halt it became just a bit more than he could hold and gave a little lurch into the halt. What I never get tired of in Langehanenberg's riding is the appearance of harmony and lightness.

Edward Gal & Glock's Undercover: 79.957%

• Gal has such precise and subtle riding, but I still wish I could see Undercover if Gal could let go just a little, making the test more fluent and natural. The extended trot was very short behind lacking the desired over-track. The piaffe and passage was as regular as metronome, as always. The two-tempis jumped a bit from side to side, though the canter rhythm was clean. The canter zig-zag had lovely sideways movement and effortless changes of bend. The ones were not ground-covering and incredibly short in the neck. Gal added good sit to the tiny canter pirouette left, though the one to the right was a little flatter. The last extended trot showed a little overstep, better power from behind, and more open expression. 

 Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfvén & Don Auriello: 75.086%

• Though Don Auriello is quite flat behind, he really steps under behind in the extended trot and his shoulder-freedom is amazing. Vilhelmson-Silfvén kept him uphill well in the trot half-passes, allowing him to really reach up and sideways. The passage is still a little weak behind, and the piaffe a little less springy than ideal, but with very good rhythm and sit. The one-tempis were regular, but unfortunately Don Auriello missed one, inexplicably. The last piaffe had a little more spring, but more from tension than engagement. Vilhelmson-Silfvén does a beautiful job maintaining her horse in a consistent uphill, round frame like few other riders can.

Isabell Werth & El Santo: 74.186%

• El Santo always looks like a tough one to keep together, but Werth did a super job keeping him together today. El Santo dragged his feet a bit in the reinback. The piaffe continued to be either springy and traveling forward or a bit lacking in energy. The extended walk was lovely, as El Santo just dropped softly into relaxation. The two tempis had super uphill spring, but the ones were laboured. One stride in the canter zig-zag jumped together behind. The canter pirouette left was uphill but not quite balanced as it turned; the one to the right could have been more uphill. The last extended trot was super powerful with lots of over-track. A great test for this pair. 

Hans Peter Minderhoud & Glock's Johnson TN: 73.771%

• Minderhoud has done a lovely job maintaining the fluidity of this horse's movement even as he has advanced to Grand Prix level. The trot work was lovely and energetic. The passage sometimes got a bit irregular and wiggly, but I expect that will go away as Johnson develops. The collected walk was a little tight behind. The piaffe had a good active rhythm. In the two-tempis, Minderhoud had to work a little to get the changes moving forward as opposed to jumping merely up. In general, Johnson still seems to rely on Minderhoud for his balance in the canter, though the work was still very good. The final passage had lots of engagement and knee-action. This test showed the pair's developing partnership at this level very well. 

Danielle Heijkoop & Kingsley Siro: 72.857%

• Siro looked good today, with Heijkoop keeping Siro nicely in front of the vertical overall, though he got a hair tight in the trot half-passes. Siro pushes sideways nicely. The two tempis flowed across the arena with expression and relaxation; the ones were also good, though they could have been a bit more uphill and open in front. The flying change after the extended canter was late behind. Unfortunately, Heijkoop lost the passage on the final centerline, reflective of her not quite having her characteristic control. 

Jessica von Bredow-Werndl & Unee BB: 72.686%

• There was sometimes some minor inconsistency in Unee's contact to the bridle. The passage and piaffe were nicely elevated, though the horse could have come a little more under himself behind. The extended canter was powerful, but the transitions in an out could have been more steady and balanced. Unee gave a big kick out to the leg at the beginning of the one tempis. Von Bredow-Werndl could have kept the canter pirouettes a hair more balanced and active. 

Marc Boblet & Noble Dream Concept Sol: 71.814%

• This slender mare is such a ballerina in the arena with her huge and light movement. The half-passes moved sideways well and stayed open in front, though the mare tilted a bit in the contact. The piaffe is quite small and Noble Dream lurches up into passage. The passage has lots of suspension. Boblet didn't quite show enough steps in the second piaffe. The tempis were not quite straight because the horse got just a bit too tense to be supple. The pirouettes maintained the jump of the canter well and the final centerline was pretty cleanly ridden. 

