Kozanowski, Skjaerbaek, Esponisa Share the Spoils at 2018 CDI Sopot

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2018 CDI Sopot

Grand Prix riders Przemyslaw Kozanowski, Lotte Skjaerbaek and Clara Esponisa shared the spoils in the big tour at the international indoor dressage competition in Sopot, Poland, on 9 - 11 February 2018. With only ten Grand Prix combinations traveling the distance to Poland, the CDI Sopot provided an easy platform to kick start the 2018 show season.

Trained by German Jonny Hilberath, Polish team rider Premyslaw Kozanowski topped the board in the Grand Prix with his 11-year old Hanoverian bred Belcanto (by Breitling x Donnerhall). He scored 69.652% for top honour and went on to place second in the Special with 68.638%.

The Grand Prix Special trophy was scooped up by Danish Lotte Skjaerbaek on her 14-year old Danish warmblood stallion Skovens Rafael (by Romanov x Don Schufro). They scored a winning 69.085% after placing fifth in the Grand Prix with 67.522%.

Swedish Clara Esponisa, who made her international Grand Prix debut in 2014 aboard Welton Five, partnered with Gordon and reigned in the Kur to Music. The 36-year old and her 15-year old Swedish warmblood Gordon (by Guinness x Angard) scored 73.625% in the freestyle after a third place in the Grand Prix with 67.652%. Espinosa is an assistant trainer at Louise Nathhorst's yard and has trained Gordon up to Grand Prix herself under the supervision of her coach.

The field of competitors in the small tour was quite meagre with only three combinations. Lithuanian Sandra Sysojeva made her international show debut on M and M's, a 10-year old Ukrainian warmblood, and scored a hattrick. She won the Prix St Georges with 67.529%, the Intermediaire I with 67.382% and the Inter I kur to Music with 68.320%. Sysojeva is based in Vilnius, where she runs her own training and sales facility.

Youth in Action in Sopot

Patricia Arroyo Baudet on Bacardi Krogsagergaard

In the pony division, the European Pony Champion Lucie-Anouk Baumgurtel freewheeled to victory. With no competition even remotely posing the pair a threat competing against delegates from Lithuania and Poland, Baumgurtel easily grabbed three throphies even though her scores were not as stellar as expected. She won the team test on her number one Massimiliano with 74.143%, but then the buckskin dropped to 68.311% in the individual test to finish second. With her second FEI pony Coriander, she won the individual with 72.432% and the kur with 75.725%.

In the Children's classes Lithuanian Barbora Jakilaite and her 9-year old Lithuanian bred Quo Vadis G (pedigree unknown) aced the preliminary test (68.182%) and team test (67.269%), but Polish Matylda Cybula edged her out in the individual test. Aboard the 7-year old Polish bred Bessie, she earned 64.464%.

Polish Anna Wojtkowska and her 14-year old Polish warmblood Pascal (by Woland x Nirkan) kept her rivals at bay in the junior division and scored a triple victory with 66.454%, 68.382% and 71.185%. Spanish Patricia Arroyo Baudet and her 14-year old Danish gelding Bacardi Krogsagergaard (by Milton Skyttegard x Rinaldo) kicked off her 2018 show campaign in distant Poland but did the triple as well with 70.147%, 69.00 and 71.925%.

Lotte Skjaerbaek on Skovens Rafael

Sandra Sysojeva on M and M's

Lucie-Anouk Baumgurtel on Coriander FH