Spanish young rider Morgan Barbançon Mestre and her newest acquisition Painted Black made a victorious start of their new show career as a combination. The pair won the Rabo Future Test at the Dutch national competition in Schaijk, The Netherlands, with an impressive score of 71.37%.
At the beginning of the outdoor show season, the field of competitors in Schaijk was still quite limited with three participants in the Under 25 class, but the show was a very good parameter for the fitness and current training level of this brand new Spanish duo.
"The test went really well," Barbançon told Eurodressage. "There were some little mistakes but I had a wonderful feeling. Painted was really with me and not against me."
Morgan placed first with 71.37 while Spanish compatriot Ainhoa Prada Ortiz and her Double O Seven (by Davignon I) finished second with 59.71%. Dutch Mayke Klunder followed in third place on Ludo (by Goodwill) with 59.61%.
Judges Willemien Blanken and Maarten van der Heijden agreed on placing Morgan and Painted Black first. "Morgan presented him in a ver proper way and was riding him well," judge Blanken told Horses.nl. "Especially the trot tour was expressive and scored high points."
The Schaijk Rabo Future Test was not Morgan's first competition aboard Painted Black (by Gribaldi x Ferro). The pair made a few guinea pig rides at several inofficial "training competitions" at stable Olympic in Uden during the winter. The plan for the 2011 show season, however, is to ride in the Under 25 competitions throughout Europe. Their first CDI competition will be the young riders' Grand Prix held at the CDIO Saumur on 28 April - 1 May 2011.
"Afterwards I have exams so I'm not sure yet about the further competition schedule," Barbançon explained. "In June I know more but the Olympics would be my dream."
The 18-year old Swiss based Morgan also competed her second Grand Prix horse, Cinque Cento (by Cambridge), in Schaijk. They placed second in the Intermediaire II class with 63.29%. Morgan disclosed that the next few months she wants to focus on the Grand Prix level competitions, instead of the expected young riders classes.
"I'll be riding Cento in the Under 25 in Saumur as well, but I'm not taking Dankeschoen because I don't want to mix the Grand Prix competitions with the Young Rider ones. I need to concentrate on one thing only," she said.
Photos © Private - Astrid Appels
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