Dutch Anne Meulendijks wielded the axe of power today and clearly dominated the Individual Test at the 2014 European Young Riders Championships in Arezzo, Italy, on Saturday 12 July 2014. Aboard her 9-year old Dutch warmblood gelding Avanti, Meulendijks scored a well earned 77.237% for gold. Lisa Marie Klossinger took home the silver and Sönke Rothenberger got bronze.
Judged by Colliander (FIN), Maknami (RUS), Wessels (GBR), Truppa (ITA), and Almasy (FRA), the individual test featured 63 riders and brought a high level of competition to the fore. Meulendijks was the undisputed winner of the class and gold medal recipient after a fantastic ride on her United x Farrington offspring.
The 21-year old Anne is in her last year at Young Riders' level and couldn't have finished that era in greater style. Trained by Tommie Visser, she rode powerful trot work that was active, engaged, uphill and well carried. Her bright bay, muscled gelding showed much expression in the lateral movements and impressive trot extensions. In the extended walk he certainly could have been more active, but the canter work was solid. The four tempi changes were big, but the horse slightly swerved to the right, the threes were excellent. The start of the right pirouette was a bit big, but the horse showed good collection from behind. Meulendijks' low score was 75.921% (Colliander) and high score 78.816% (Almasy).
German Lisa Maria Klössinger and her 9-year old Baden Wurttemberger gelding Daktari (by Donautanz x Carpaccio) finished in the silver medal, second position with a score of 74.526%. A student of Ulla Salzgeber, Klössinger and her gorgeous bay gelding showed light-footed trot work with good bending in the corners and voltes. The medium trot could have had a bit more bounce and the halt for rein back was not square. The extended walk was good. Lisa Maria showed wonderful preparation before the canter pirouettes, though the right one was slightly flat. The tempi changes were correct, but the those every four strides could have been a bit more straight. In general the canter work should have had slightly more forward energy to post even higher scores on the board, but the horse was nice and soft in the contact at all times.
Back-to-dressage Sönke Rothenberger was unable to achieve the same performance level as in the team test aboard his very green, but unlimitedly talented 7-year old Dutch warmblood Cosmo (by Van Gogh x Landjonker). The tall and impressively moving bay gelding was very tense and spooky throughout the individual test. In the team test, the horse was already impressed by the arena, but Rothenberger was able to filter the tension away. In the individual the horse had a tougher time coping with the atmosphere and Sönke was forced to counter bent the horse in corners, voltes as well as in the shoulder-in right. There were a lot of interruptions in what should be a steady rhythm in trot, even though the extensions were good for 10s. The extended walk had no neck stretch and was stressede and the strike off to canter was very hesitant. Cosmo has fantastic flying changes but swerved in the fours and the pirouette left was flat even though he was active from behind. The right half pirouette was much better. The three tempi's were beautiful but the first change was in two phases. In the extended canter the horse jumped off the diagonal. Even though Rothenberger probably presented one of the most promising horses at the show, his 74.500% was incredibly generous and more appreciative of the horse's (and rider's) talent than what was actually shown in the ring. The pair's low score was 72.368% (Colliander) and their high score was 76.053% (Truppa).
Just missing out on a podium place was Danish Anna Zibrandtsen an her 9-year old Oldenburg stallion Detroit (by Dimaggio x Lord Liberty G). The Swedish based blond, who trains with Jan Brink, made a grand recovery from her 22nd place in the team test after a difficult ride in the rain and wind on Thursday. Her powerful black stallion has an amazing engine behind and produces fantastic trot extensions. He kept a good rhythm in the later movements and showed good ground cover in the trot half passes. The canter work was solid, with correct flying changes, even though the horse gets slightly croup high in them. Detroit is very strong in the bridle, though, opening his mouth and showing tongue, but Zibrandtsen did an excellent job managing this macho stallion. She scored 73.289% for fourth place.
British Olivia Oakeley and her 13-year old Hanoverian gelding Donna Summer (by Dimaggio x Don Primero) had their act well together today. The pair is usually very strong in the trot, with superb lengthenings and rhythmical lateral movements, but today the canter work was definitely up to par, with the horse more closed in the frame and more active behind. In the extended walk, Donna Summer showed good overstep but could have stretched the neck a bit more. A kick to the spur in the change at E and a slight loss of impulsion in the left half pirouette were the two issues that tampered with her score. The British duo posted a score of 73.079% for fifth place.
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