Winner of the 2013 Hamburg Dressage Derby held in Hamburg on 9 - 12 May 2013, German rider Fabienne Lutkemeier and Qui Vincit Dynamis earned a total of 214.11 points, placing her above fellow German's Anabel Balkenhol on 207.722 points and Bianca Kasselmann on 207.500 to claim the prestigious "Derby Sieger" title.
"Hamburg was a really great CDI with a great atmosphere and many visitors," Fabienne told Eurodressage. "I was very satisfied with Quincy and on Sunday we had the best percentage we ever had! In the freestyle we had some mistakes and I was really surprised to get into the final!"
Her debut performance in the Derby Fabienne made it straight into the Final in which she and the other two riders were required to ride a Short Grand Prix test on each of the three horses to determine the winner.
“The final with the change of the horses was the highlight for me, I had lots of fun," she said.
Fabienne found it really interesting to ride the different horses and worked out a strategy that clearly worked rather well. "I looked at how their own riders prepared them for competition and looked at how they were in the Grand Prix and of course talked to Belli and Bianca," Lutkemeier revealed about her strategy. Starting each horse in the canter, Fabienne thought it best to begin there because the most important points like pirouettes and flying changes are in canter. "Then I moved into the piaffe and passage to get a real feeling for the different horses," she explained.
Fabienne considered Hamburg overall a really nice competition and she mentioned that everybody was friendly, with super conditions and some good luck with the weather. "The derby location was amazing," she added.
Sitting on a horse before she could walk, Fabienne took up both dressage and jumping but found that she was far more successful in dressage and so made that her focus. "Sometimes, however, I still like to have a jump," she admitted.
Fabienne's Derby horse, Qui Vincit Dynamis, or Quincy, is 14-year old by Quattro x Calypso and has been with Fabienne since 2007. "My mother rode him first then he was passed to me because my Grand Prix horse was ill. I got on with him very well and started to compete in the Under 25 tour and this year we started to get into the big classes. I really love him because he has such a special character."
Aside from his great character, Quincy is also extremely focused on people and Fabienne feels he is more like a dog than a horse. Lutkemeier did worry that Quincy would be difficult for the other two riders, but she was very happy that they managed to compete on him very well but left room for her to come out on top.
Besides Quincy, Fabienne also have some young horses in training at home where she train with my mum Gina Capellmann. "Of course my best horse is D’Agostino and my plan for 2013 is the German Championship, and then CHIO Aachen!"
by Sarah Warne for Eurodressage
Photos © LL-foto.de
Related Links
Scores: 2013 CDI Hamburg
Fabienne Lutkemeier Wins the 2013 Hamburg Dressage Derby
Hannah 'Bigs it Up' at 2013 CDI Hamburg