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REEM ACRA FEI WORLD CUP™ DRESSAGE 2013/2014 – Round 6

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Neumunster (GER), 16 February 2014

 

Photo Caption: Defending series champions, Helen Langehanenberg and Damon Hill NRW, strolled to victory when posting a new personal best score on home ground at the sixth qualifying round of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Western European League 2013/2014 in Neumunster, Germany today.  Photo: FEI/Karl-Heinz Freiler.

FEI YouTube: http://youtu.be/FTg0vEc3EFM

Another personal best for Langehanenberg and Damon Hill NRW as they prove untouchable in Neumunster

 

By Louise Parkes

 

Defending series champions, Germany’s Helen Langehanenberg and Damon Hill NRW, strutted to victory with considerable ease at the sixth leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2013/2014 Western European League in Neumunster (GER) today.  A performance that oozed confidence, cohesion and comfort ensured the 31-year-old rider and her 14-year-old stallion have satisfied the qualifying criteria for the Final, and they did it in style when posting a personal best Freestyle score of 90.375.
They pipped runners-up Anna Kasprzak and Donnperignon from Denmark by almost seven percentage points, while Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl celebrated her 28th birthday by clinching third with a highly impressive performance from Unee BB. And with Isabell Werth (Don Johnson) lining up fourth and Fabienne Lutkemeier (D’Agostino) finishing fifth, the raw strength of the German contingent was indisputable.  Team trainer, three-time Olympic team gold medallist and double FEI World Cup™ Dressage champion Monica Theodorescu, will be spoiled for choice in deciding the three riders to represent Germany at the Final which will take place in Lyon (FRA) in April.
Early lead

Going third of the 15 starters, Charming Boy belied his veteran status when the 18-year-old gelding took the early lead with a score of 75.225 for Sweden’s Sofie Lexner.  However Finland’s Terhi Stegars and Axis TSF soon re-set the target when posting a mark of 77.175.  The pure appeal of this neat and handsome 15-year-old Trakehner stallion is always difficult to resist, and the small but packed stadium of spectators showed their appreciation with a wild round of applause for this pair’s performance.
It was The Netherlands’ Hans Peter Minderhoud who was holding the advantage at the halfway stage however on a score of 78.350.  The Dutchman brought a new ride, the 12-year-old stallion Johnson B, to the German fixture and placed seventh in yesterday’s Grand Prix, but the horse showed even more of his potential today with nice piaffe, extravagant canter pirouette and big, open movement that rocketed him, temporarily, to the top of the leaderboard.
Minderhoud described Johnson B as inexperienced even though he has had the horse since he was a three-year-old.  “He did all the Young Horse classes, he went to Verden and did the Small Tours but then he was out for a while and was breeding a lot.  Now he has grown up and he knows all the stuff, so he’s now ready for the World Cups and bigger international shows” the Dutch rider explained.
Overtaken

His score would be overtaken by Lutkemeier and D’Agostino who, third to go after the break, produced a mark of 80.050, only for that to be blown away by Langehanenberg’s result with Damon Hill.  The defending champions cruised through their Freestyle floor plan, nailing every movement and flawless in their communication.  Such is their understanding of each other now that the pair move as one, the stallion seemingly keen to put on his best possible show each time he enters the arena, just like his rider.
“He is so much with me and working with me and he wants to present himself to the crowd.  The arena here is only as big as a dressage arena with no extra space so the audience is very, very close.  That’s not easy for every horse, although most of them seemed to manage it really well today, but it surely suits Dami (Damon Hill NRW) because he just can’t get close enough to his fans – he loves it!” said Langehanenberg afterwards.
From there it was always going to be a procession for the minor placings, and Denmark’s Anna Kasprzak produced a Freestyle full of strong canter pirouettes, bouncy canterwork and rhythmic passage to rack up 83.575 to go into runner-up spot. That proved too good for the remaining two, Isabell Werth’s Don johnson FRH posting 80.250 that left her fourth place when, last in, Jessica von Bredow-Werndl earned a mark of 82.425 to slot into third.  This latter score marked another step-up in form for this German rider whose results have been ever-improving all season.
Von Bredow-Werndl comes from a family with a real sporting tradition, her father, Klaus, is a former German sailing champion and her mother, Micaela, was a member of the German junior national ski team for seven years.  Her brother, Benjamin, also competes for Germany in Dressage and her parents run Dressage Centre Aubenhausen which is located between the towns of Bad Aibling and Rosenheim, Germany.
Best result

