"Just a few small things but other than that I'm very pleased," said former German team rider Matthias Rath. You could see the joy in Rath’s face over his victorious performance with Foundation in the Intermediaire A at the CDI4* Leudelange/LUX.
“This was only the fourth competition Foundation entered where he showed piaffe and passage and the second international, so without a whip.”
The stallion may “already” be 10 years old but has not had much experience and is frequently asked for by the breeders as he is also a sire. Which is also the keyword here because Matthias Alexander Rath previously won the Preliminary Test for five-year-olds with the licensed Feuertanz, who is a son of Foundation. “Considering the forward thrust, enormous shoulder freedom and their attitude towards work those two are very similar," he grins.
Matthias Rath is in Leudelange for the first time – and full of praise for the first CDI4* on Luxembourg grounds: “The Competition is great here. The conditions, the helpfulness of the people, the location, the short ways and the atmosphere. Everything just fits.”
In the Inter A, sponsored by Sopinor, Rath and Foundation (70,91%) were followed by the Dutchman Philipp van Ommen and the KWPN gelding Denver (68,70%). The third place went to Portugal: Maria Caetano and her Lusitano Fenixde Tineo (68,29%).
The Young Horse Tests were dominated by stallions. Feuertanz, who is stationed on the stud Schafhof, won the 5-year old Preliminary Test, sponsored by Stud Peterhof, with 82,40%. The Hanoverian stallion Dragon Welt made his show debut with new rider Mandy Zimmer/LUX and became the measure of all things in the Price of the CWL Classic Workshop for six year-olds.
Photo © Sabine Wegener
Related Links
Scores: 2018 CDI Leudelange
Eurodressage Coverage of the 2018 CDI Leudelange