Klossinger Wins 2017 Piaff Forderpreis Selection Trial, Fourteen Riders Qualified for 2017 Show Circuit

Shows

2017 Piaff Forderpreis

Fourteen combinations have been selected to compete on the 2017 Piaff Forderpreis circuit for German Under 25 riders following a training and competition seminar at the DOKR head quarters in Warendorf, Germany, on 3 - 5 February 2017. Thirty-six combinations participated in the weekend event and 14 made the cut after a successful test competition on Sunday.

A group of 36 Under 25 dressage riders was invited to participate in the training weekend on 3 - 5 February, where they first rode under the supervision of German team trainer Monica Theodorescu and Under 25 team trainer Sebastian Heinze. On the final day they had to do a competition and the highest scoring pairs are invited to show on the 2017 Piaff Forderpreis circuit.

"I'm totally thrilled. I can't remember that at the start we began with seven riders," said judge Evi Eisenhardt who is also a board member of the Liselott Schindling foundation that sponsors the Piaff Forderpreis.

Klossinger Wins Short Grand Prix

No less than 22 combinations scored over 66% in the short Grand Prix test that was ridden on Sunday. The winner of the class was without a doubt Lisa Maria Klössinger on FBW Daktari, the horse that took her to double European Young Riders' silver in 2014. Now trained by Rudolf Zeilinger, Klossinger and her bay Donautanz x Carpaccio offspring scored the winning mark of 74.419%. Zeilinger re-inspired Klossinger to hit the highest level of dressage sport. Lisa Maria had actually sent the horse to the trainer to be sold, but he convinced her to do the Grand Prix. The pair now seems to be Germany's new number one.

"I have a fun weekend in Warendorf behind me," Klössinger wrote. "My little star continues to grow beyond all expectations. With a new personal best score of 74.4 we were able to win the class."

The second place went to Sophie Holkenbrink on the Westfalian licensed stallion Rock Forever (by Rockwell) with 71.24%. The dark bay stallion is a gifted mover in all three basic gaits, but the piaffe lacked some forward tendency. Routinier Juliete Piotrowski and Sir Diamond (by Sandro Hit) landed third place with 69.961% after a problem in the tempi changes. Sarah Runge made her come back on 15-year old Dutch warmblood gelding Versace (by Flemmingh x Goodtimes) who struggled with injuries in the past. The pair finished in a fourth place (69.884%) with strong piaffe-passage work but the walk was mediocre. The major break through star of the weekend was Andreas Senge's student Maire Beuth on her Trakehner gelding Hofglanz. She finished fifth with 69.457%.

Selected Combinations for the 2017 Piaff Forderpreis Circuit

Based on the scores achieved in the short Grand Prix as well as on the riders' performances during the two training days, the team trainers and the Piaff Forderpreis selection panel announced the 14 pairs that are now eligible to compete on the 2017 Piaff Forderpreis circuit.

The first and second placed combination of the 2016 Piaff Forderpreis finals - Franziska Stieglmaier (Lukas) and Florine Kienbaum (Doktor Schiwago) are automatically qualified for this year's season. As a member of the B-team Kienbaum received a bye from participating in the seminar.

The 14 combinations are:

Maire Carolin Beuth - Hofglanz
Anna-Louisa Fuchs - Rodrigos E.H.
Jessica Krieg - Special Edition
Petra Middelberg - Barclay
Bianca Nowag - Fair Play RB
Tamara Rehnig - Liostro
Jill de Ridder - Dallas
Sarah Runge - Versace
Franziska Sieber - Rosafina WRT
Laura Strobel - Wind of Change
Lisa Maria Klossinger - FBW Daktari
Sophie Holkenbrink - Rock Forever
Juliette Piotrowski - Sir Diamond
Florine Kienbaum - Doktor Schiwago

Heinze Pleased with the Results, Selection not Without Controversy

Germany's brand new Under 25 Team trainer Sebastian Heinze was more than pleased with the performances of the riders.

"It was good that pretty much all of them had brought their trainers. I was able to go from one to the other and hear from and get an impression of their training," said the 36-year old Heinze.

