Anabel Balkenhol and the 8-year old Trakehner stallion Heuberger claimed victory in the opening class of the Whitsunday weekend international in Wiesbaden, of which the CDI dressage part started on Saturday morning 23 May 2015. With only nine combinations in the Prix St Georges the competition wasn't too stiff although the top riders scored strong seventy percentage marks.
Balkenhol and Gestut Webelsgrund's dark bay Trakehner Heuberger (by Imperio x Michelangelo) are proving strong form this show season. With a score of 73.526% they aced the class as all judges placed her first. The ground jury for the Prix St Georges included Fouarge, Lehrmann, Matthiesen, Holler and Saleh.
The year 2015 seems to be turning into a really good one for Balkenhol. Last weekend she won the 2015 Hamburg Dressage Derby, which quite a prestigious title as it is won by riding a finals with horse change on two unfamiliar Grand Prix horses. With her top Grand Prix horse Dablino fit and on form, Balkenhol is clearly vying for a German team spot for the 2015 European Championships in Aachen in August.
Although Matthias Alexander Rath had announced that he would make his come back with Totilas in May, so far he hasn't presented the stallion to the public eye and only brought his small tour horse Danönchen to Wiesbaden, which is a stone throw away from his home in Kronberg near Frankfurt. Aboard the 8-year old Oldenburg gelding (by Danone I x Rohdiamant), Rath scored a solid 72.526% to finish second.
German WEG Team rider Fabienne Lutkemeier completed the top three on her mum's Bavarian stallion Fabregaz (by Florestano x Ragazzo). The duo posted a score of 69.079 and edged out Holga Finken on Heike Kind's Oldenburg gelding Hilfiger (by Hotline x Argentinus).
The CDI 4* Grand Prix class takes place on Saturday afternoon.
Photos © LL-foto
Related Links
Scores 2015 CDI Wiesbaden
Balkenhol and Heuberger Win the 2015 CDN Munster Prix St Georges
Totilas' 2015 Show Come Back Planned for May