Tokyo 2020 Olympic Team Dressage, Day 1 - Grand Prix

Jessica von Bredow-Werndl & Dalera

The choice of a group format of 'heats' for the Olympics doesn't obviously make sense in a sport where each ride is given a numeric score, but I did enjoy not having all the well-known names bundled on the second day. The top two from each group are qualified for the individual finals and the top eight teams are qualified for the medal competition.

Three of the highest scores of the day really rewarded the harmoniousness of the horse rider combinations: Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and Dalera, Catherine Dufour and Bohemian, Sabine Schut-Kery and Sanceo. One place where this communication really shows is in the transitions between piaffe and passage—these three kept the horses in such balance that they all easily kept their rhythm. Total U.S. looked stronger and more secure in the Grand Prix than on previous outings, earning the third highest score of the day. 

There was the odd combination that I thought deserved more reward for the pleasantness of the picture in each movement. But it is hard to know sometimes how the scores will shake out from movement to movement. Among the lower scores, riders looked like they might be a little ring-rusty due to Covid circumstances, or just inexperienced with their horse in a show environment. Quite a few riders scored lower than they might at a normal CDI, and it was a shame they didn't get to peak at the Olympics.

 

Group C

Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (GER) started her test with Dalera with perhaps the straightest centerline of the day. The trot extensions covered ground with lots of power from behind. The trot half-passes kept a good trot rhythm. The reinback showed clear and relaxed diagonal steps. Dalera does not show much in front in passage, but the engagement from behind is excellent. The extended walk showed good relaxation in the back and lots of overstep. The second piaffe had a step that almost went backward, but von Bredow-Werndl corrected without even slightly interrupting the rhythm of the movement. The haunches could have come over a bit more honestly in the canter zig-zag. The pirouettes each started big before being collected in. Dalera's easy rhythm and lightness in the bridle really shone on the final line. They certainly delivered today.

Sabine Schut-Kery (USA - 78.416%) has come a long way from performance riding to presenting her stallion Sanceo at the games. The  The trot half-passes had a very easy bend and nice reach sideways, though the trot could be a hair more fluid in them. The first piaffe had incredible sit and still sprang off the ground, and in passage Sanceo really propels himself forward from behind. The extended walk had good overtrack, but took a bit to develop. The two lines of tempis were not big-striding, but were clean. The first canter pirouette was tiny, but the second got rather big, as Sanceo couldn't maintain the level of sit he offered. The final piaffe and passage sprang off the ground, with no change in rhythm on the whole line.

Hans Peter Minderhoud (NED - 76.817%) rides Dream Boy in his usual forward and high-energy way. The horse kept his mouth quite obviously open from the start of the test, which marred the picture of the nice uphill frame. In piaffe, the horse could drop his croup more, rather than just picking up his hocks, and Minderoud has to work quite hard to get it. The passage is bouncy, but could spring more forward. The extended canter was huge and Minderhoud brought it easily back for the change. Minderhoud also really pushed sideways in the zig-zag and pulled it off in good balance. The ones jumped uphill and off the ground in every stride, but the collection of the pirouettes was clearly a little harder for the stallion. Th final centerline showed good power an rhythm, though the frame could have been a hair more collected.

Carl Hester (GBR - 75.497%) and En Vogue got a bit of a shower starting for their ride. Hester's seat never ceases to impress. He is so soft with his hands and he sits in a light way that allows the horses to fully move beneath him. The trot extensions were uphill and rhythmical, if not the most ground-covering. The first piaffe was a little resistant, but Hester managed to avoid any major mistake. En Vogue picks his hind legs up so much in the movement, that he struggles to find his balance. The second piaffe was more secure. There was an error at the beginning of the twos, perhaps from a spook in the corner. The extended canter showed En Vogue opening up his back to stride out, but the horse changed early behind at the end. The ones were dead straight and perfectly rhythmical. The pirouettes were beautifully controlled. En Vogue bobbed his head slightly in the last piaffe, but the passage was really engaged. On overall impression and basic correctness, this pair could easily have scored higher, but the developing balance in the piaffe and minor mistakes probably limited them today.

Rodrigo Torres (POR - 72.624%) Fogoso has a lovely expressive front leg that was still nicely supported behind, though the canter and walk work got a bit tighter. The trot-half-passes has beautiful bend and lateral swing. The passage could cover a bit more ground. The walk work needed to show more relaxation in the body. The piaffes were super rhythmical, but the hindlegs could come a hair more under the horse's body. The extended canter was strong until a spook in the last few strides. The ones were clean, but could have been a bit more uphill and produced with slightly more subtle aids. The pirouettes were well controlled and small. The final passage was the best and the transitions in and out of piaffe were effortless. 

