Mattsson and Zibrandtsen Rule the Under 25 Division at the 2014 CDI Kapellen

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2014 CDI Kapellen

Neck and Neck in the Under 25 division at the 2014 CDI Kapellen on 21 - 25 May 2014, Sweden’s Marina Mattson and Denmark’s Anna Zibrandtsen took the top spots in the Intermediaire II and Short Grand Prix tests. Marina rounding it off with a win in the Grand Prix Kur.

“I’m very pleased with the results in Kapellen,” said Mattsson, who was second in the Intermediaire II and first in the Short Grand Prix. “Cassio was very hot the first day so I just tried to do a smooth test without mistakes. The second day was much better but I had a small mistake before the first canter pirouette and I lost a lot of points there, unfortunately. After the freestyle I was very happy because it was the first time I rode it and I had a very good feeling. There was a tiny mistake in the one tempis but fortunately I had an extra diagonal to repeat them. Overall I think the best part of my tests were the trot work with piaffe and passage. He does the collected work very easily!”

Nine years old and already winning at Grand Prix level, Patrik Hannel's grey gelding Cassio is by Conteur x Calato. Marina is now working on making the horse stronger for the future. “Cassio needs to feel that it's fun and easy to work," she said.

Hoping to ride the U25 classes in Aachen, Marina aspires to compete in the big tour next year and will continue her training with her huge inspiration and mentor, Jan Brink. “We have been training together since 2008 and he found Cassio in Denmark two years ago," said Marina. "Cassio is the most ambitious horse I've ever sat on and he does everything for me so I really hope that we can be together for a long time."

Marina completed high school last summer and is now working professionally with horses aged three and up to Grand Prix at her sponsor's place one hour from Gothenburg.

Anna Zibrandtsen on Rentino First in the Intermediaire II, Anna Zibrandtsen and her 10-year old black Rentino (by Rosario x De Niro) made their debut international in style, coming home with a second in the Grand Prix with 65.568%. “I felt that he, at this moment in his education, gave everything he had,” said Anna.

Aiming to improve on their piaffe and their transitions in the test, Anna had a nice feeling in some of the passage tours and all extended gaits were superb. Anna is housed at her parents farm near Copenhagen, Anna is building up her own business educating and selling horses. “I have my trainer, Jan Brink, and I’m also part of the Knytkalas Swedish Talent Team," said the Danish young riders team member.

Rentino was purchased by her trainer six months ago and has a lot of personality and is always telling his rider everything they do wrong!
“I truly hope I will win his trust over the next year," she said. "Right now we are working on transitions in and out of piaffe, as he needs to be stronger, and he is a bit higher in his hindlegs (lower in the front).”

At 20, Anna is a full time dressage rider and is set to have her other horse Detroit in the final of the 2014 European Young Riders Championships. “With Rentino I just have to compete more in the Under 25, so we can get better," she added.

Text © Sarah Warne
Photos © Astrid Appels - NO REPRODUCTION ALLOWED (NO FACEBOOK!! If you want to use the photo, buy it!)

Eurodressage's Astrid Appels was on the scene taking photos of ALL riders at the CDI Kapellen. Contact us if you are interested in photo prints, collages or albums.