German Young Riders Florine Kienbaum and Juliette Piotrowski were the winners of the Preis der Zukunft - Prize of the Future - classes for young riders at the national indoor competition in Munster, Germany, on 24 - 26 January 2014. Twenty-one young riders contested the Team Championship test and twelve of them moved on to the individual test.
In 2013 German junior/young rider team trainer Hans-Heinrich Meyer zu Strohen struggled to field a large group of riders, but that wasn't a problem this year. "An active field of competitors, good performances in the previous team training seminars and a very good beginning of the new season. What do you want more. I'm very happy," Meyer zu Strohen commented.
German silver medal YR team member Florine Kienbaum saddled her second horse, 12-year old Rhinelander bred Good Morning M (by Goethe x Newcastle), for the Preis der Zukunft and topped the leader board in the Team test with 73.509%. Kienbaum, who is studying Sport and Event Management at the Business Information Technology School (BITS) in Iserlohn, has been focusing mainly on her number one horse Don Windsor, but the 2010 European Junior Rider German team horse Good Morning hasn't unlearnt the tricks and is still a force to be reckoned with.
"Goody was so nice last weekend," Kienbaum told Eurodressage. "I rode him the last few times in national competitions and he was placed every time," Florine told Eurodressage. Kienbaum only competed the horse nationally, "because I didn't have much time during my studies and I concetrated on Don Windsor OLD. But i was so proud to ride Goody in Münster. He is very experienced and he felt good and made no mistakes. I did not expect that we would be so good at this show with a strong group of riders, but now i am very proud and happy to have those amazing horses."
Kienbaum felt the competition breathing down her neck as 2013 European Championship kur silver medal winning Juliette Piotrowski was on strong form in Munster aboard her 17-year old gelding Flick Flack (by Fidermark). The pair finished second in the team test with 73.377% and they won the Preis der Zukunft Finals, which was the individual test, with 72.807% just ahead of Kienbaum on 71.053%.
"Juliette took a lot of risk and then her horse could make small mistakes, but this time they securely took home the victory," Meyer zu Strohen explained. About Kienbaum's Good Morning, Hans Heinrich said that "the gelding has three quality basic gaits and both have developed reallyt well. They rode a very correct and meticulous test. Florine was able to score by being so stress resistent in this not so simple atmosphere."
Photos © Barbara Schnell
Related Links
Scores 2014 CDN Munster
Uta Graf and Dandelion Rise to the Top at 2014 CDN Munster