The Danish bred gelding Hønnerups Driver dazzled the judges and crowds and undisputedly won the World Championship for 5-year old Dressage Horses in Verden on Saturday August 8, 2009. Under international Grand Prix rider and World Grand Prix Championship silver medallist Andreas Helgstrand, the liver chestnut powerhouse received a stunning score of 9.46 in total. Helgstrand made World YH Championship history by also earning the silver medal with his second ride, UNO Donna Unique, on a score of 9.08.
Those who wondered after the first qualification round whether a 9.0 overall score would be achieved this year got some clear answers today! The judging panel of the 6-year old qualification round, consisting of Jennie Loriston-Clarke (GBR), Mariette Sanders-Van Gansewinkel (NED), Linda Zang (USA), and Annette Fransen-Iaconbaeus (SWE), took place in the two judges' boxes for the 5-year old finals and they were in a good mood.
The crowd-pleasing jury was very generous with its points, which increased the joyous atmosphere in the show ring and whipped the crowds into outspoken cheering and clapping. But in all this frenzy the ranking stayed quite correct and that is what is most important at a World Championships.
The champion Hønnerups Driver (by Romanov x Don Schufro) is bred by Hans Marius Jørgensen and Wendy Hagedorn of Honnerops Stuteri and owned by Hønnerup and Andreas Helgstrand himself. Helgstrand discovered Driver at a local show in Billund one year ago and tried him out. From first stride he knew that Driver was "the one." The Dane said, "he's the best horse I've ever tried" which is a big statement taking into consideration that Helgstrand steered the sensational Blue Hors Matine to WEG silver and bronze in 2006. While Driver still had a few mistakes in the qualification round, in the finals Helgstrand rode him very concentrated. "I rode quietly today. I didn't want to make mistakes," he said.
Driver's test was quite sensational in itself. The liver chestnut is a huge horse with three very powerful basic gaits. In trot he moves with tremendous elasticity and activity from behind. In the 10m circle right the left hind leg did not track up as much as the right and though the extended trot on the diagonal covered much ground, the horse spooked in the corner at M. There was a tiny hesitation in the walk pirouette, but the walk was big, over the back and relaxed. In canter, Driver pushes himself uphill off the ground and over the back. One of the simple changes was progressive and in the transition from canter to trot at the end of the test, Driver did not track up behind again losing power in his hind legs. But the 5-year old had enthused everyone with his qualities and at the final halt the crowds erupted.
The judges had seen their winner and they indicated that clearly with super high scores. They considered the trot "very naturally cadenced, active and light" and scored it a 10, the same mark the legendary Poetin once got for her trot. The walk they scored 9.0 for its "good overtrack, steadiness and regularity."
The canter earned 9.5 because it was "very elastic with an uphill tendency" and with "well engaged and active" hindlegs. Even though the walk pirouette was blocked and Driver had spooked once, the judges marked him 9.0 for submission. With an 9.8 for general impression, the score totaled to 9.46.
Helgstrand also made history by winning the silver medal with his second ride UNO Donna Unique. The black Danish bred mare (by Don Schufro x Falkland) is bred by Joan Andreasen and Søren Melgaard of Stuteri UNO in Denmark. Helgstrand got the ride on her in January 2009 and "she gets better every day," he said. The pitch black mare is quite heavy boned and lacks a bit of elegance and lightfootedness in her gaits, but she has very functional gaits. In trot she moves with much rhythm and cadence and is active from behind. In the extended trot she could have lengthened the strides even more. In walk she covered much ground.
The mare was bit tense and whinnied a few times, but she stayed focused on her rider. The canter could have been more uphill but Helgstrand regulated the pace well and the counter canter was very controlled. The transition from canter to trot was a bit harsh and Donna Unique should have stretched her neck more when she was given the reins in trot almost at the end of the ride.
Helgstrand's ride on UNO Donna Unique stood out by its total control over the tempo and in the execution of the movements. The mare lacked some clear spark but she was very obedient.
The judges were thrilled by this "wonderful horse." They thought she had "very nice cadence and an uphill tendency" in trot with "lovely transitions and light and elastic in the bends" (9.3). Her walk was at the "very beginning not good in rhythm but it improved" (8.8). The canter was "nicely uphill, round" and with "superb transitions" (8.9). They agreed that she could have been "a little more supple in the contact (8.9) but their general impression was good for 9.2, which produced an overall score of 9.08.
The bronze medal deservedly went to German Eva Möller-Nolden aboard Italian Silvia Rizzo's Westfalian gelding Blickpunkt (by Belissimo M x Weltmeyer). The funky coloured chestnut had placed second in the qualification round and there was much in store for him in the Finals.
The gelding excelled with his highly rhythmical and cadenced trot which showed superb push from behind. In the medium trot he went a bit wide behind though, but Möller had the trot tempo much more in control today than on Thursday. The walk was very ground covering, over the back and relaxed, though the collected walk in the simple changes tended to be a bit uneven in its steps. The final simple change was outstanding, though. In canter, Blickpunkt was scopey and covered much ground but there could have been a bit more flexion in the hocks.
The crowds were crazy about Möller's ride and supported her with clapping while she waited for the judges' assessment to start. Möller admitted to Eurodressage that she got really hopeful when she heard all the clapping and cheering. Could a medal be within reach? Yes! The judges loved him too. They thought Blickpunkt was an "elegant horse with much power in trot" (9.4). In walk he was "very relaxed with good overtrack" (9.0) and in canter he had a "good rhythm" but they wanted to see "more activity in the counter canter" (8.7). For submission they gave 8.7 because he was "tilted on the circle" but their general impression (9.0) was that the horse was "obedient, uphill and has powerful gaits." Möller scored 8.96 to earn the bronze.
Möller was on cloud nine after the prize giving ceremony. Ten years ago her husband, Dr. Ulf Möller, won his first Young Horse World Championships with Sandro Hit in Arnheim in 1999 and now she got the chance to be in the spotlight with her own high quality riding. "I told Ulf that once I also wanted to ride at a World Championships," Eva confessed, "but then I got pregnant, than I recovered from a pregnancy or I didn't have the right horse." Möller is a mother to four lovely children but still rides daily at Hof Kasselmann where her husband is employed as sales manager and rider of their best young dressage horses.
The Möllers discovered Blickpunkt as a foal and bought him directly from the breeder. He was reared at Paul Schockemöhle's Gestut Lewitz and came to Hof Kasselmann in Hagen as a 3-year old to be broken. As a four year old he was presented for sale in the 2008 P.S.I. auction, which is where his current owner Silvia Rizzo spotted him. "Andreas wanted to buy him too at the auction," Möller reminisced, "but Silvia got him with the highest bid." A crazy thought but maybe Helgstrand could have won three medals this year if he had purchased Blickpunkt at the time? The World Championships were only Blickpunkt's third show this year but he has one more big event planned: the 2009 Bundeschampionate in September.
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