The professionalism of the German under 25 riders is unparallelled and their parents are spending fortunes on buying horse stock, travelling in huge lorries and having the best trainers by their children's side. Coaches such as Rudolf Zeilinger, Helen langehaneberg, Dorothee Schneider, Thomas Wagner, Ton de ridder, Borja Carscosa, Oliver Oelrich, Christoph Niemann, Michelle Hagman, Ulla Salzgeber, Sven Rothenberger, Claudia Haller, and Heiner Schiergen were all in Warendorf that weekend.

However, the selection for 2017 certainly was not without a dose of controversy. Last year 15 combinations were selected for the circuit, but this year only 14 were picked. Anna Christina Abbelen and Laura Ponnath were not selected, even though they placed 13th and 15th in the short Grand, yet the 14th placed rider Jill de Ridder was nominated nonetheless. De Ridder's horse Dallas was quite hot in Warendorf but certainly showed promise.

Right before the show season kicks off another training session will be held in Warendorf in April.

Five national shows will feature the Under 25 piaff forderpreis classes: CDN Munich (25 - 28 May), CDN Balve (8 - 11 June), CDN Verden (2 - 6 August), CDN Ising (5 - 10 September) and the finals are held at the CDI-W Stuttgart on 15 - 19 November 2017.

Results - 2017 Piaff Forderpreis selection event
Judges: Plewa, Eisenhardt, Koschel

1. Lisa Maria Klossinger - FBW Daktari - 74.419
2. Sophie Holkenrbink - Rock Forever - 71.240
3. Juliette Piotrowski - Sir Diamond - 69.961
4. Sarah Runge - Versace - 69.884
5. Maire Beuth - Hofglanz - 69.457
6. Petra Middelberg - Barclay - 69.419
7. Franziska Sieber - Rosafina - 68.527
8. Jessica Krieg - Special Edition - 68.295
9. Laura Strobel - Wind of Change - 68.178
10. Anna Louisa Fuchs - Rodrigos - 68.140
11. Bianca Nowag - Fair Play RB - 68.023
12. Tamara Rehnig - Liostro - 67.752
13. Anna Christina Abbelen - Henny Hennessy - 67.597
14. Jill de Ridder - Dallas - 67.209
15. Laura Ponnath - Belladonna - 67.171
16. Katharina Hemmer - Don Angelo - 66.822
17. Sarah Runge - Dark Dynamic - 66.318
18. Jennifer Buda - Catch You - 66.279
19. Tamara Rehnig - De Chirico - 65.163
20. Vivien Niemann - Don Vertino - 66.085
21. Jana Sabel - Enjoy - 66.047
22. Joline Thuning - Don Dayly - 66.008
23. Laura Reinka - Samba Queen - 65.891
24. Johannes Rühl - Dante - 65.543
25. Marie Sophie Ehlen - Lady Lissy - 65.504
26. Mareike Flege - Walentina - 64.729
27. Lars Schulze Suthoff - Lifestyle - 64.535
28. Janet Egbers - Daniel Craig - 64.496
28. Lena Gundlage - Campino - 64.496
30. Kristin Biermann - Askari - 63.876
30. Sabrine Gessmann - Lord Loriot - 63.876
32. Kevin Herold - Feramo du Bel Horizon - 63.178
33. Sophia Funke - Diamond Rex - 62.209
34. Juliane Nuscheler - Lully - 61.512
35. Caroline Wilm - Elfado - 60.969
36. Michelle Aileen Budde - Richmond - 59.922

Past Piaff Forderpreis winners are Hubertus von Zedtwitz (2000), Ellen Schulten Baumer (2001, 2002, 2003), Maren Frychel (2004), Sinja Bolz (2005), Matthias Rath (2006, 2007), Marion Engelen (2008), Kristina Sprehe (2009, 2011), Marion Engelen/Jenny Lang (2010), Stella Charlotte Roth (2012), Nadine Husenbeth (2013), Charlott Maria Schurmann (2014), Sanneke Rothenberger (2015), Franziska Stieglmeier (2016).