Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour and Bohemian showed their top strength - photo credit: Lily Forado
Beautiful riding from the top ladies in today´s CDI4* Grand Prix in Aachen
Aachen is top most prestigious event throughout the year and is always the final preparation and form check before a big championship. This year with World Championships in Herning beginning of August.
Of course the Danish combinations wants to show that they are ready for the big home soil Championship.
For today´s CDI4* Grand Prix Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour and her long time partner 14 year old Bohemian were ready to show again. And what a show the gave the audience and the judges - they are definitely ready to rumble in Herning.
Aachen is a big stage and watching the early afternoon small tour more horses were really affected by the huge atmosphere.
When Cathrine entered the arena, you were not in doubt that she was telling Bohemian that this is gonna be huge, but we can manage together. When started trotting and the audience started to applaud Cathrine just went back to walk and patting him on the neck. And with the start signal they were both 100% focused and delived an outstanding test.
As Cathrine just told H2R after her top performance:
Fantastic with such a start. He was 100% concentrated all the way around and just so honest in everything he did ❤️ A nice calm start here in Aachen, and a super stepping stone before the World Championships on home soil.
Runner up was American Adrienne Lyle with Salvino. A very motivated and supple Salvino. Frederic Wandres and Bluetooth came 3rd, while Isabel Freese and Total Hope OLD finished 4th. From H2R point of view Total Hope and Freese showed a performance for a second place today. Super frame and expression, effortless, lovely natural go and flow with only an error for the one times.
Bohemian / Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour - NEW LEADER 80,413% - Superb halt, well balanced diagonal, smooth half passes nice uphill crossing, good halt with rein back, good diagonal, super into passage, WOW piaffe and transitions, super passage 100% regular, good extended walk could show bit more relaxation, good collected walk, super into passage, WOW piaffe and transitions, super passage, super into canter, super 2 times, good extended canter bit conservative, super change, good zigzag, super 1 times, superb 1st pirouette, WOW 2nd pirouette, good into trot, nice diagonal, straight, WOWWWW final piaffe and transitions, passage until final halt. Superb halt.
Salvino / Adrienne Lyle - Good halt, expressive diagonal, light but lacking more bending in the body for the first half pass, good halt with rein back, super nice diagonal, lovely back into passage, good expression passage, nice active off the ground at the spot with nice transitions, good relaxation for extended walk, good collected walk, bit tense passage, good piaffe, good out, nice into canter, good 2 times, good power extended canter, nice well balanced zigzag, super 1 times full diagonal, very nice pirouettes, bit over power final diagonal, super nice final centerline. 76,891%
Total Hope OLD / Isabel Freese - Nice halt, nice expressive diagonal, good flow and go for half passes, good halt with rein back, super diagonal, small unbalance into passage, nice passage, active piaffe at the spot, need tiny more clear flow for transitions, good extended walk, good collected walk, nice into passage, super timing for 2nd piaffe, good activity, nice transition, good into canter, super two times full diagonal, super extended canter, well balanced zigzag, big uphill unfortunately error 1 times, bit big but good quality pirouettes, good into trot, power diagonal, super final centerline. 75,000%
Great Danish performances from both Jovian and Thranegaardens Rostov
Young Jovian did look a bit more insecure for the piaffe tours today, while Thranegaardens Rostov looked very confident in the big atmosphere with a very solid performance.
Jovian / Andreas Helgstrand - Good halt, good diagonal, early into half pass not using first corner, bit tense good uphill crossing half passes, nice halt bit tense rein back, super diagonal, good into passage, lacking more flow and activity for piaffe, super passage, bit short extended walk, good collected walk, super into passage, missing more flow for piaffe and lacking activity, good into canter, good 2 times bit swinging, good extended canter, bit unbalanced zigzag, good bit swinging 1 times, good control pirouettes, good into trot, power diagonal, nice passage, lacking more flow into piaffe, good out. 74,761% (5)
Thranegaardens Rostov / Lone Bang - Super halt, power diagonal nice supple, well balanced half passes with good crossing, bit open halt good rein back, super diagonal, good transition to passage, good 1st piaffe, really nice overall picture, good transitions, nice relaxation for extended walk, good collected walk, super into passage, bit cautious into 2nd piaffe, good steps, nice out into passage, good into canter, nice 2 times, good extended canter, lovely balanced zigzag, super nice 1 times, good 1st pirouette, lacking last canter step for 2nd pirouette but well managed, super nice diagonal, super straight passage, lacking bit piaffe steps for final, good passage. 71,696% (10)
Here you find all the detailed scoring.