Erbe and Westendarp Win Preis der Zukunft at 2018 CDN Munster

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2017 CDN Munster

Junior rider Linda Erbe and young rider Alexa Westendarp became the winners of the "Preis der Zukunft" (Prize of the Future) which is held annually at the CDN Munster K+K Cup, the first big national indoor show of the new year in Germany. The 2018 CDN Munster featured a team championship warm up test and then the Individual Test on Sunday 14 January 2018 to determine the winner of the Preis der Zukunft.

In the junior division, German team member Linda Erbe outclassed the competition aboard her 8-year old German sport horse bred Fierro (by Furst Wettin x Eskadron). The pair scored 73.070% and was placed first unanimously by the three presiding judges Katja Bentler, Katja Westendarp and Ulrike Böckler. New comer Sophie Reef made an impression aboard her 14-year old Hanoverian Rue Noblesse (by Rosentau x Cordoba) by finishing as runner-up with 71.053%. The 17-year old Reef is training with Sabine Egbers. Linda Erbe's sister Helen finished third on the 8-year old Rhinelander stallion Serano (by Son of Cologne x Donnerschwee) with 69.868%. Both Erbe sisters are trained by Heiner Schiergen. Franz Otto Damm, who won the 2017 German Junior Riders Championships in September, placed 9th on Lifestyle with 68.246%.

In the Young Riders division five combinations scored over 70% with Alexa Westendarp besting the field aboard her 11-year old Hanoverian gelding Der Prinz (by Diamond Hit x Davignon). Judges Sandra Ernst, Ulrike Böckler and Katja Bentler rewarded her with a 74.649% winning score. Brand new young rider Lia Welschof, who moved from juniors to young riders as she turns 19 in 2018, finished second on Florine Kienbaum's 16-year old Oldenburg bred Don Windsor (by Don Cardinale x Waldstar xx). The dark bay Oldenburg was competed last year by Leonie Richter, but Welschof, who won the individual test gold at the 2017 European Junior Riders Championships on her own Linus K, has now added him to her string. Welschof and Linus K were the biggest absentees at the 2017 German JR Championships. Paulina Holzknecht and the 15-year old Hanoverian gelding Wells Fargo (by Welser x Fabriano) were third with 71.886%.

"The Preis der Zukunft has undergone a clear development in the number of participants," said German youth team trainer Hans Heinrich Meyer zu Strohen. "We should be very happy with the results in both age divisions and are full of hope for the year 2018."