Hannah 'Bigs it Up' at 2013 CDI Hamburg

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2013 CDI Hamburg

Ten years ago Hannah Biggs was just out of Young Riders and looking for a horse to move into Seniors on. She wasn’t looking for a potential international superstar – just something that she ‘clicked’ with. It was the now 14-year old chestnut stallion Weltzin who Hannah felt had the right temperament at that time, and it was last weekend on Sunday 12 May at Hamburg CDI4* that the pair achieved their highest ever ranking at an international 4* event.

Bettering their own qualification score from the Grand Prix qualifying class three days previous by nearly two percent, Hannah and Weltzin stormed into second place for the final in a hotly contested Grand Prix Special class on a score of 70.938%.

Not content with just bettering their own scores, they were nearly two percent ahead of the third placed combination of Germany’s Bianca Kasselmann and her ride Weltclassiker, who had actually beaten Hannah and Weltzin in Thursday’s qualifying Grand Prix class.

It was Germany’s Anabel Balkenhol with the seemingly untouchable Dablino FRH who took the top spot in both the Grand Prix and Special – a string of eights from the big moving gelding during the second half of the Special catapulted the pair into the lead on a massive score of 76.917%.

Hannah, who is a member of the UK Sport funded British Equestrian Federation’s World Class Development Programme said: ‘‘It was amazing, Weltzin felt even better in the main arena than in the warm up. We’ve figured out a routine that keeps him really relaxed and happy when he’s away competing – and it’s really working.’’

Hannah Biggs on Weltzin "We’ve been working hard over the winter with Emile and World Class and Weltzin is now so much fitter which helps to produce an elegant, effortless picture."

"Hamburg was particularly special because it’s actually where Weltzin was bred. In fact his breeders (the Lewinski family and Anne von Laffert, pictured right) were so excited when they heard he was returning to his home town that they came out especially to watch him and they even brought Union Jacks to wave in his honour! They’re so proud of his achievements and are even considering breeding from him."

It was Hannah and Weltzin’s trainer, Emile Faurie who spotted the stallion’s international potential and invited the combination to come and train with him from his yard in Oxfordshire.

Weltzin is now based with Emile and Hannah travels the two hour journey in order to ride him four times a week.

Emile said: "To see the accumulation of work over the last four to five years suddenly coming to fruition was truly wonderful. Hannah rode like a true professional and had two super, clean tests. I am convinced that with more international outings and tests like these the marks will just continue to go up and up."

Emile Faurie on Topolino Emile was also competing at Hamburg with Hannah, on his very new ride Topolino. ‘Toppy’, who is owned by Julie Bradley, was formerly ridden by one of Emile’s pupils but he took over the ride in February 2013.

"He has very low mileage, this was only his second time ever at Grand Prix", said Emile. "As I was going over with Hannah I thought it would be a great experience for him, which it was, but he was a little intimidated by the atmosphere and he lost concentration. The judges wrote some lovely things about him and where there were no mistakes we had sevens and eights. It was a really big learning curve for him and I’m very excited about his future."

Next up for Emile and Topolino will be Somerford Park Premier League in just over a weeks’ time and for Hannah? "We will continue to compete internationally, hopefully a call up for a Nations Cup team, but most of all I’m just looking forward to having more amazing adventures with my best friend."