Anabel Balkenhol and Dablino Find Blue in Verden at First Show Since WEG

Shows

2011 CDN Verden

Anabel Balkenhol and her Hanoverian gelding Dablino (by De Niro) found blue at the 2011 CDN Verden at their first show outing since the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Kentucky in September 2010 and first indoor since the 2009 CDI Stuttgart. Though challenged by the commotion in the indoor show arena, the combination scored a 71.707% in the Short Grand Prix to move into the winner's circle.

The national indoor show in Verden is called Ver-Dinale and is used by many riders to test the performance level of their horses mid-winter. "We decided to do Verden as the first show since Kentucky and as his first indoor because I thought it would be good for him to get used to
the surrounding at a smaller show first," Anabel Balkenhol told Eurodressage. "Dablino felt pretty good but did spook two times on the short side of the ring, where he was looking up to the audience. That did cost several points."

Balkenhol admitted she came quite unprepared to Verden but felt the opportunity was great for Dablino to expose him again to a show atmosphere. "I was very happy with him, also because there was not a real opportunity
to work the horse on Friday," she explained. "I did work him in between the jumpers,
which was no problem. We could just not exercise some movements."

Balkenhol felt the competition breathing down her neck, especially from Dorothee Schneider who was on excellent form with two horses, Gabriele Kippert's Westfalian mare Forward Looking (by Florestan) and Sven Rothenberger's 9-year old Dutch bred Van the Man (by Obelisk). Both horses scored above 70% in the Short Grand Prix.

Anabel chose not to ride the kur to music in Verden but instead trailered to Burkhard Wahler's stallion show at Klosterhof Medingen, where she presented Dablino as successful offspring of Wahler's top stallion De Niro. "It was great for Dablino to get used to other sorroundings with people clapping and loud music," said Balkenhol. "We had a lot of fun and he did behave great."

The next show stop for the German A-team pair will be the indoor at Dormund followed by the first show of the outdoor season, the CDI Hagen.