The only Australian based rider on the Australia WEG short list, Maree Tomkinson and her mare 12 year-old Oldenburger mare Diamantina (by Diamond Hit x Campari M), have made the trek to Europe and have prepare themselves at the stable of well known German trainer Christoph Koschel for the CDI Fritzens this weekend.
Tomkinson will battle it out with the final six at the two chosen qualifiers, the CDI 4* Fritzens (AUT) from 4-6 July 2014 and CDI3* Deauville (FRA) from 25-27 July, to earn herself a WEG debut spot.
“The trip over was very long! We left home on Wednesday night at 7pm and arrived at Koschel’s yard on the Friday at 11 pm," Tomkinson told Eurodressage. "It was a 60 hour trip with a 9 hour stop in the UK."
Due to the time frame Maree and her stunning mare were unable to fly directly into Germany, and while the pair could have chosen to take a direct flight in July, that was just too late!
“As soon as I was notified by our federation that Diamantina was selected to be the Australian based horse for the WEG selection trials we set the wheels in motion," she explained. "Flu vaccination and 4 weeks of quarantine and then we had to secure our spot on the first flight out, and that flight was destination UK.”
Bought as a 4 year old in Germany and flown to her home in Australia, Diamantina has already made the long haul a few times for events with the 2008 World Young Horse Championships in Verden as highlight. Maree feels confident now that Diamantina is an experienced traveller.
“IRT is a wonderful company to fly with. Their grooms and professionalism are second to none, so we were in very good hands," she added.
However, Maree will never forget the 2008 trip home, after her 6th place in Verden, on which Diamantina was injured during the quarantine.
“She had 5 operations and was only given a 10% chance of ever walking again," Tomkinson reminisced. "With a lot of rehabilitation and walking 15 minutes of every hour on the hour eventually she did recover 100% . We were very lucky. Thankfully this time all is good!”
Final Preparations at Hof Beckerode
Diamantina, affectionately known as Her Highness, settled in well at Koschel’s stable Hof Beckerode in Hagen, Germany, and while she lost a lot of weight on the trip most of that was dehydration. Fortunately she picked up in no time.
“She is very happy here, eating well and relaxed in her stable. I think she is enjoying having me all to herself. I am her personal slave and she is loving it. At home we have a barn with 27 stables and I pretty much ride and coach all day," said Maree. "It is just wonderful to have the one on one time to spend with my special horse, I think we are both loving it.”
Having spent two years with Koschel from 2006 till 2008, Maree chose to train in Germany during this time as Australia was suffering an EI outbreak and there were no competitions.
“We had funding by the government to train in Europe for the Olympics, and I chose Koshel’s stables as they are beautiful and very professional; everything a horse and rider could want.”
Entering the stable felt like coming to her second home and met with such a lovely warm welcome Maree was happy to see some old friends and
feel very much a part of a strong and supportive team. According to Maree the training is classical and correct and she says that Koschel is very precise. With a lifetime of experience training the best horses and riders in the world “Christoph is the equal of his father, but in a different way," Tomkinson added. “We get on very well, he is very good for my psyche and keeping me calm and confident. It is a perfect combination of classical and modern techniques always with the welfare of the horse as a priority. Why would I train anywhere else?”
Coached to Top Form
Training alone in Australia Maree felt in desperate need of some help and Maree feels that Christoph has been very clever in his approach to her WEG campaign.
“He is not trying to reinvent the wheel in a short time but just tweaking the things that need a little help," she explained. "Everything is just a little quicker and more through. I’m asking her to wait for me and balance on the hind leg, which allows for a softer contact and more active hind leg. I can really feel the difference. She is so much stronger and more confident. We are super happy with her progress and really looking forward to this first qualifier at Fritzens.”
Christoph is also very happy to be a part of Maree’s WEG campaign and confirmed she is very professional in what she is doing and has a great basis for successful training.
“It is really fun to work with her and I have known her mare Diamantina since 2008, where Maree and I went to the World Championship for young horses together. Diamantina is a great moving horse, a very expressive type, and has everything that a good Grand Prix horse needs. I am really looking forward to help Maree on her exciting journey.”
Sole Aussie Based Aussie
Being the only Australian based combination Maree suspects it is probably a bit of a disadvantage, but says one cannot really look at it like that.
“I am very good friends with Mary and Lyndal, and Mary is sort of half Aussie based half Europe based anyway," she stated. "Hopefully we will have a great team of girls and it will be a wonderful experience. I have an enormous amount of support from home and it is so wonderfully heartwarming. It would be a huge boost for the home sport if an Aussie based combination make the team. I am super proud that Diamantina was purchased as a 4 year old and trained and campaigned by myself in Australia all the way to where she is now. We just need to take this last step for our little Aussie fairytale to be complete!”
Maree realises that the lack of European competition experience means that the stage will be unfamiliar for her horse and herself. She will also miss the emotional support from home. She is aware that the judges will not be so used to judging her and the diamond girl either.
“On the up side, I will have no distractions so it will be good for my focus, and it will be a lovely surprise for the Europeans to get to know my beautiful horse," she said proudly.
Making the most of training time with Koschel, Maree has now arrived in Fritzens, Austria. She appreciates where she is, how far she has come, and how lucky it is to have these opportunities in life.
“I hope to ride as one with my horse, a clean accurate test full of grace and power and harmony," she said. "To finish the test and be happy that we have done the best we can. The rest is up to the judges, I cannot control that part.”
If she happens to score one of the four golden WEG spots, Maree hopes that the Aussies have a great team of wonderful women who help and support each other.
“I fully trust the partnership with my amazing horse and I know she will perform the best she can. I think it is absolutely a realistic goal that Australia has four horses that can score over 70%. This would be a great way forward for our country and if one of them is Australian based then that would be just perfect!"
Text by Sarah Warne
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