Jose Antonio Garcia Mena's (ESP - 69.146%) Sorento is unusual among the horses here for having a rather quiet front leg. But he makes up for it with lots of power from behind. While Sorento doesn't look the most supple in his body, Garcia Mena rode him in a lovely bend in the half-passes and got super crossing. The passage had good engagement, but in piaffe, the horse left his hindlegs a little behind him. The second piaffe was a little better and the rhythm was solid. Garcia Mena rode a really bold zig-zag, but it caught up with him with the horse losing his balance and breaking in the last half-pass. The ones were ground-covering and soft. The pirouettes maintained a good canter, but got rather big. The frame and contact in the final expressive passage was beautiful.

In his test, Alexadre Ayache (FRA - 68.929%) kept Zo What nice and up in the frame, but could have done so with more subtle half-halts. The passage steps up well in front, but could have more support from a more engaged hindleg. The extended walk was slightly hurried. The piaffes took a moment to find their rhythm and balance, but the horse brought his hindlegs correctly underneath him in the later steps. Both lines of tempis were clean and clear in rhythm, if not the most expressive. In the pirouettes, Zo What stepped ever so slightly out in a a stride or two. The passage to X was excellent and set up their best piaffe of the test

Larissa Paulius' (BEL - 67.251%) Flambeau has a lovely open stride, but Paulius struggled in the test a bit with the steadiness of the contact. And the rain started coming down quite heavily for her test. The extended trots could have covered a bit more ground, but Paulius did well to stop them getting hurried. The horse was a little resistant to the reinback, though it showed good diagonal pairs. The passage was expressive and the piaffe sprang off the ground with the horse sitting well. The rhythm of the extended walk was excellent, though the horse could have stretched more honestly. The second piaffe was even better than the first. Paulius made a big mistake with an insufficient half-half from passage to canter. The zig-zag needed a bit more controlled changes of direction, showing mabe the lack of experience this combination has. Though the horse climbed just slightly in piaffe, the overall final centerline was top class. 

Henri Ruoste (FIN - 64.674%) had an unfortunate start with Kontestro spooking and spinning at the end of the first extended trot. The arena anxiety his horse had meant that Ruoste had to do a lot to hold on. The horse almost reared in the first piaffe, but the rider managed it well, settling the horse into some rhythm for the passage. While Kontestro was still running through the bridle in the second piaffe and passage, we got to see the potential in the piaffe, with the horse springing electically and powerfully off the ground. The one tempis were big and expressive. In the pirouettes, Kontestro showed his capability to sit, though Ruoste definitely had to work to keep him together. The final centerline showed the horse's strength up through the piaffe, but he cantered after into the halt at the end. 

Alexandra Maksakova's (RUS - 63.898%) horse Bojengels is quite a big bodied horse with a big neck, which he occasionally uses a bit against his rider, pulling down in the contact. The bend in the trot half-passes could have been more obedient, as could the reinback. The passage was pleasently lofty, but the piaffe could have shown more of an impression of the desire to move forward. The twos had super freedom in the shoulder and spanned the diagonal. The extended canter was bold without getting hurried. There was an error in the last change in the zig-zag and at the beginning of the ones. The canter pirouettes were controlled, but should have maintained more activity. The horse ran through the bridle when asked to piaffe at X, leading the movement to happen several meters late. But the passage was strong.

 

Group B

Catherine Dufour (DEN - 81.056%) started her test on Bohemian with a salute with a fourish, showing her horse's willingness to stand and then spring into action. The whole test looked smooth and easy and Dufour looked thrilled after the final halt. The rhythm of the trot half-pass right was a little slow, but the bend and crossing each direction was very good. The reinback could have been a bit more willing. While Bohemian could sit more in piaffe, the rhythm from passage to piaffe and out was unwavering. The transition from collected walk to piaffe looked effortless and the second piaffe-passage tour was as good as the first. Dufour rides the twos forward, but they could have been a hair more uphill. Bohemian swung his haunches slightly in the changes of direction in the zig-zag, but it still showed that he could really obediently move laterally each way. Th canter pirouettes were small and active, but could have been slightly more sitting. The passage and piaffe on the final centerline were lovely, as was the frame and contact into the piaffe.

