Danish bronze winning team - from left Charlotte Heering, Nanna Merrald, Anne Mette Binder (chef d´equipe), Cathrine Dufour and Daniel Bachmann Andersen - photo credit: H2R/Christine Prip
Strong Danish performances
Danish team bronze, individual Grand Prix Special bronze and individual Grand Prix Freestyle silver - a fairytale European Championship for Denmark.
Bohemian and Cathrine Dufour - photo credit: H2R/Christine Prip
Danish Cathrine Dufour with impressive three medals - bronze with the team, individual bronze in Grand Prix Special and individual silver and personal best (88,436%).
Strong, correct and high quality performances but the margin between bronze and silver for Dufour with the team was as little as the two errors in the Grand Prix test with the small error for the zigzag and the big mistake out of the first pirouette, while the tiny canter out of the final piaffe at the centerline for the Grand Prix Special unfortunately also did the difference between losing the silver and winning the bronze medal.
The outline for the Grand Prix was clearly best of all performances with clearly improved trot extensions. Always lovely contact and balanced through out the tests, while the errors creeping in looked mostly like Bohemian became hind the aides.
Marshall-Bell with Daniel Bachmann Andersen - photo credit: H2R/Christine Prip
For Daniel Bachmann Andersen and his only 9-year old Danish Warmblood gelding Marshall-Bell is was a pure Personal Best championship with their just 5th international Grand Prix (76,366% placed 8th), their 3rd international Grand Prix Special (75,638% placed 10th) and not least their very first ever international Grand Prix Freestyle (82,050%) finishing as 7th best combination in Europe. Impressive development since early spring, and as Daniel is telling his final preparations towards Hagen has been a lot of hacking in the forrest keeping Marshall fresh in both his body and mind, as a Championship for such a young and inexperienced horse can be quite a challenge, but he kept full power and motivation for the entire week.
No technical difficulties, 3 supple gaits, can show a bit of tensions hind when getting a bit too motivated.
Atterupgaards Orthilia and Nanna Merrald - photo credit: H2R/Christine Prip
The experienced 16-year old mare Atterupgaards Orthilia with Nanna Merrald entered the European Championship arena with just two former international event for their CV going into both Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special scoring beautifully Personal Best scores and making their debut together for the Grand Prix Freestyle with an impressive 78,940% (placed 12th). Second time for Nanna at the Danish team and for sure a strong team rider being able to take over the ride of former successful horses and she also has own produced horses in the pipeline back home at Blue Hors for the future.
Supple harmonies picture just missing the final steadiness and closed mouth.
Bufranco and Charlotte Heering - photo credit: H2R/Christine Prip
For the Olympic reserve combination Charlotte Heering with Bufranco their entrance for the Championships in Hagen became with kind of a hurdle, as Bufranco was not accepted for the first vet inspection and had to do re-inspection at 7 am in the morning just 2 hours before their first start. A situation Charlotte never tried before and of course also not the very best way towards their team debut.
For both the Grand Prix and the Grand Prix Special Bufranco looked a bit tired, and maybe also affected from the long trip to Tokyo. No doubt they got the qualities and will in fresh form be a valuable pair for the Danish team.