Inessa Merkulova & Mister X: 71.057%

• Mister X is a very leggy fellow with huge knee-action. In the trot half-passes, Merkulova got the horse quite behind the bit and rather restricted in his strides. The rein-back was a little downhill but had very clean diagonal steps. The piaffe was incredible, with huge spring off the ground. The passage also had lots of suspension, though again, Mister X got bit deep and could travel a hair more forward. The horse jumped together behind in the transition up into canter. The flying changes were a bit odd mechanically, with the horse getting high in the shoulder but also deep in the bridle, almost like crow-hopping. Overall, the test had some super highlights, though one would probably want a softer contact with the bit.

Tina Konyot & Calecto V: 70.443%

• This pair's entrance was super balanced, but Calecto did not quite settle into the halt. The first extended trot could have used a little more forward power, though I think to keep the hind end down today, Konyot toned her stallion's power down. The first passage was enormous and stayed regular, with the croup not getting too high. In the piaffe, the stallion crept forward a bit much and came out into a slightly less controlled passage. The second piaffe-passage tour had cleaner transitions. The tempi changes jumped nicely off the ground, but could have pushed a little more forward from behind. The pirouettes are top class, turning slowly in beautiful, controlled, uphill balance. Calecto got a bit unbalanced before the last centerline, which was rather untidy. The passage got irregular, the piaffe might have needed a couple more steps, and the halt was a bit abrupt. Still, Konyot presented a nice balance of expression and control in this test.

Mikala Münter-Gunderson & My Lady: 69.429%

• My Lady showed a lot of power, though sometimes looked a touch tense when she moved really big. The second extended trot never quite got going. The transitions between piaffe and passage were very clean, though in piaffe the mare could engage more in the right hind. The two tempis has a rather unbalanced start, and though they were big, they jumped a bit from side to side. Münter-Gunderson lost some of the collection of her horse's canter in the zig-zag. The last extended trot was more powerful and open in the stride and the final passage had lots of elevation.

Mary Hanna & Sancette: 68.471%

• Hanna had Sancette moving in a nice forward way, but there were a number of small irregularities in the trot work, especially where the horse pulled down a little in the bridle. The piaffe was nicely active, though it came a bit above the bit. The canter zig-zag was slightly laboured. Sancette swings a little in his haunches in the tempis, though he takes nice big strides. The pirouettes were small, but the canter lost some jump in them. 

Marcela Krinke Susmelj & Smeyers Lazander: 67.743%

• Lazander is a very light-footed horse and had a open springy extended trot. The trot half-passes were a little tight in the back. The piaffe and passage are absolutely regular with impeccable transitions, though the horse could sit a little more in piaffe. The canter work got excessively rocking and lost a bit of its proper three-beat rhythm, and unfortunately she lost a lot of points here. The frame was nicely open and and up, though Lazander did tend to get rather tense, especially through his back.

Elena Sidneva & Romeo Star: 67.629%

• Romeo Star had a nice open first extended trot, but lost some of his engagement in the half-passes. In the first piaffe, the stallion wanted to rush forward out of it, and while trying to hold him back, Sidneva caused him to lose some of his energy. There were a number of mistakes in the two-tempi changes, but the ones were quite nice. The canter pirouettes had nice bend, but lost a good deal of the energy of the canter. 

Cesar Parra & Van the Man: 65.543%

• Van the Man is a nicely leggy horse with a very difficult neck that often gets too short and tight. The horse broke into canter in the first extended trot. Van the Man sits very well in piaffe and really springs up from behind. Unfortunately, the horse, who isn't used to such an impressive indoor, gave a pretty big spook and resistance into the second passage tour. About halfway through the canter zig-zag, the horse came above the bit for a couple of strides, though Parra finessed it very well. The one tempis were rather hurried and not quite straight. The final centerline was quite nice.

Dong-Seon Kim & Bukowski: 64.471%

• Like Parra, Kim had a break in his first extended trot and also a little trip in the first trot half-pass, though they were otherwise energetic. Bukowski threw his head straight up after the rein back. The piaffe was nicely rhythmical and active, though it crept forward slightly. The walk work was rather tense. The tempis—both the twos and the ones—were steady but quite small. The extended canter got quick rather than lengthening in the strides. The last line of piaffe and passage was regular but rather tense in the topline.