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.