One has to make the most of chances and opportunities, and that goes for highly successful Dressage riders as well as for young talent. The Ankum Dressage Tournament presents just such an opportunity across four Autumn weekends. Christoph Koschel, runner-up with the German team at the European Championships, secured victory with eleven year-old Hanoverian chestnut gelding Lawarino in the Grand Prix de Dressage at the Auction Centre in Ankum with 67.66, and also piloted young talent Londontown S to first place in the Prix St. Georges.
Lucky second in the Grand Prix was Michael Klimke from Münster. The lawyer practises his sport at a high level, alongside his career, and had already presented the eleven year-old Holsteiner son of Calido Harmony's Calinus (65.88) in the Young Horse Grand Prix Series. But this is about the grown-up sport. In third place in the Dressage Classic came Maria Kaldwei (Lützow Herford RFV) with 13 year-old Hanoverian Companero.
Londontown S by Londonderry is just seven years old and is obviously determined to please his rider and trainer Chrostoph Koschel. After securing third place on Saturday, today saw him claim victory in the Prix St. Georges. Insa Hansen (Osnabrück County RSC) managed to claim both second and third places with Forum Drei (65.35) and Duende (65.00).
The Prix St. Georges for Amateurs was once again the “swag” of youngster Charlotte Dassler from Bockhorn. She won with 67.01 percent, with Oldenburg D'accord, and took second place with William (66.93). Third place in this test went to Angela Sklavounos, Greek guest in the Osnabrück region with Quanderas – offspring of renowned Dressage sire Quando-Quando. The duo achieved 65.17 percent.
Double Success for Oldenburg's Charlotte Dassler
That was quite a day for Dressage rider Charlotte Dassler, just 19 years old, from Frisian Bockhorn: First and second place in the S-class Dressage event at the ADC Tournament! Also successful at the Ankum Dressage Tournament - Eva Möller, Johan Zagers and Christoph Koschel.
Eva Möller piloted nine year-old Oldenburg daughter of Relevant Ronja M to victory in the S-class Dressage event with 67.16 percent, forcing Belgian Johan Zagers and his horse Velono V into second place (with 66.33 percent), ahead of European Championship team silver medal-winner Christoph Koschel (Hagen a.T.W.). He took the chance to present seven year-old Londontown S by Londonderry. The chestnut gelding was, alongside Michael Klimke's (Münster) Bruno Belissimo, the youngest horse in the event. Another son of Londonderry also attracted attention: Black gelding London Eye L, who brought victory to his rider Simone Kruse from the Niedervieland RC in the Young Horse Grand Prix (67.00).
Harmony's Calinus with Michael Klimke (Münster) also achieved first merits in the Young Horse Grand Prix. The gelding won the Short Grand Prix at the Ankum Dressage Tournament with his rider, scoring 68.13 percent, ahead of Johan Zagers with Question de Liberte (67.64) and Christoph Koschel on Lawarino (67.64).
Charlotte Dassler triumphed with William (69.16) and D'accord (68.75), taking both first and second place in the S-class Dressage event for amateurs. Lucky third was Angela Sklavounos. The Greek rider and her 12 year-old Quanderas are preparing conscientiously in the Osnabrück region for the World Cup Finals for Young Riders in Frankfurt. In the Young Horse competitions Louboutin under Heike Hamel (Osnabrück County RSC), and Ricky with Hedda Droege (Osnabrück County RSC) had another chance to take top position.
Young Talent in Ankum – Louboutin and Ricky
They are five and six years old, have everything ahead of them and are already bringing a great deal of attention: Louboutin, a speedy Hanoverian gelding by Londonderry and Hanoverian stallion Ricky, just a year older, by Rubin-Royal. The two young talents in the dressage arena brought their riders Heike Hamel and Hedda Droege, both from the Osnabrück County RSC, gold rosettes in the opening of the promising Ankum Dressage Tournament.
The Auction Centre in Ankum will continue to be the venue for a richly varied dressage tournament until Sunday. Very young horses like Ricky, Louboutin and other candidates of a similar age are given just as impressive a sporting platform at the Ankum Dressage Tournament as the Grand Prix horses, who will have their chance from 18.30 on Saturday and at 13..30 on Sunday, in the Short Grand Prix and Grand Prix de Dressage.
It was not only the very young horses who had the chance to shine at the opening, but also the candidates for the M-class Dressage event, which Charlotte Dassler – member of the Federation of Young Riders – won with 726 points with D'accord, ahead of Patricia Koschel (Hagen a.T.W.) on Leuchtfeuer De (716). The Intermediaire II was won by Stephan Köberle with Darjeeling (762). The Dressage trainer from Umkirch had already taken this son of De Niro to the final of the TESCH Inkasso Cup in the 2011 season. The ten year-old gelding is one of the most promising candidates in Grand Prix sport.
-- PSI press release
Related Link
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