Belgian FEI pony rider Lavinia Arl, who celebrated her 15th birthday on Sunday 6 January 2013 at the show, led the pony division at the 2013 CDI Drachten, the first international competition of 2013. Aboard the Belgian Riding pony Equestricons Epiascer (by Ten Ankers Jerolianca), Arl won the team and individual test and placed second in the kur.
Arl and her sharp dark bay pony gelding scored 70.555% in the team test and 74.674% in the individual test. In the kur to music on Sunday she posted a solid score of 76.00% on the board but was still overtaken by German Hannah Cichos on Equestricons Lord Champion (by Le Champion).
The German combination made its international debut in Drachten as the Baden Wurttemberger bred pony gelding was previously competed by Lena Charlotte Walterscheidt. Cichos gelled well with her very experienced pony and finished third in the team test (68.461%), third in the individual (73.089%) and they won the kur (76.208%).
The indoor show of Drachten featured action packed classes from pony to Grand Prix level and this competition all the way in the North of Holland annually attracts many new pairs who want to get their feet wet in a CDI ring before the outdoor season kicks off.
Dutch Lisanne Zoutendijk, who already has two years of competing at FEI pony level down her belt, has big shoes to fill when her parents decided to buy the 2012 European Pony Champion Champ of Class (by Champion de Luxe). Zoutendijk and the buckskin gelding took a jump start as the pair was three times in the top three in Drachten. They were second in the team test (69.102%), second in the individual (73.861%) and third in the kur (74.79%).
Twenty-four ponies competed in Drachten hailing from The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Denmark. Quite a few interesting ponies were to be seen at the show but many ponies were spooky and tense with the judges' tables being at very close range to the arena.
Floor van Manen's Divano du Bois is a wonderful mover with a very good trot and canter but the pony bolted in the middle of the canter tour. The Danish pony Don Chocolo (by Don Gregory) has stunning gaits but stress got the better of him. Coelenhage's Lorenzo is a very gifted mover with a fantastic canter but his rider was unable to filter the spookiness and she succumbed to stress herself. The Danish paint pony Jazzo was a welcome change "in colour" and executed a wonderful test but his mediocre walk could be an issue to crack the 70% barrier. Merel Hooijer's 8-year old Deja Vu (by Dornik B) is one to watch for the future and the same goes for Mercedes Verweij's beautiful Brouwershaven Nairobi (by Woldhoeve's Silco). New pair Dominique Marijnissen and the 12-year old Mister Danny de Vito (by De Vito II) caught our interest as well as the chestnut pony has wonderful gaits but needs to be lighter in the contact.
Text and Photos © Astrid Appels - NO REPRODUCTION ALLOWED
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Related Link
Scores 2013 CDI Drachten