Sunday was the big finale day at the national Danish Young Horse Championships at Blue Hors.
Blue Hors is for sure THE place for the finals. Even though it says autumn time outside, the huge indoor arena still offers the light and atmosphere all the way into the dressage arena.
For the dressage fans this year will be the last where we have to get up in the middle of the night to follow the finals, as from next year til jumping finals will take place at Stutteri Ask, and hopefully this will give the dressage people more “daily hours” for both training and competition during the finals.
4 year old podium - photo: H2R
Sport with top horses and great performances
4 year old final
Well deserved winner Danish Warmblood gold medal mare Valerie B by Revolution/Zack, bred by Peer Guldbrandsen and owned by Helgstrand Dressage. Anne-Mette Strandby Hansen showed the long legged well moving mare. Valerie is a very complete horse with 3 super gaits showing lot of power, but on and off still a bit too strong contact.
Placed 2nd Be Sure by Benicio/Scuderia, bred in Germany and owned by Helgstrand Dressage and ridden by Mette Sejbjerg Jensen. The high frequented stallion, shows expressive trot but for some moments on left rein the tongue became visual at the right side (unfortunately not commented by the judges), a good walk and also a good canter, which becomes, for some moments, a bit like a rocking chair with not that supple round front legs.
Bronze position for the long legged mare Quinn G / Fassbinder, bred and owned by Stutteri G, ridden by Anders Hoeck. A lovely elegant long legged mare with a nice natural frame, three really good basic gait but most of the time presented in a bit too high tempo.
Other opinions
Lille Kærgårds Sisco DWB by Blue Hors Don Olymbrio / Stedinger, bred by Louise Lundgård Nissen and owned by Claus Bertelsen ridden by Silje Bakken was one of the 4 year old horses being presented and also able to show a well balanced natural, light footed and easy presentation for all three gaits. This kind of presentation and balance should be rewarded at a much higher level for both ride ability and potential.
Among the other placed combinations the two mares Fabulosa by For Romance I / Depardieu, bred in Germany, owned by EVO / Helgstrand and ridden by Anne-Marie Hosbond and Remember Me DWB by Blue Horse Don Olymbrio / Sezuan, bred by Lena & Rasmus Dalsgaard, owner Bregnerødgaard were presented in a light and easy way, both missing the final sparkling power for the final.
5 year old
World Champion Danish Warmbood mare Lyngbjerg´s St. Paris by Blue Hors St. Schufro / Blue Hors Rockefeller, bred by Bente Børjesson and owned by Vallentin Dressage & Four Oaks presented by Victoria Vallentin. This mare just makes the perfect picture of lightness, ease and a happy athlete.
Placed 2nd Sir Floresco by Sir Heinrich / Floresco, bred in Germany, owned by Helgstrand and ridden by Moises Azuar. For the preliminary round Moises was not really able to show Sir Floresco in a correct frame as he was a bit on/off the forward search, this issue was solved for the small final where he well deserved won, and again for the final with a nice frame. It´s definitely not the most easy horse to place in the front, as he is also very supple and looks eager to do his job in the arena. For the final they were struggling a bit with the counter canter as more of the other combinations also did.
No 3 was Feine Bella NRW by Fürstenball / Bordeaux, bred in Germany, owned by Helgstrand and ridden by Eric Guardia Martinez. A lovely presentation, even though Eric was also struggling with the counter canter for the final.
Top busy and very successful EVO rider Anne-Marie Hosbond managed an impressive record for the 5 year old final with three horses top placed, Danesa Nord by Hesselhøj Donkey Boy / Belissimo M, bred by Vibeke Bjørn Rasmussen, owned by EVO. Together with Danesa Anne-Marie was named reserved combination earlier this year for WCYH in Ermelo. Placed 6 with Roxette by Revolution/Quite Easy, bred by Steffen Sunesen and owned by Future Dressage. Anne-Marie took over the reins before the championships as Future Dressage rider Josefine Hoffmann already was very busy, and this fairly new partnership has already become a successful partnership. A super nice match. Finally Anne-Marie was also placed 9 with the beautiful well moving mare St. Tropez by Santo Domingo / Rock Forever I, bred in Germany, owned by Stutteri EVO.
