Matthias Alexander Rath and his wife Franziska Eisenmann-Rath's Danish warmblood gelding Samba King were the winners of the 2014 Nurnberger Burgpokal Finals held in Frankfurt, Germany, on Saturday 20 December 2014. By winning Saturday's Prix St Georges Special, Samba King claimed the title of 2014 German Developing Prix St. Georges Horse Champion.
The Nurnberger Burgpokal is a highly popular show circuit in Germany for young Prix St Georges horses. The finals are held annually during the Frankfurt international indoor competition right before the Christmas holidays. The finals include a warm up class and then a finals' test in which the top scoring horses claims the trophy and title.
Four judges of a panel of five ranked Rath and his 8-year old Samba King (by Sandro King x Lancet) first with an overall score of 74.561%. Samba King was acquired by Eisenmann's Mallorca based dressage centre Es Fangar in November 2012 but due to Franziska's pregnancy and giving birth to the couple's first child, Matthias has been riding the 2012 Danish Young Horse Champion.
Rath built up an almost 2% point advantage to edge out Oliver Oelrich on Clemens von Merveldt's Oldenburg licensed stallion Floriscount (by Florencio x Donnerhall). The 9-year old liver chestnut scored 72.976% to finished second. Rath also captured third place aboard his own 7-year old Oldenburg gelding Danonchen (by Danone x Rohdiamant), which is bred by Xavier Marie from the French stud Haras de Hus. The bay Danonchen scored 72.707%.
Breeding stallion Danone I (by De Niro x Weltmeyer x Bolero) did good business in the Burgpokal finals with no less than 3 offspring out of 14 competing sired by him: Danönchen, Desperados and Dante Weltino
Photos © LL-foto
Related Links
Scores 2014 CDI Frankfurt
Combinations Known for 2014 Nurnberger Burgpokal Finals
What's Happening: November 2012 - Part 1