“This is the best result my horse and I have had” von Bredow-Wrendl said.  “We really enjoyed it and we had a great ride I think, we had a lot of fun.  I didn’t have to change anything for today (after yesterday’s Grand Prix). Having said that, the warm-up arena is cold and the main arena itself is extremely warm so it feels like you’re entering into a sauna!  My horse really enjoyed it though, and I think the crowd did as well” the German rider added.
Runner-up, Anna Kasprzak, said she was “super happy” with the performance of Donnperignon.  “I knew yesterday (after the Grand Prix in which he also finished second to Damon Hill NRW) that he would be better today.  For every competition that we have together we keep learning so much from each other.  It is such an amazing feeling to become even better every time, every performance” the Danish rider pointed out.
And Judge at C, America’s Liselotte Fore, admitted to finding today’s competition quite a jaw-dropping experience.  “I had never seen the horses or the riders here before, so I came in with a fresh pair of eyes.  The performances were incredible and my eyes kept getting wider and my mouth didn’t stop dropping – it was unbelievable!” she said.
“It is great when a judge can use the upper scale of the marking, always wanting to give 9 and 10s!  It was great to see the riders and horses working in such harmony, the performances were exceptional and I enjoyed it tremendously” she added.  It wasn’t just the riders who showed courage and determination today however as the Ground Jury didn’t hesitate to mark riders for what they saw on the day regardless of those rider’s results in yesterday’s preliminary Grand Prix competition, and there were some significant changes.
High points

For Langehanenberg, the satisfaction of achieving another personal best Freestyle score and her faith in her ever-reliable stallion were the high points today.  She laid down her previous personal best of 89.775 when topping the second round of the current Reem Acra series at Stuttgart (GER) last November.  “Another personal record – it is really incredible!” she said.  “Dami is so willing to work and he enjoys so much being in the arena.  He’s absolutely amazing!” she added with delight.
And she applauded the spectators for their support for all the competitors today.  “We are here in North Germany where there are so many great horsemen and I think the audience really has a great understanding of the horse.  They clap every rider, no matter how they perform, and they give us all a great feeling.  No-one always has a good ride, but even if you go badly here you go home with a good feeling because you know the spectators appreciate what you are trying to achieve”.
She thanked the show organisers and sponsors.  “Thank you to Paul and Bettina (Schockemohle) as the show here is fantastic and I want to thank our sponsors, especially Reem Acra and her support for the Dressage FEI World Cup™ series – it’s really special.  In an era when it is difficult for organisers to find sponsors, the likes of Reem Acra are there and ready to invest in our sport” Langehanenberg said.
Now for the defending champion it is time to settle back and plan her campaign before  the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final in April.  “Normally we don’t do too much between shows but it depends on the length of time – we will have to sit down and discuss what to do after this weekend” Langehanenberg explained.  She is buoyed up by today’s score – “we are absolutely in the 90s now, and I really believe in Dami” she said.  And she is looking forward to Final.
Asked today if she can reclaim the title, she replied “I don’t know, every day is a new day.  We will try to do a strong performance without mistakes and we will do our very best – we can’t do any more than that!”.
For further information on the sixth leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2013/2014 Western European League series at Neumunster, Germany go to website http://pst-marketing.de or contact Press Officer Andreas Kerstan, Email andreas.kerstan@comtainment.de, Tel: +49 430 782 7973/+49 341 678 6012.
The next and last qualifying leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2013/2014 Western European League will take place in Gothenburg, Sweden on Saturday 1 March.  For details of the Swedish fixture visit website www.gothenburghorseshow.com or contact Press Officers Matilda Hjertstrand
matilda.hjertstrand@ridsport.se Tel + 46 709 79 56 31 / Mayvor Thorin mayvor.thorin@gotevent.se Tel +46 705 82 84 20.

 

Result:
1, Damon Hill NRW (Helen Langehanenberg) GER 90.375; 2, Donnperignon (Anna Kasprzak) DEN 83.575; 3, Unee BB (Jessica von Bredow-Werndl) GER 82.425; 4, Don Johnson FRH (Isabell Werth) GER 80.250; 5, D’Agostino FRH (Fabienne Lutkemeier) GER 80.050; 6, Johnson 6 (Hans Peter Minderhoud) NED 78.350; 7, Millibar (Nanna Skoborg Merrald) DEN 78.200; 8, Axis TSF (Terhi Stegars) FIN 77.175; 9, Smeyers Lazander (Marcela Krinke Susmelj) SUI 75.475; 10, Charming Boy (Sofie Lexner) SWE 75.225; 11, Don Lorean (Alexandra Barbancon Mestre) ESP 74.475; 12, Biggles (Kristian von Krusenstierna) SWE 74.250; 13, Uzzo (Patrick van der Meer) 72.250; 14, Famous Boy (Borja Carracosa Martinez) ESP 71.950; 15, Romeo-Star (Elena Sidneva) RUS 71.725. Full details here

Facts and Figures:

The competition took place in Neumunster’s Holstenhalle, a listed building that has been home to world-class equestrian events for the last 50 years.

