German Anna Christina Abbelen blazed a mighty trail for team Germany to win gold in the Nations' competition at the 2014 European Junior Riders Championships in Arezzo, Italy, on Thursday 10 July 2014. Aboard her 9-year old Westfalian Rhinelander Furst on Tour (by Furst Heinrich x Robioso), Abbelen scored a whopping 77.054% to put Germany on the golden step of the podium.
Abbelen secured a very comfortable lead of almost five percent in the team ranking as Germany won gold with 220.432 points. The silver went to The Netherlands with 215.459 points, while Denmark finished in bronze medal position after Alexandra Sorensen scored a decisive 72.703 % to put Denmark third with 212.487 points, only a fraction ahead of Norway with 211.028 points. The judges' panel assessing the Junior Team Test included Holler (GER), Colliander (FIN), Ardu (ITA), Leyman (BEL), and Maknami (RUS).
The Junior team test was a class in which many riders impressed with quality, technical riding, but two riders truly stood out from the pack and that were the two top place getters, Anna Christina Abbelen and Alexandra Andresen. Abbelen and Furst on Tour excelled with well carried , well collected trot work in which the horse stayed up in the bridle at all times. The first halt was a bit hesitant but overall there was little to remark about the test. Furst on Tour produced very sweeping, straight and uphill flying changes. With a whopping 77.054% Heiner Schiergen's student placed first in the class. Abbelen got 74.865% (Maknami) as low score and 80.811% (Leyman) as high score.
The score gap with second placed Alexandra Andresen (73.568%) did not reflect reality. The two combinations were in fact very much in each others' vicinity when it came to their test riding. Aboard the Westfalian stallion Belamour (by Belissimo M x Lord Sinclair), Andresen showed equal quality. The halt at entry and for the rein back were not entirely square, but the trot work was fluent and cadenced, even though the liver chestnut could have been a bit quicker off the leg. The medium trot was beautiful and the walk tour was excellent. The canter work was outstanding with big changes and the horse was at all times light and up in the bridle.
The last starter in the junior team test, Danish Alexandra Sorensen rode a strong test as well aboard her 11-year old Danish gelding Camiro Mandoe (by Future Cup x Alfarvad Champion) but there were a few small issues. Alexandra's tall bay gelding is an imposing horse but overall has a slight tendency to drop behind the vertical. The trot extensions were big, the half passes cadenced, but the extended walk could have been a bit more relaxed and in the collected walk the horse slightly lost clarity in the 4-beat rhythm in between the walk pirouettes. The flying changes to the left were a bit less fluent and scopy compared to those to the right. The pair scored 72.703 % but Denmark can be grateful to Belgian judge Freddy Leyman, who pulled up Alexandra's average score with his 75.811% assessment (whereas the other judges who were unanimously at 71 - 72%) and helped Team Denmark earn bronze.
Dutch Jeanine Nekeman and her Dutch warmblood gelding Vlingh (by Flemmingh) were the Dutch anchor pair for team silver after scoring 72.243% and placing fourth. The combination had a few minor imperfections in an otherwise lovely ride. The halt at entry was not square and the horse broke into canter in the trot on the centerline. In the rein back he dragged his legs. The walk tour was well ridden with the extended walk having sufficient overstop, even though the nose could have been more out. The collected trot on the right lead had a tendency to be a bit too passagy but the trot extensions were wonderful. The horse was steady in the bridle and the flying changes were well executed, even though the ones to the right were stronger.
German new comer on the junior team, Ellen Richter on her 9-year old Westfalian mare Fontane (by Florestan x Lanthan), completed the top five in the team test with a 72.243% score, the same mark as Jeanine Nekeman. This duo rode a text book extended walk and all flying changes were very correct even though one was executed a bit late on the marker. The collected walk could have been more closed but the horse was always nice in the bridle. The canter work was very solid but in the extended canter there should have been more lengthening of the frame.
Text @ Photos © Astrid Appels / Eurodressage - - 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 in Arezzo. Contact us if you are interested in photo prints, collages or albums.
Related Links
Eurodressage Coverage of the 2014 European Junior/Young Riders Championships
Scores: 2014 European Junior and Young Riders Championships