Patrik Kittel and the 9-year old Westfalian stallion Floresco (by Florestan I) became the winners of the first finals of the HKM Upcoming Grand Prix Horse show circuit held in Germany. With the 2007 finals set at the national show in Paderborn, the HKM show circuit is meant for 8 to 10-year old Grand Prix horses and twelve riders qualified for the Finals.
Kittel and Floresco scored 71.20% to win the circuit in its inaugural year. The runner up was Wolfram Wittig aboard his home bred Berkely W (by Breitling W), who scored 70.50% in the Finals Short Grand Prix, while the pair had placed third in the warm up test Inter II.
Wolfram's wife Brigitte Wittig ranked third on the home bred Charatan W (by Consul x Bismarck) with 69.650%. In the warm up test she was second.
Dorothee Schneider and her Trakehner stallion and former Bundeschampion Kaiserkult TSF slotted in fourth with 69.40%.
The 2007 HKM Upcoming Grand Prix horse show circuit featured four qualifiers (Hagen, Heroldsberg, Balve and Langern) and a finals in Paderborn. The new show circuit is highly appreciated by the riders as it makes the transition from Prix St Georges to Grand Prix easier for the developing horses.
German team trainer Holger Schmezer said: "The HKM Upcoming Grand Prix horse circuit offers the perfect transition between the Nurnberger Burgpokal and the big tour at international level for the young top horses. It closes the gap which has existed for these horses in the past."
Related Links
Twelve Horses to the 2007 HKM Upcoming Grand Prix Horse Finals in Paderborn
Scores: 2007 CDI Hagen - Scores: 2007 CDI Balve
German Equestrian Federation Creates HKM Upcoming Grand Prix Horse Show Circuit