This group started strong with Edward Gal (NED - 78.49%) on the young Total U.S. who looked a little spooky and disobedient in the last strides before entering the arena, but held it together for the test. The trot extensions have huge reach in front, but could cover a hair more ground. The trot half-passes were very uphill. The passage was huge after a double-beat in the first couple steps. The horse really closes in front in the piaffe, but doesn't really sit and instead picks his hindlegs straight up. Still, the rhythm is good. The extended walk was huge. Gal seemed to have the horse's head tactfully turned away from the judges booths in collected walk. The twos were uphill and controlled in their balance. The bend and lateral movement in the half-passes could have been a bit more obedient. The canter pirouettes were really sitting, but could have had a hair more activity in the canter. While the piaffe on the final centerline was quite tense with Gal really holding the horse in place, the passage was really impressively powerful and ground-covering.

Beatrice Ferrer-Salat (ESP - 72.096%) rode the springy Elegance very tactfully, particularly since the horse looked rather tense in the stadium. The trot work looked a little tight in the back, giving Ferrer-Salat a bit of a jarring ride in the extensions and showing limited bend in the half-passes. However, the passage showed excellent engagement. The horse does not have the most expressive piaffe, but Ferrer-Salat manages the rhythm beautifully. The extended walk was a bit hampered by tension. The horse swapped behind in the early collected canter, again from tension. There was an error in the twos. In the zig-zag, the half-passes did not look equally obedient in each direction. The pirouettes were tiny and controlled until the last step of the second pirouette where the horse got strong and changed behind. The final centerline was pleasing and polished.

Maria Caetano (POR - 70.311%) and Fenix de Tineo started with a somewhat limited extended trot, but then showed some of the most impressive trot halfpasses of the day, with big and easy reach and bend. The piaffe was nicely sitting, but could have had a slightly clearer rhythm. The transition out into passage could also be easier. The canter in the twos was quite hurried and there was an error in the change at the end of that line and after the extended canter. The ones developed more and more swing behind across the line. While the early canter work was tricky, the canter pirouettes were tiny and showed incredible sit. The rhythm of the piaffe and passage on the final centerline was very good, though the hind legs escaped out a little in the last few steps.

Inessa Merkulova (RUS - 69.457%) returned to Tokyo with the popular and talented Mister X. The test started a little rough with some irregularity in the first extended trot—which could be a highlight—turning into a break into canter. In reinback, the horse shows some resistance to the bridle, opening his mouth and droppin his tongue, and unfortunately the somewhat hard contact mars some of the really nice elements of the test. The piaffe remained incredible. Mister X bring his croup down and lifts himself up in front in impeccable rhythm. The twos could have been more uphill, but covered the whole diagonal. The ones were not totally straight, but bold and clean. Like in piaffe, Mister X can really sit and keep carrying with energy in the pirouettes. The final line of passage was extremely lofty but could have been a been softer in the bridle and covered more ground. Merkulova finished her ride giving her horse a huge hug after her salute. 

Antonia Ramel's (SWE - 68.540%) Brother de Jeu is very light off the ground. The trot extensions had lots of power, though not the most reach. The bend in the trot half-pass left was softer than to the right. The collected walk was soft with a clear rhythm and the transition to passage easy. The horse lept forward in resistance, however, in the second piaffe. The twos showed lots of freedom of movement, but swung slightly behind. The ones that worked looked easy, but Ramel had an early mistance in them. The second pirouette was tighter and more balanced than the second. They ended on a clean and polished line of piaffe and passage.

Chris von Martels (CAN - 68.059%) has a horse with a lot of action in his gelding Eclips. In the trot half-passes, the hind legs trailed a little. The reinback showed clean diagonal steps. The piaffe is one of the highlights for this pair, with the horse bringing his hindlegs nicely underneath himself in good rhythm, while the passage ranged from beautifully expressive to slightly hectic. In a few steps in the canter movements, the strides got very close behind, showing some tension. The final centerline was looking good until an expensive stride of canter right before the halt.

Francesco Zaza (ITA - 66.941%) presented Wispering Romance very nicely, making for a harmonious picture. The mare is a dainty mover, and Zaza got the most out of her with soft extended trots and a light and springy passage. The piaffe showed good sit and stayed nicely rhythmical. They had a couple errors in the twos  and the extended canter could have had a bit more scope. The ones were a bit quick, but clean.The final centerline was clean and expressive. Zaza looked rightly thrilled with his test, and I thought the pleasing picture could have been more rewarded.

Dina Ellerman (EST - 65.435%) looked beautifully turned out in her country's blue and white on Donna Anna. The pair started on a softly ground-covering, if not super uphill, extended trot. The mare offered some resistance to the bend in the trot half-passes and looked a little hesitant to come back into the bit leading into the first passage. The passage itself, though, was round and springy and engaged. The transition from collected walk to passage could have been prompter. The piaffe crept forward quite a bit, but had a nice balance and rhythm. The extended canter was lovely until a spook that led the mare to swap early in front. The ones were obedient, even if not big. The first pirouette got quite big and the mare changed behind for a step, but the second one was better.

