The German pony team proved to be untouchable in the team championship competition at the 2013 European Pony Championships in Arezzo, Italy, on Thursday 25 July 2013. The German pony ladies claimed a 23rd gold medal for their country in the history of the Pony Europeans and The Netherlands was again on their heels. Great Britain pulled a stunt and was back on the podium for bronze after a seven year medal-hiatus.
While the overpowering force of the German pony team was undeniable, it was petite 13-year old British Phoebe Peters who thrilled the judges and crowds with her 77.795% earning ride, which put her at the top of the ranking of the Team Championship Test. German pony world record holder and hopeful for a top score, Semmieke Rothenberger, was unable to edge out Peters for the victory and remarkably produced the scratch score for her team after Deinhard B "pulled a Deinhard" in the test and was cheeky and tense.
German anchor rider was Semmieke's cousin Nadine Krause on the 2010 European Pony Champion Danilo, a 10-year old palomino stallion by Dornik B x Power Boy. Krause rode on Wednesday as part of the first group of riders and scored 75.692% to rank third. None of her team mates were able to overtake her. Hannah Cichos and the 12-year old Bavarian bred Equestricons Lord Champion (by Le Champion x Amelio) finished fifth with 74.590%.
Cichos and her temperamental Lord Champion, who dumped her twice in the prize giving at the last German team selection trial in Hagen a month ago, showed a far better obedience today and was thinking along the lines of his rider. Cichos was quite restless with her hands, halt-halting constantly in the trot work, which meddled with the regularity of the gait. In the trot extensions Lord Champion covers much ground but is a toe-dragger behind. The walk was excellent with a pure rhythm in the collected and good overstep in the extended. The canter work was the highlight of the test, with accurate and smooth riding, good simple changes. The end halt was executed five meters before X as the pony anticipated that final movement.
Semmieke Rothenberger had her hands full with her very experienced 14-year old pony stallion Deinhard B (by Dornik B x Golden Dancer). The stallion was the 2008 European Pony Champion under Semmieke's elder brother Sönke, but at the 2009 Europeans in Moorsele Deinhard abandoned all co-operation with his rider in the kur to music finals pooking from a banner. The pony is known for his distracted behaviour and cheeky spooks, but during the 2013 CDI show season he showed maturity and improved concentration under Semmieke. Unfortunately today he reintroduced his old gimmicks and gave his rider a very difficult start in the team test scared of a ghost. The canter at entry was wild, the halt not immobile and the pony broke into canter straight away. The first trot extension was spectacular but tense. Semmieke was able to ride good lateral movements although she could barely control the gait and leaned very heavily back in the saddle. In the collected walk the pony was still tense, but the petite rider was able to filter some of that in the extended walk. The pony improved in canter with very balanced counter canter work and good simple changes, even though one on the centerline could have had a more pronounced walk.
Rothenberger still scored 71.846 % which placed her tenth. The panel of judges, which consisted of Baarup (DEN), Hamoen (NED), Leyman (BEL), Wessels (GBR) and Ebert (GER), struggled to find consistency in their scores. Semmieke's low score was 69.743 (Baarup) and her high score was 73.846 (Leyman). Germany's team total was 225.795%, which was 4,2% ahead of the silver medal winning Dutch team.
The Netherlands' leading rider Lisanne Zoutendijk also rode on Wednesday and scored 75.821% on 2012 European Pony Champion Champ of Class which ranked her second. Febe van Zwambagt and her 8-year old bay stallion Dr. Watson (by Don't Worry x Barkway Aremis) were Holland's second best pair with a 73.718% and seventh place. Her marks were also all over the place with Baarup giving her a 70.897% and Leyman a very generous 76.923%.
Van Zwambagt and Dr. Watson make a very appealing pair due to their very meticulous and clean riding, but the bay stallion is hard in the bridle, not chewing on the bit. The pony stallion has a very expressive trot with beautiful lift in the shoulder and can perform lovely trot extensions. Her trot work was very flowing and accurate. The walk pirouettes were good and the extended walk excellent with massive overtrack. In canter, however, the pony fails to carry properly from behind. Even though he has a regular 3-beat rhythm he does not truly take the weight on the hind legs. Still, Van Zwambagt proved her skill and made no mistakes which impressed the judges.
