Riders from Hungary, Germany, and the USA joined their Israeli counterparts for a three-day dressage competition on 23 - 25 July 2013 at the Yagur equestrian facility in the foothills of the stunning Carmel Mountain, hear Haifa. The competition was the first time equestrian sports have been included in the Maccabiah, which is the world’s largest Jewish athletic competition, taking place every four years in Israel. Over 9000 athletes from 78 countries participated in a wide range of sports, including rowing, ice hockey, volleyball and waterpolo.
The dressage competition included an Advanced and a Medium class in the evening hours to make the most of the evening breeze from the Mediterranean Sea. Local Israeli riders had the advantage of pairing with their own familiar mounts, while the guest riders drew for borrowed horses and practiced with those horses only four times before ‘entering at A’ on day one.
The coveted Advanced gold went to National Israeli Champion, Ricki Rothschild Bahar and her bay KWPN gelding Woody (by Flemmingh). They showed three solid tests with ground-covering half passes in canter for an overall score of 66.84%. The duo are trained by Dutch O-judge and trainer, Eddy de Wolff van Westerrode, who spoke about the intense preparation they have undertaken in the past months, riding at 6am each morning to escape the heat and high humidity, as well as training occasionally in the evenings to get Woody used to shadows in the arena. Bahar shared her excitement at being able to represent her country for the first time. “I am very proud to ride for Israel. Woody and I have come a long way, since his arrival in the country five months ago, and I feel our hard work has paid off," she said.
A firm favorite with the crowd was 16-year old Hungarian Robin Bodnár, who drew a 5-year old Friesian stallion, Chabas, imported from Holland, as his borrowed horse to participate in the Medium class. “While I was nervous in the beginning, I soon realized that I was very lucky, as he’s a fantastic horse, and we connected very well.” Bodnar went on to take 3rd place, with very precise tests. Without knowing the horse well, or even the breed, he managed to show off Chabas’ flamboyant style and uphill canter to their advantage, while maintaining accuracy throughout.
Riding borrowed horses is particularly challenging, as 16-year old Carly Goldstein of the USA discovered, when a few hours before she was about to enter the ring on the first day of the competition, her borrowed horse was not fit to ride due to colic. Not one to give up easily, Carly borrowed another horse from the pool of available horses and rode a short warm up and went straight into her Medium Test. While her test had a number of hiccups, the crowd was extremely appreciative of her sporting attitude. Becky Brown, the US dressage coach for the delegation, said that “this is what true sportsmanship, and the Games, is all about: not giving in, in the face of adversity.”
Another US rider who proved her mettle was Wendy Garfinkel, whose borrowed horse Shining Spark, a palomino American Quarter Horse, has only recently been trained in dressage after his reining career. Wendy rode impeccably and her accuracy and sympathetic riding ensured the judges placed her a respectable 4th in the Medium class, passing many of the flashier warmbloods, despite an occasional sliding stop in the place of a halt.
Medium gold went to Shiran Engel of Israel on Carmelito with an overall score of 65.82%. Trained by Raz Nitzani, the pair has been consistently winning over the Israeli competition season and did not disappoint the home crowd during the Maccabiah Games.
E judge, Peter Engel of Germany, praised the local equestrian federation. “I am impressed by the standard of organization, for a first time international equestrian event in this country,” he said. Indeed the facilities were renovated and new international level footing in the arena was provided. He continued, “I have been to judge and clinic three times in Israel in the past and each time see an improvement in the level of horses and riders, which is very encouraging.”
His counterpart judge at C, Mary Robins of New Zealand added, “we saw a wide range of quality of horses and riders during the competition. There are special challenges posed to the development of dressage in developing countries, and we see the Israeli riders and horses moving in the right direction.”
Results
Advanced Class
- 1. Ricki Rothschild Bahar, Woody – Israel (66.84%)
- 2. Sivan Sat, Man in Black – Israel (61.80%)
- 3. Bianka Kiss, Fible B – Hungary (60.70%)
Medium Class
- 1. Shiran Engel, Carmelito – Israel (65.82%)
- 2. Micha Assayag, Zodion – Israel (63.46%)
- 3. Robin Bodnár, Chabas – Hungary (59.38%)
Full results can be viewed on the website of the Israel Equestrian Federation at www.ief.org.il
Text by Carmen Deville for Eurodressage
Photos by Ifat Zohar and Gil Makover
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