 

Group A

Charlotte Fry's (GBR - 77.096%) Everdale is a very flashy mover and Fry manages him well. The frame is occasionally a little short in the neck, but the horse stays quite free in the back. The trot half-passes had huge reach. In passage, Everdale got a little croup-high with all his power behind and piaffe he needs more sit. The rhythm of the collected walk could have been cleaner. The twos and ones were huge and the extended canter boldly ridden. The rhythm of the canter pirouettes was good, though they got slightly big and could have been more honestly sitting. Fry had a bit of a challenge on the final centerline with the horse looking ready to finish, but she kept the expression to the end.

Therese Nilshagen (SWE - 75.140%) rode her trot tour on Dante Weltino with huge ground-covering extensions and reach in the half-passes. The stallion's engagement in the passage is very good, but the piaffe is rather small and requires some effort from Nilshagen. The twos were big, but not one hundred percent straight. The zig-zag looked impressively effortless with the horse really moving laterally across the centerline. The pirouettes had incredible sit. The frame was a little too open on the final centerline, but that was a small flaw in the beautifully ridden line. It was interesting to me that this test scored a couple percent lower than Charlotte Fry's test. It did not have the extravagent expression, but in a number of movements was more correct with his use of his hind end.

Nanna Skogberg Merrald's (DEN - 73.168%) Grand Prix pro Zack shows huge amounts of power in the trot work and passage, though in piaffe the horse doesn't quite find its balance and rhythm because Merrald struggles a little to bring his hindlegs underneath him. The twos were huge, but Skogbeg Merrald had an error in them. Their extended canter ended a bit early. The ones were very uphill and the pirouettes were really sitting and controlled.

 Yvonne Losos de Muñiz (DOM - 70.869%) has a quite light-footed horse in Aquamarijn. The trot got slightly hurried in the half-passes, but the pair had a very obedient reinback after. Interestingly, the passage for this horse seems to improve after the piaffe—the piaffe seems to help him bring his hindlegs under and he showed more power after. They has a small error behind in the ones. The horse looked quite strong on the final centerline which made for a powerful passage, but a piaffe that crept a ways forward. Overall, the pair showed one of the more polished tests of the early part of the games.

João Victor Marcari Oliva (BRA - 70.419%) presented his Lusitano Equador with a lovely fluid trot work with lots of swing. The piaffe could sit a little more, but has super rhythm and spring. In the canter work, the horse showed some limited power behind, resulting in a little bit of swing in the one tempis and larger pirouettes. But the overall picture was lovely and soft.

Mary Hanna (AUS - 67.981%) had to use her depth of Olympic and equestrian experience to manage her mare Calanta's strengths and limitations through the test. The mare has incredible activity in her hind leg, but gets a bit tight in her back, resulting in some tension in the contact as well. The passage could cover more ground, but had good freedom in the shoulder. The extended walk showed no overtrack. There were errors in the twos and ones. The final centerline showed their strongest piaffe and passage. 

Inna Logutenkova (UKR - 66.118%)) and Fleraro had a bit of a weak start with a quite open frame and no bend in the first half pass. The passage is one of the horse's stronger movements, as he really lifts himself up in front, though he could come more under behind. The twos were huge and ground-covering. The pirouettes lots some energy behind, but stayed small. Again at the end of the test, Logutenkova tried to stay soft with her hands to encourage energy in the passage, but lost the collection in the frame, which would be quite apparent to the judges from the sides.

Dong Seon Kim (KOR - 63.447%) and Belstaff didn't have the ideal start to their test with a rather crooked halt, but proceeded into a smooth and pleasant trot tour. Sadly, the horse got a little sticky and trotted in the ones. Belstaff doesn't look like the hottest horse to the aids, but Kim manages him well except that he occasionally gets croup high instead of honestly pushing under himself into the bridle. Amusingly for me, the background music for his pleasing walk work seemed to be a version of Angelo Badalamenti's famous music for the show Twin Peaks—not a sound I associate with the dressage ring!

Kazuki Sano's (JPN - 62.531%) Ludwig der Sonnenkonig has a lot of loft in his trot work and passage, but today the horse's tension caused some irregularity to creep in. The extended walk could have been more relaxed in the back, but showed good overtrack. The two tempis swung quite a bit behind. Sano rode the canter zig-zag in good balance and the ones after were straighter. Unfortunately, the horse did not keep an honest canter behind in either pirouette, resulting in a couple expensive errors.