Germany Olympic team silver and European gold medal winning team horse Desperados made a smashing come back to the international show circuit after an almost five month break from competition. Kristina Sprehe and her 13-year old Hanoverian stallion won the Grand Prix for Special at the 2014 CDI Hagen on Friday 25 April 2014.
The pair showed excellent form with Desperados (by De Niro x Wolkenstein II) being on the aids, in front of the leg and regular in all the movements. Even his piaffe was more on the hindquarters than usual, which did result in a few rhytmic lapses in the transitions, but they were minor. Only a mistake in the two tempi changes and the stallion getting briefly distracted and neighing in the extended walk meddled considerably with the score. Sprehe could have been more accurate in her riding. The flying change after the extended canter came very early and the one tempi's were not so nicely spaced on the diagonal. The left pirouette was slightly big. Desperados' tongue was showing between his lips on the right side of his mouth. Sprehe posted a winning score of 78.480%. Her scores ranged from 76.200% (Svalling) to 80.400% (Wust)
Isabell Werth and the 12-year old Hanoverian Don Johnson (by Don Frederico x Warkant) probably produced one of their best rides ever in Hagen on Friday. No arguing, no choppy disconnected bopping between the front and back part of the horse. The bay gelding looked incredibly together, willing and expressive. Werth rode big trot extensions and canter half passes. The first piaffe was slightly forwards but quick, the second was well on the spot with nice transitions. The zig zag was well executed and the flying changes secure. The left pirouette was a bit unbalanced and in the right one there could have been more bending round the leg. Werth earned 77.320% to finish second with marks from 75.200% (Gribbons) to 80.500% (Svalling).
Fabienne Lutkemeier and her 14-year old Hanoverian D'Agostino (by De Niro x Shogun xx) were third with a personal best score of 76.400%. The chestnut gelding is always up in the bridle, ears pricked forward and willing to work.
He was a bit too passagey at the onset of the right trot half pass. In the rein back he dragged his legs, but the walk tour was very nice as well as the rhythmical piaffe and passage, even though D'Agostino takes no weight on the hindquarters in piaffe but keeps his legs quite stiff and straight. The canter strike off from passage was difficult. The zig zag was beautifully ridden as well as the pirouettes and final centerline despite a mini spook.
No less than 15 different countries were represented in a field of 25 competitors in the Grand Prix for Special. The top five included Austrian Renate Voglsang on her Westfalian stallion Fabriano (by Florestan x Angelo xx) and American Arlene Page on her Danish warmblood mare Alina (by Michellino x Diamant). The latter just began her campaign to qualify for the U.S. WEG team and rode a personal best in Hagen. Page rode a very clean accurate test with only a bit of an early transition from the right to the left trot half pass. The piaffe and passage were lovely, but the transitions could have been more flowing. The two tempi's were nice, the one could have had more ground cover. Page scored 70.160% to finish fifth.
Text and Photos © Astrid Appels - No reproduction allowed
Eurodressage's Astrid Appels was on the scene taking photos of all Louisdor cup riders, most Nurnberger Burgpokal riders and ALL CDI riders. Contact us if you are interested in photo prints, collages or albums
Related Links
Scores 2014 CDI Hagen
Eurodressage Coverage of the 2014 CDI Hagen