The junior riders competition at the 2010 CDI-J Saumur in France turned out to be a highly contested neck-to-neck race between Spanish Morgan Barbançon and Belgian Mieke Mommen.
Aboard the 8-year old Westfalian gelding Dankeschön (by Douceur x Ehrentusch), Morgan Barbançon tied for first place in the Team Championship test sharing the victory with Belgian Mieke Mommen astride the 11-year old Oldenburg bred Rocky (by Rockwell x Amalfi). Both ladies scored 69,568% to claim the trophy. In the individual test Morgan reigned supreme fending off all thirty-seven competitors to top the leader board with 71,316%.
"I had such an amazing feeling in Saumur," said Barbançon. "Dan is learning more and more in the competition ring every day and he wants to do the best he can. I have this wonderful feeling that we are one, that we are together."
The Kur to Music Finals on Sunday were a challenge as hail storm struck the Saumur show grounds and the class had to be stopped in the middle of Morgan's ride. During Barbançon's trot part hail came down the size of paint balls and the test was paused until the weather cleared.
"I had to continue my freestyle after all the other participants had ridden, but Dan didn't move an ear," Morgan explained. "In not so nice conditions he still did his job. He lowered his ears a moment as if he didn’t want ice to get in and then he really gave his soul once again. It was the first outdoor competition. He reacted very well to the atmosphere and was really concentrated on me."
Both Barbançon and Mommen once more scored the same final mark to tie on first place with 75,583%. The 16-year old Spanish native, who lives in Geneva, Switzerland, admits she loves the freestyle. With Dankeschoen she rides to the swinging tunes of Grease. "Grease fits Dan's character really well. He's a rock ‘n roll horse," she joked.
Morgan's 14-year old sister Alexandra is doing her first season at junior riders' level with Morgan's schoolmaster Mr Q (by Matcho AA). The combination finished fourth in the team test (68,703%), ninth in the individual (67,737%) and fifth in the Kur (72,917%). Alexandra is making progress on Q every day as she is adapting herself to horses after switching from FEI ponies.
"Both of us continue training as always. We want to improve the small details and the precision of the figures and lines in a test," said Morgan, who is trained by Jan Nivelle.
The continued success of the young combination Morgan Barbançon and Dankeschoen has attracted interest from international media. After sweeping all trophies at the CDI Addington they went on to conquer Saumur. Next stop on their program is the CDI-J Moorsele in Belgium on 20 - 24 May 2010.
Dankeschoen, who is a formed PSI auction horse and was bought from the Bechtolsheimer family a few months ago, is currently the cover hero of the Westfalen Auction Catalog. Due to his tremendous show success he was also proclaimed "Horse of the Month" by the Rhineland/Westfalian equestrian magazine Reiter und Pferd.
Related Links
Scores 2010 CDIO Saumur
Morgan Barbancon Sweeps Trophies at the 2010 CDI Addington