Due to a tight field and some tough competition in the Young Rider division at the 2013 CDI0-PJYR Hagen on 13 - 16 June 2013, victory was shared between some of Germany's top lady riders, including Charlott-Maria Schürmann and Edward, Juliette Piotrowski riding Flick-Flack and Sir Diamond, and Florine Kienbaum with Don Windsor. All three ladies danced their way into the German team for the upcoming European JR/YR Championships.
"Hagen went really for me and I felt that both my horses were in a good mood," beamed Juliette. "For the entire three days I felt them fresh and concentrated!"
Victorious in the team championship test with 74.430%, Juliette and her 16 year-old Rhinelander gelding Flick Flack (by Fidermark x Patron) were second in the Individual with 74.079%, and rounded off their success with a 75.750% kur to finish third.
Her other horse Sir Diamond, an 8-year old Oldenburger gelding by Sandro Hit x De Niro, secured his place in the consolation kur after a 5th and a 4th in the team and individual. The pair took out the kur with a tidy 74.958%.
"I was so pleased with the results but really, the whole CDI was a highlight for me, particularly because Kasselmann did everything to make sure we had a perfect time in Hagen!"
At this last German selection trial for the European Championships, Juliette captured her spot in the team and will now focus her training on that all important competition. "I train with my mother, Claudia Haller, in Meerbusch near of Düsseldorf. I cannot say that I have a set method, as I feel my training is individualised," she explained.
Addicted to dressage since she was three, Juliette is lucky to have many good horses in work in addition to her Young Rider champions. At the moment she is also doing an internship with Ton de Ridder in Aachen in order to obtain a degree as Bereiter.
“Sir Diamond we bought when he was just 3 days old. With him I try to mix up the training and I ride him on the racetrack and jump him a lot and incorporate a lot of condition training! For sure I also train him in dressage lessons! However, I think it's important to find the right balance for all horses, to ensure they maintain their health and happiness!"
Riding Flick Flack for the last two years, Juliette also focuses on his condition and health and looks forward to presenting him at his best at the European Championships.
The runner-up in the team test with 72.456%, Charlott-Maria Schürmann and the 10 year-old Hanoverian stallion Edward (by Embassy I), lifted to take out the Individual with 76.842%, rounding off their weekend with a 71.958% for sixth place in the kur.
Bred at the Celle State Stud, Edward is trained by Charlott at her home in Lengerich supervised with Oliver Oelrich and Klaus Balkenhol. She is very lucky to have the ride on such a loving stallion. "Sometimes we think he does not know that he is a stallion because everything for him is so simple. He is always working so hard during training and you can tell he really tries to get things right. His character is just priceless and I never need to be afraid that he will be distracted by foreign mares at shows," Schurmann explained.
Having gained much success on board her number one horse Burlington including winning the 2012 Nurnberger Burgpokal Finals, Charlott-Maria felt that the chestnut stallion had almost become unbeatable, so decided it was time to move him towards Grand Prix. "Fortunately, Edward came to our house just in time, allowing me the chance to enjoy and compete in my final year of Young Rides," she added.
Schurmann is currently concentrating more on Edward for the upcoming European Championship, but she continues to train Burlington at Grand Prix level and will receive more help from both Oliver Oelrich and Klaus Balkenhol as the pair move closer to their target. "Since both Burlington and I must learn how to overcome a Grand Prix test, we have given ourselves time to really get it working well. We are both still in the learning phase but after the European Championships in Compiegne we will
begin with the lntermediaire II and we are very excited to wait as this unfolds."
Florine Kienbaum was equally happy with her success in Hagen. Aboard Don Windsor (by Don Cardinale) finished fourth in the Team test with 72.237% and sixth in the Individual with 71.570%, but their highlight was on the last ride, as they rose to victory in the kur with the stand-out 77.375%.
"My horse is feeling better and better with every competition," started Florine, "and this was particularly evident with our success in Hagen.”
Making a winning finale in the kur on the final day of competition, Florine was thrilled with Don Windsor OLD (Poldi) in that all important freestyle event. "We both were in a good mood and so happy to ride with the music," said Kienbaum. "Plus, after the competition Poldi was just so proud of himself, as he could tell all people looked at him and applauded his good work."
The 11 year-old Don Windsor is, according to Florine, really cute and confident but in the beginning she said it was very difficult for them to find their way together. “However, now, nothing can separate us. In every competition he fights for me, only for me and this is nice to know."
Text by Sarah Warne - Photos © Astrid Appels - No Reproduction Allowed
Eurodressage photographer Astrid Appels took photos of (almost) all combinations competing at the CDIO-PJYR Hagen. Contact us if you are interested in prints of your photos!
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