There are two further qualifying legs yet to go in the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2013/2014 Western European League series – at Gothenburg (SWE) on Saturday 1 March and at ‘s-Hertogenbosch (NED) on Saturday 22 March 2014.
15 horse-and-rider combinations competed in today’s qualifying round.
The winner was defending champion Helen Langehanenberg from Germany with Damon Hill NRW, the horse she rode to victory at the 2012/2013 Final in Gothenburg (SWE) last April. This year’s Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final will take place in Lyon (FRA) from 17-21 April.
Ground Jury for today’s competition – At E, Jacques van Daele; At H, Dr Evi Eisenhardt; At C, Liselotte Fore; At M, Leif Tornblad; At B, Marietta Almasy.
Today’s winning score was 90.375%.
A total of 15 competed.
Today’s competition took place in front of a capacity crowd of 3,500 spectators.
The oldest horse in today’s competition was the 18-year-old Charming Boy ridden by Sweden’s Sofie Lexner who finished tenth.
The youngest horses were both 12-year-olds – Don Johnson FRH who finished third for Germany’s Isabell Werth, and Johnson 6 who finished sixth for The Netherlands’ Hans Peter Minderhoud.
Quotes:

Helen Langehanenberg GER: “he (Damon Hill NRW) doesn’t mind if it is loud, and the more people there are the more he likes to go for it!  It was a really good ride today”.
Judge at C, America’s Liselotte Fore: “the atmosphere in this particular show is amazing and the public is so knowledgeable that when the horses got a bit excited they quieted down until it was a bit more relaxed – that tells you how much they know and care about the sport”.
Paul Schockemohle, Event Director: “as you know we do a few shows in Germany, and they are all different – especially Neumunster which has a really special atmosphere.  For me, it is a great pleasure to be here.  A big thank you to the spectators, they were unbelievable.  The people here have such horsemanship which is why I love to organise this show so much as well”.
Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2013/2014 Western European League – Standings after Round 6 at Neumunster (GER):

 

1. Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven SWE – 74
2. Isabell Werth GER – 63
3. Anna Kasprzak DEN – 55
4. Edward Gal NED – 51
4. Jessica von Bredow-Werndl GER – 51
6. Hans Peter Minderhoud NED – 50
7. Fabienne Lutkemeier GER – 48
8. Marcela Krinke Susmel SUI – 46
9. Charlotte Dujardin GBR – 40
10. Nanna Skodborg Merrald DEN – 37
11. Patrick van der Meer NED – 27
11. Terhi Stegars FIN – 27
13. Daniele Heijkoop NED – 25
14. Matthias Kempkes GER – 23
15. Malin Hamilton SWE – 21
16. Ellen Birgitt Farbrot NOR – 20
16. Marc Boblet FRA – 20
18. Ester Soldi ITA – 19
18. Simon Missiaen BEL – 19
18. Hayley Beresford AUS  – 19
Full Standings here

 

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Florida International Youth Dressage Championships to Be Featured at Adequan Global Dressage Festival

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McKean

Kim Boyer, Lendon Gray, and Michael Davis present an award to one of last year’s YDC winners, Julie McKean. Photo © SusanJStickle.com.

Wellington, FL – February 13, 2014 – Week seven of the 2014 Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) will feature the Florida International Youth Dressage Championships (YDC), presented by Dressage4Kids. The Championships start on Friday morning, comprising four divisions – Pony, Junior, Young Rider, and Under 25 Grand Prix. Additional sponsors of the event include PanaCavallo/The Davis Family, Hampton Green Farm, and Dressage Today magazine. The event will take place during AGDF’s Stillpoint Farm CDIO Nations Cup and CDI 3* presented by Peacock Ridge, which runs February 19-23 at The Stadium at The Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC).

The 2014 YDC are open to all nationalities and riders under 25. No matter what country they are from, all are encouraged to sign up and participate! In addition to the competition, there will be many fun events throughout the week.

2014 is the second year of the YDC, and the first year that the Championships will be held in the International Classes. Holding the YDC during the Nations Cup will expose American-based youth riders to the international flavor of a large European show.

Lendon Gray of Dressage4Kids stated, “We are excited to once again host this event at the AGDF. We look forward to opening the event up to young riders from around the world and believe that this competition will broaden the horizons of all of our competitors.”

Awards of $3,000 will be divided among the top riders in each division, and Hampton Green Farm will award the use of one stall at their facility in Wellington for the 2015 season to the overall highest placed rider in each division based on their combined scores of the two required tests.

