Thanks to his superb performance at the CDI-W 's Hertogenbosch, German based Sven Rothenberger has been submitted to the Dutch A-dressage team.
Riding the Hanoverian gelding Barclay II, a full brother to Debbie McDonald's Brentina, Rothenberger scored 71.74 % in the Grand Prix and 74.07 % in the Freestyle.
Rotherberger's freestyle is composed by Ali Schonberg and is a variation on Weyden's 1996 Olympic Games' kur to music, which based on Beatles tunes. Barclay II is by Brentano II out of Lieselotte (by Lungau) and was purchased from Hubertus Schmidt.
The original plan was wife Gonnelien riding Barclay, but the horse proved to be a handful for her. So, despite his back problems, Rothenberger decided to take over the ride, to great success.
In his freestyle's Hertogenbosch, Rothenberger showed a nice piaffe-passage tour on Barclay II, but the tempi changes were still tense and difficult with ostentatiously Rothenberger swinging in the saddle. Nevertheless, the pair is a serious contestant for a spot in the Dutch Olympic team this year.
The current Dutch A-team is constituted by Marlies van Baalen with Idocus, Ellen Bontje with Gestion Silvano N, Antoinette Falandt with Jarwo, Edward Gal with Gestion Lingh, Anky van Grunsven with Gestion Salineroand Krack C, Sven Rothenberger with Barclay II and Arjen Teeuwissen with Gestion Goliath T.
Images copyrighted:
Astrid Appels/Eurodressage
Related Links
Anky Sweeps to Top of the League after 2004 CDI-W Den Bosch
Scores 2004 CDI-W 's Hertogenbosch