Bianca Kasselmann is the German Professional Riders Champion and she will be defending her title on home turf at the 2013 CDI Hagen on 17 - 21 April 2013. The “landlady” won the title in 2008 and 2012 but there’s one thing the title holder doesn’t have: the oft-quoted home advantage.
“There’s no such thing” says Kasselmann. “Horses react far more strongly to changes when they’re in familiar surroundings.” And there’s certainly plenty for the horses of Hof Kasselmann to marvel at in the Almased Dressage Stadium.
The Professional Riders Champion doesn’t contest that: “The sport will show whether my feeling was right – no one can predict that…”
A total of 29 professional riders from right across Germany will come together at Horses & Dreams and celebrate a championship that is not carried out at such a high level anywhere else in the world. A real challenge awaits the riders in the Almased Dressage Stadium at Hof Kasselmann: The professionals in the dressage saddle must tackle two qualification rounds in the Grand Prix and in the Grand Prix Special. That is more than is required even in, for example, the German Dressage Derby. The best three candidates from these two qualification rounds will then compete in the final. But this final is rather special: The horses are swapped – first, each finalist rides their own horse, and then they ride their competitors’ horses. And all of this in a Short Grand Prix.
This slightly shortened version of the championship challenge is chosen out of consideration for the horses and, in addition, the horses always compete in the same order. Not so for the riders, who have to be ready for a quick change.
Each candidate is given just five minutes, and not a second longer, of preparation time with their unfamiliar horse. Not long to try out a piaffe or lead change. Oustanding riding, intuition and well-ridden horses – this final demands all three in the horse exchange.
Tickets for Horses & Dreams meets Russia are now available
This international equestrian sports festival from 17th to 21st April is not to be missed. Advance ticket sales have started already. There are three ways to buy tickets for Horses & Dreams.
From the online box office at www.horsesanddreams.de,
at www.nordwest-ticket.de Tel. +49 421 363636 and
at www.eventim.de Tel. +49 1805 57007;
as well as at all CTS box offices.
Admission is free for children under 12 and a discount is available for young people (12 to 18 years of age).
Related Link
Kremlin Equestrian Riding School to Perform at 2013 CDI Hagen