Van Lierop and Kooijman Win 2012 CHIO Cup Finals

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2011-2012 CHIO Cup

Junior Rider Dana van Lierop and Young Rider Stephanie Kooijman won the finals of the 2012 CHIO Cup for Dutch Junior and Young Riders held at the 2012 CDIO Rotterdam on Wednesday afternoon and evening 20 June 2012. Via a series of selection trials, 13 juniors and 16 young riders qualified for the Finals, where the average score of the team test and kur to music counted as final ranking.

Six riders per category were allowed to compete in the Kur to music finals on Wednesday evening and not only vy for top honours but also ride themselves in the picture of Dutch chef d'equipe Tineke Bartels who uses the CHIO Cup events as selection trials for the European Junior and Young Riders Championships.

The judges were extremely pleased with the quality of riding in this division but they criticized the lack of imagination in the use of music and the low production quality of some of the Kurs. The tunes of Pirates of the Caribbean were used three times out of twelve freestyles and judge Wim Ernes confirmed that many transitions between the gaits were poorly marked by the music. Nonetheless, on a technical level these youth riders excelled.

Dana van Lierop has been the unbeatable Dutch junior rider with her Dutch bred DJ Tiesto (by Rohdiamant). She won both rounds and scored an average percentage of 74.877. Sanne Gilbers and her Trakehner Bud Spencer (by Biotop) moved from a fifth place in round one to the second place in the Kur, to become the runners-up in the Finals with an average of 72.090%. The Dutch based Italian rider Chiara Prijs and Michele Betti's Oldenburg mare Hot Chocolate (by Sandro Hit) were good for the bronze position with 72.037%.

Stephanie Kooijman on Winston Judge Mariette Sanders commented that Van Lierop had "a well constructed Kur, but she could have shown a bit more expression. You have to keep in mind that the horse already did one test in the afternoon. It was a ride I enjoyed." About the second placed Gilbers Sanders said that "the horse has a beautiful strong silhouet in canter. She didn't make any mistakes in the kur but there could have been more power from behind in trot. Sanders mentioned that Prijs and Hot Chocolate had "a lot of expression in trot and showed a beautiful interpretation of the music. In canter the horse should have more use in the body. The rider picked a kur with a high degree of technical difficulty and that caused a mistake in the half pass to the left followed by a flying change on the volte."

In the young riders division it was a neck-to-neck battle between Stephanie Kooijman and Danielle Houtvast which was won in favour of Kooijman. Aboard her tall black gelding Winston (by OO Seven) she won the first round and placed second in the Kur, but averaged the highest combined score of 74.906. Danielle Houtvast and her gorgeous Dutch bred Rambo (by Gribaldi) were second with 73.878%, while Angela Krooswijk and her Westfalian bred Flash (by Fidermark) posted an average of 72.265 to slot in third.

"Kooijman showed very nice extensions but her horse seemed tired, so that he could be a bit nicer off the hand. The combination rode strong half passes but Winston could have stayed more closed in the frame," judge Wim Ernes commented. "In canter Rambo was really nice in the contact. The pirouettes were strong and the extended walk was very beautifully shown."

Photos © Astrid Appels

Results - 2012 CHIO Cup Finals - Rotterdam

Junior Riders - Round 1 - Team Test
Judges: Peutz, Umbach, Verbeek, Graham, Drohm

1. Dana van Lierop - DJ Tiesto - 73.405
2. Antoinette te Riele - Ziggy - 70.378
3. Chiara Prijs - Hot Chocolate - 70.324
4. Michelle de Jonge - Pays Bas - 70.054
5. Sanne Gilbers - Bud Spencer - 69.081
6. Jeanine Nieuwenhuis - Baldacci - 68.703
7. Suzanne van de Ven - Donna Gracia - 68.459
8. Jasmien de Koeijer - Take it Easy - 67.919
9. Denise Nekeman - Ridderkerk - 67.297
10. Antoinette te Riele - Vilona - 67.108
11. Frederique Vermaat - Ralph - 62.432
12. Madelon Franke - Marudin La Haya - 62.351
Julie de Baerdemaeker - Ode - ELI

Junior Riders - Round 2 - Kur to Music

1. Dana van Lierop - DJ Tiesto - 76.350
2. Sanne Gilbers - Bud Spencer - 75.100
3. Chiara Prijs - Hot Chocolate - 73.750
4. Suzanne van de Ven - Donna Gracia - 72.425
5. Jeanine Nieuwenhuis - Baldacci - 71.825
6. Michelle de Jonge - Pays Bas - 70.825

2012 CHIO Cup Junior Riders - Overall Ranking based on average of finals' scores

1. Dana van Lierop - 74.877
2. Sanne Gilbers - 72.090
3. Chiara Prijs - Hot Chocolate - 72.037
4. Suzanne van de Ven - 70.442
5. Michelle de JOnge - Pays Bas - 70.439
6. Jeanine Nieuwenhuis - 70.264

Young Riders - Round 1 - Team Test
judges:Gerritsen, Verbeek, Graham, Jansen, Umbach

1. Stephanie Kooijman - Winston - 74.763
2. Danielle Houtvast - Rambo - 72.632
3. Angela Krooswijk - Flash - 72.105
4. Brigit van der Drift - Santo Domingo - 70.368
5. Sanne van Grotel - Melvin - 69.947
6. Kyra Klinkers - Toronto - 69.342
7. Angela Krooswijk - Roman Nature - 69.289
8. Anne Meulendijks - Ohio - 68.868
9. Jill Huybregts - Zamacho Z - 68.789
10. Debora Pijpers - Now I'm Here - 68.316
11. Lotte Jansen - Trappel - 68.237
12. Michelle van Lanen - Urchin B - 67.947
13. Anne Meulendijks - Tom Tom Go - 67.921
14. Kyra Klinkers - Tara - 67.395
15. Rosalie Mol - Legend - 66.711
16. Stephanie Jensen - Heartbreaker - 65.868

Young Riders - Round 2 - Kur to Music

1. Danielle Houtvast - Rambo - 75.125
2. Stephanie Kooijman - Winston - 75.050
3. Angela Krooswijk - Flash - 72.425
4. Kyra Klinkers - Toronto - 71.000
5. Jill Huybregts - Zamacho Z - 68.325
6. Brigit van der Drift - Santo Domingo - 57.925

2012 CHIO Cup Young Riders - Overall Ranking based on average of finals' scores

1. Stephanie Kooijman - 74.906
2. Danielle Houtvast - 73.878
3. Angela Krooswijk - 72.265
4. Kyra Klinkers - 70.171
5. Kill Huybregts - 68.557
6. Brigit van der Drift - 64.146