Tebar, Hindle, Oatley In the Blue at 2008 CDI Braunschweig

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2008 CDI Braunschweig

With only one German A-team rider competing, a very refreshing group of winners was finally able to claim the trophies at the international dressage competition in Braunschweig, Germany. French Karen Tebar, British Emma Hindle, and Australian Kristy Oatley

produced the winning scores with their rides on Falada M, Lancet and Quando Quando respectively.

Karen Tebar and Falada M booked their first victory of the 2008 season on their second outing. In Bremen they finished second, in Braunschweig they won the Grand Prix with 71,50%. Tebar and her 17-year old Hanoverian mare Falada M (by Forrest xx) performed an accurate test which put them at the top of the leader board ahead of Hubertus Schmidt on the 15-year old Wansuela Suerte (by Warkant) and Emma Hindle on the 15-year old Hanoverian stallion Lancet (by Wenzel).

The British Emma Hindle pushed herself up in the rankings of the Grand Prix Special, winning the class with 71.680 %. Braunschweig was for Hindle her first competition of the season which is going to lead to the 2008 Olympic Games as highlight. "Lancet was simply outstanding. He improved his wonderful performance of Friday even more," Hindle commented.

Schmidt and Wansuele Suerte finished second again with 71.480 %. Tebar was unable to keep the lid on the cooker in her Special ride and made mistakes with her highly tempered chestnut mare Falada. They dropped to a ninth place with 64.680 %. The Danish Lone Jorgensen and her 8-year old Donna Asana (by Don Schufro) put in two very consistent rides, scoring 70.458 % (4th) in the Grand Prix and 70.680 % (3rd) in the Special. They are one of the strongest Danish candidates for the Danish Olympic team. "Asana is very calm and sensible for her age. She's always very focuseed to work and always wants to do her best."

Kristy Oatley and Quando Quando Australian Kristy Oatley won the Kur to Music aboard her chestnut Oldenburg licensed stallion Quando Quando (by Quattro B x Akzent II). Having recovered from knee surgery, the 29-year old Oatley Nist rode to a 77,650% winning score.

"It was the best test he has ever done," said Kristy. "It was a big show with lots of atmosphere and I just went in there and went for it. Quando just seemed to know what to do, it is a hard feeling to describe, he has never felt like that before. We have been working really hard and he is in top form."

Kristy is based in Germany since 1990 and was a member of the German Junior and Young Rider teams, winning the European Young Rider title in 1995 and 1997. At the age of 21 she chose to ride for Australia and competed for her homeland at the 1998 World Equestrian Games, 2000 Olympic Games and 2006 World Equestrian Games. She is married to professional soccer player Piotr Staczek and is mother to a son Oscar.

Hubertus Schmidt placed second with his new ride Weltissimo, an Oldenburg licensed stallion by Welt Hit II x Barsoi xx. Owned by Nancy Gooding from Colorado, USA, Weltissimo was previously campaigned by Susan Draper-Pape. Schmidt and the dark bay stallion scored 75.000 %.

Photo courtesy: KH Frieler - Löwenclassics