Anabel Balkenhol's Dablino Makes Winning Come Back at 2012 CDN Aachen

Shows

2012 CDN Aachen

German WEG team rider went back into the lion's den in Aachen, where her top horse Dablino injured itself in July 2011 and lost all hope for European Championship team selection, to make a winning come back at the national Late Entry show on the Aachen show grounds on Wednesday 11 April 2012.

The 12-year old Hanoverian by De Niro x Wanderbusch II was quite on form in Aachen and received a winning score of 74.11% from judges Peter Hollern Mariette Sanders-van Gansewinkel and Dieter Scheermann. This strong score put them in the lead and well ahead of the second placed pair.

Fabienne Lutkemeier and her De Niro x Shogun xx offspring D'Agostino were the runners up with 71.70%, followed by Hof Kasselmann rider Insa Hansen on the Holsteiner Calvados (by Calando x Anthonys Dream xx) with 68.94%. Finnish Henri Ruoste, who started his own business recently in Krefeld, Germany, was fourth on La Scale with 68.23%.

Lutkemeier and Balkehol both brought their second Grand Prix horses. The 2010 European Young Rider Champion Lutkemeier ranked fifth with the chestnut Qui Vincit Dynamis (by Quattro B x Calypso II) on 67.94%; while Balkenhol and her 12-year old Westfalian Winci (by Weinberg x Saluut) slotted in seventh with 65.67%.

"Dablino is back," an ecstatic Anabel wrote. "First show, first victory! I'm very happy."

Anabel and Dablino will make their CDI debut this year at the 2012 CDI Hagen at the end of April.

Results 2012 CDN Aachen Late Entry - Grand Prix

1. Balkenhol, Anabel - Dablino - 74.11%
2. Lütkemeier, Fabienne - D'Agostino - 71.70%
3. Hansen, Insa - Calvados - 68.94%
4. Ruoste, Henri - La Scala - 68.23%
5. Lütkemeier, Fabienne - Qui Vincit Dynamis - 67.94%
6. Rüben, Johannes - Adventure - 67.16%
7. Balkenhol, Anabel - Winci - 65.67%
8. Rüben, Susanne - Diamond Boy - 65.32%
9. Klimke, Michael - Harmony's Calinus - 63.40%
10. Gerads, Brigitte - Shilvan - 60.00%