Michael Eilberg and Woodlander Farouche, owned by Ferdi Eilberg and Alison Walton, were the winners of the Intermediaire I Championship, the only FEI level class held on the second day of competition at the 2015 British Dressage Championships at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire on Friday 18 September 2015.
It was big sister Maria who held the advantage for much of the class with Penny Pollard and Hermione Black’s Royal Concert when the opened the class with a 72.43%. However a mid-field draw for the Furst Heinrich mare proved fruitful when she and Michael posted 74.11%. It wasn’t a fault free display for the duo and while the score was a winning one, costly errors prevented a stellar score which she’s clearly capable. Michael is working at home on the grand prix movements with father Ferdi in a bid to progress her to the ultimate level and the clever chestnut felt it was time to show off her one time changes…but the test sheet ordered threes...! Her talent and presence in the arena is clear but she’s in that transition phase between levels where a few green mistakes prevent the big percentages.
Michael said afterwards; “Apart from the few blips, there were some really nice things. It was a shame she felt it was necessary to go into one times in the three times. But we’re fiddling round at home with all sorts of work in preparation for grand prix so you have to get her brain back into small tour mode. I had a cheeky little play with her passage on my lap of honour! She was a little nervous in there today; it’s like that here. I probably cut my warm up a little short but she was so settled yesterday I felt I didn’t need much. But I brought her out today and she was more tense so I’ll give her a little more time tomorrow to keep her relaxed. It’s a difficult thing timing your warm up; I could have done with an extra five or ten minutes to get her that bit more calm and cool.”
The Worcestershire rider was clearly thinking what might have been; “The potential in some of her work was there; I was pleased with much of the canter. The pirouette just before the blip in the line of threes was top. I guess I get a little greedy sometimes; I want to aim for the high 70’s or 80% I know she can get. I just need to get a clean test and get what I know she can and I know it’s all in reach.” The win brings her Nationals tally to five and few would bet against a further one tomorrow in the Inter I Freestyle.
Photo © Kevin Sparrow
Related Links
Friday scores of the 2015 British Dressage Championships
Oppenheimer and Eilberg Win First Titles on Day One of 2015 British Dressage Championships