Dutch Demy Kurstjens and her cute 9-year old Welsh pony gelding Ciske (by Composer van de Beekerheide) were also a testimony of strong Dutch test riding. The pair rode very well balanced trot extensions but in the lateral movements the rhythm is not entirely pure and scopey at all times. He appeared to move better on the right lead. The right walk pirouette was the better one of the two but in the collected walk, the pony became a bit too open in the frame. In canter Ciske has a very good collected and counter canter, but loses clarity in the extensions, missing opening in the frame and swing over the back. One simple change was a bit rolling but overall Kurstjens had a strong ride that earned tham 71.974% and a ninth place.
The British effort to retun back on the podium was carried by a sensationally performing Phoebe Peters on the 11-year old bay gelding SL Lucci (by Lukas x Bazar). Her 77.795% score put her in first place in the team test and launched Team GB on the podium with a total percentage score of 219.667, assisted by Erin Williams' 74.077%. It has been years that the judges allowed a non-German or non-Dutch rider to take first place at the European Pony Championships and it is a breath of fresh air that other nations have reached that same high standard of riding AND finally get rewarded for it!
Peters' SL Lucci showed excellent self carriage in trot. The pony was always nice in the bridle with the poll as highest point. The walk pirouettes were superb, but the extended walk could have a bit more overtrack. The rein back was crooked and the pony became behind the vertical. The canter work, however, was fantastic with textbook extensions, sharp simple changes and a total control over each stride while keeping her pony active, yet relaxed.
Erin Williams and her 9-year old palomino mare Dynasty (by Deinhard B x Arts Dancer Boy) slotted in sixth with 74.077%. Though a bit long in the back, this pony is a big mover with a quick hind leg and nice knee action. In trot she was very light footed and cadenced and the pair rode huge half passes. The collected walk could have been a bit more collected and the extended walk should have been more generous in overstep. The canter work was very solid with super controlled simple changes. The mare got a bit cramped in one counter canter, but Williams remained unphased. She could lower the hands a bit more onto the withers but overall the contact was steady.
For the first time in years the Danish team was no longer on the podium and finished fourth. Denmark's strongest ride came from Marie Christensen on the gorgeous 10-year old chestnut stallion Vegelins Goya (by Verona's Bo Gi x Leuns Velds Darling Boy). The duo rode beautiful trot extensions and showed good bending in the lateral movements, especially the half passes. The collected walk stayed clear even though the pony became a bit tense but Christensen managed that well. The extended walk was good. This pony could also be a bit softer in the mouth, but was very obedient to his rider nonetheless. The canter work had good self carriage even though the walk in the simple changes could have been a bit more pronounced in its four-beat rhythm. The duo received 72.769% from the panel of judges and ranked 8th.
Danish Victoria Vallentin, who finished fourth twice at the 2012 European Pony Championships, left her star from last year home after her mare Natalina got injury and saddled the Norwegian owned, sensitive and tall chestnut gelding Not For Sale (by Navoy x Playback) to finish 12th with 71.000% (Leyman 68.846%, Baarup 72.179%). This pony is incredibly talented and moves with the same cadence and spring as a confirmed Grand Prix horse. Unfortunately the contact with the bit is far from ideal. Not For Sale appears hard in the mouth, barely foaming. Vallentin rode a skilled trot tour, showing off the cadenced rhythm also in the lateral movements. Both the collected and extended walk were nice and regular, the rein back was a bit quick and the left walk pirouette was better than the right one. The canter extensions were too conservative and the pony dropped into trot in the right counter canter, which also messed up the simple change at A. The pony got increasingly tense in canter, which became obvious in him getting shorter behind in the strike off to canter in the simple changes towards the end of the test.
Text and Photos by Astrid Appels - No reproduction allowed<
Eurodressage photographer Astrid Appels took photos of all combinations competing at the 2013 European Pony Championships. Contact us if you are interested in prints of your photos!
Related Link
Eurodressage Coverage of the 2013 European Pony Championships