Mares for the future
Among the 5 year old horses Lyngbjerg´s St. Paris shows herself again and again as a horse for the future big sport. Also mares like Roxette, St Tropez and Søbakkehus Duffy by Sezuan / UNO Don Diego, bred Dorte and Hans Jørgen Hoeck and owned by the rider Michael Søgaard, all shows qualities for big sport.
6 year old
Anna Kasprzak successful in both 6 year old and 7 year old winning both finals.
With Danciero by Dancier / Floriscount she made an impressive entry going directly to the finals with a big win from the qualification this summer, big win again for the preliminary round and then also well deserved crowned new 6 year old Champion. Danciero really fits Anna, and with the best possible basic young horse education by German Eva Möller there has not been any obstacles. The only tiny detail has been a proper transformation from breeding stallion to now a top sport horse as a gelding. No doubt Danciero has the potential, and he also look like a horse with the right attitude for the sport. From the sideline both Anna´s horses were presented with a bit to high neck position.
Placed at silver position Carina Cassøe Krüth with Movie Star by Morricone / Blue Hors Bentley, bred in Germany, owned by Siri Evjemo Nysveen. The black stallion is a good mover in all three gaits and Carina does present him for the final with good energy and flow, even though you get the feeling from the side line that she has to ask him quite clearly to do the job. Sometimes the picture from the sideline says one thing, but as Carina tells he is actually a lovely forward going horse and very easy to educate, even though he is quite “noisy” during the test.
Bronze position for Susanne Barnow with Åtoftens Dancing Memory by ERA Dancing Hit / Benetton Dream, bred by Stutteri Åtoften and owned in partnership between the rider and the breeder. Well ridden and well educated long legged gelding. From following this combination the big gelding has made some huge steps from 5 year old into this 6 year old level, and it really look like that Susanne Barnow takes her time to let her horses develop bodywise, also when you sometimes think “this could be more spectacular”, they just develop very nicely over time.
Breeder and co-owner Annette Bugge capturing Susanne Barnow with Åtoftens Dancing Memory - photo: H2R
The solid good education
When it comes to both 6 year old and also 7 year old it´´s more and more about the good education of the young horses.
Majken Faaborg Glerup with Midt-West Franceska by Franklin / Blue Hors Don Schufro, bred by Stutteri Midt-West and owned by the rider were the only amateur combination being able to fight in top of the field with two very nice performances where the timing was one of the key words. Showing the star pace trot with huge surplus, good walk and well performed canter tour with accurate flying changes.
Again Susanne Barnow shows her WCYH partner Skovdals Dexter by Hesselhøj Donkey Boy / Blue Hors Romanov, bred by Bjarne Skovdal, and owned by the rider. This horse just brings the x-factor when entering the arena. Super well moving in all three gaits with lots of expression, unfortunately for the final the surroundings became somewhat to exciting with a lot of tensions for the canter tour.
7 year old
Super close race between Everian L by Everdale / Hochadel bred by Karsten Bundgaard and owned by Future Dressage and Highfive Fuglsang by Grand Galaxy Win / De Niro, bred by Anne Dorte Riis Mayland and owned by family Darhlseng.
Super well educated both horses and both are able to perform with a lot of expression and no technical issues.
At bronze position is Suarez by Sezuan / Desperados, bred in Germany and owned by the rider Signe Kirk Kristiansen and Thomas Kirk Kristiansen. They really make a harmonious picture showing some nice performances with great accuracy in a good balance - a happy combination.
Placed 4th - again Anne-Marie Hosbond makes it to the top of the field as no 4 with her EVO Schubidoo by Blue Hors St. Schufro / Hotline. A horse that also develop with big steps over the season and now looks really comfortable at the finals.
Here you find all detailed results from the championships.