All parents and owners of horses in the YDC are invited to a reception hosted by the Dressage Owners Task Force, Tuesday afternoon after the CDIO Nations Cup jog, in the Global Pavilion at The Stadium at PBIEC from 4:00-6:00 p.m.

The Seminar for youth riders and their trainers will be held on Wednesday from 3:00-4:15 p.m. at The Wellington Club on the Main Grounds at PBIEC (FTI WEF show grounds) and is sponsored by Equestrian Sport Productions, Adequan, and Dr. Rob van Wessum. The speakers are Dr. Rob van Wessum and Dr. Torri Maxwell of Adequan. Dr. Maxwell will be lecturing on joint health, and Dr. van Wessum will be speaking about Training for Soundness.

Dr. van Wessum joined the practice of Don Ryker, DVM & Associates in 2009 as a specialist in equine lameness. In addition to 17 years of clinical experience as a sport horse lameness clinician, he has experience as an internationally known rider, trainer, and judge in the sport of dressage. A native of the Netherlands, he received his veterinary degree from Utrect University in 1991.

A special dinner is also scheduled for Thursday evening at Diamante Farms with support from Dressage Today magazine, hosted by Terri and Devon Kane and Michael and Sarah Davis, from 6:30-9:00 p.m. All area youth riders and their guests (trainers, parents) are invited.

For more information on the Florida International Youth Dressage Championships, please visitwww.globaldressagefestival.com.

About the Adequan Global Dressage Festival:

The Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) is one of the world’s largest international and national dressage circuits featuring 8 FEI Dressage events, including a 5* and the only FEI Nations’ Cup Series CDIO in the Western Hemisphere. The AGDF offers more than $400,000 in prize money for the six international competitions, making it one of the richest circuits in the world. The Stadium at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center facility includes the Van Kampen covered arena (made possible by Kimberly and Frederic Boyer and family) and four outdoor arenas with world-class footing, 200 permanent stalls, and a VIP seating area for the International Arena fully catered for relaxing and having an enjoyable experience.

Please visit
www.globaldressagefestival.com
www.equestriansport.com
or call 561-793-5867 for more information.

Adequan Global Dressage Festival is located at
13500 South Shore Blvd, Wellington, Florida 33414

Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
Equestrian Public Relations
info@jenniferwoodmedia.com

 

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Understanding Behaviour Paves a Pathway to Safe Horsemanship

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Bruised, kicked, dragged, squished and flattened are not terms you wish to associate with your leisure time spent with horses.  A firm understanding of the herd and flight instincts influencing your equid is one of the best injury prevention investments you can make.  Last year, Equine Guelph ran three offerings of the newly launched two week online course — Horse Behaviour and Safety.  There are ten topics of discussion designed for horse people who would like to learn more about the best practices for handling horses safely.

Chapters covered include: the horse in the wild – a herd and flight animal, the modern day horse, how horses see, how horses hear, horse herd behaviour – how horses interact with each other, horse handling/approaching a horse, rider/helmet safety, trailer loading safety basics, safety around the barn and paddocks, and fire safety.

Student, Sue Williams of Owen Sound, Ontario shared her thoughts on Equine Guelph’s Safety and Behaviour eWorkshop, “This has been a wonderful way to learn and gain valuable information while still maintaining a busy home and work schedule,” comments Williams.

Sharon Agnew-O’Brien of Ballyhaven Equestrian Centre in Consecon, Ontario, remarked, “I was so pleased with how much Dr. Rebecca Gimenez and the other students offered to the discussions on safety. The course was a totally unexpected pleasure.”

High-profile, U.S. based, guest speaker, Dr. Rebecca Gimenez, comes from a large animal emergency rescue background and teaches horse handling skills all over the world.   Gimenez will be returning to share her vast knowledge in this upcoming offering.

This two week online course is designed to be fun and flexible.  Students will be engaged by interactive games, challenges and quizzes.

“A well-structured refresher that covers all the basics is a must for all riding students, owners and volunteers alike,” proclaims student, Velika Mangova of Brooklin, Ontario.

Upon completion of this short course, participants are eligible to receive a certificate from Equine Guelph. This eWorkshop also qualifies for Equine Canada coaches updating credits.

Equine Guelph thanks Vétoquinol Canada Inc. for sponsoring the Horse Behaviour and Safety eWorkshop.

Don’t miss out on the next offering of Equine Guelph’s new Horse Behaviour and Safety eWorkshop, Mar 10 – 23, 2014 for $75 plus HST.  Register early as space is limited.

For more details contact Susan Raymond at slraymon@uoguelph.ca or visit:  http://www.equineguelph.ca/eworkshops/behaviour_safety.php

END

Story by: Jackie Bellamy-Zions

 

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