We often hear about the rap sheets of the most experienced riders, the champions who year after year continue to shine their way down the centreline. So this time Eurodressage went on a hunt for the wisest of WEG equine partners and with no less than eight 17-year olds and one 18-year old gracing the arena in Normandy, we sought to uncover what the future holds for these “later teenage” dressage masters.
The oldies club in Caen included Solos Lacan, Parzival, Painted Black, Digby, Pro Set, Fontalero, Randon, Cazzago and Parish, but these senior dressage horses defied their age.
Respect your elders, the wisest of all the WEG partners: Senior Solos Lacan
The eldest horse in the WEG line-up was 18-year old Solos Lacan (by Castro x Lagano) ridden by Finland's Eevamaria Porthan-Broddell. With a score of 68.7% to finish in 49th place, Eevamaria feels the horse is just now reaching his dressage peak!
“I saw the horse for the first time 15 years ago in Denmark and I really fell in love with him," she said. "I tried to buy him then but he was not for sale, so I secretly followed his life and went to see him in the shows.”
It was until years later that Eevamaria took over the ride on the horse after a student of her bought him and at that stage her goal was just to have fun!
“He wants to please the people and the rider so much that he sometimes makes it difficult for himself," she explained. "If you ask more he does actually more than he can and gets a bit worried when he doesn’t understand. That causes a lot of mistakes especially in the rhythm. In the piaffe, for example, he used to try like 'a bear in a circus ball' and got himself into a panic."
Eevamaria found though that as she worked with him the basic work got better and he began to trust her. They did their first Grand Prix in March 2014 (!) for 61% and then at every show after they performed better and better.
"We won almost every show national including the Finnish Championships," she said. "I think it's amazing that the horse can reach Grand Prix level at that age and constantly do better. He is absolutely sound and happy and looks better than ever. So for him his top peak is now I think.”
Set to continue their growing career as long as he feels happy and well, Solos Lacan is lucky to go into the field regularly and he also enjoys his “family” walks out, as Eevamaria's son makes their hacking adventures at the front of her saddle.
“In Caen he was quite excited but he also ate well and did his usual nap. So he is clever and remembers to rest also. However he is really turned on when riding. I worried about the arena and clapping because he competed in Denmark, where the horses don't go to prize givings and this year in Finland we have done so many of those so that he knows when there is clapping it means full speed! Fortunately he really knew that this was important in Caen and really listened me every step. In fact I only had to whisper to him. Not just that but I think he generally enjoyed it! He really is a special horse."
The 17-year old WEG Club: Professor Parzival
Coming in just one year less wise, we had a range of dressage greats, some even earning themselves a world championship medal.
Taking out the team and kur bronze medal for the Dutch nation 17-year old Parzival (by Jazz x Ulft) and his partner Adelinde Cornelissen scored a whopping 85.714% in the musical ride. Adelinde says the KWPN gelding is a “real professor”!
“While he cannot speak, he can definitely make it clear what he wants,” Adelinde told Eurodressage. “He loves the hard brush, but when you take the soft brush he starts biting, and as soon as you take the hard brush again his ears move forward right away. He really enjoys his massage. And of course after that he won’t let you stop his massage!”
Adelinde feels that what makes this horse truly special is not only his dressage talent but his character and the bond that the two share together.
“I have ridden him since he was five, so we know each other for a long time and have been through a lot together, both the ups and the downs!"
When asked when was the horse's fitness and career peak, Adelinde replied, “What do you mean was?” feeling that the horse still has more to give even after a Bronze at the World Games! “It is so fun with him, even now he gives me the feeling we are still improving, and it’s unbelievable how fit he is! There is just no stopping him!”
With his fitness in mind, Adelinde is thinking of doing some World Cup qualifiers, but has not yet made an exact plan.
"We will keep competing as long as he loves the game," she stated. "It is not a matter of age that defines a horse's fitness, it is about management, which always has to be 100% perfect, no matter what age! Keeping a horse happy and finding the balance between training and relaxing. Therefore, my horses go in the paddock or field every day, and I ride a lot in the forest or play on the racetrack.”
What dreams are made of: Painted Black
"Painted Black (also known as 'PB') is the horse of my dreams,” says Spanish rider Morgan Barbançon-Mestre.
Taking 9th place in the Grand Prix on 75.143% and finishing 15th in the freestyle finals, Morgan has been with the horse for four years, and PB was the schoolmaster to take her into her first Grand Prix.
“He is an adorable little sneaky thing," she said. "He has so much talent for all the collected work, but sometimes has a mind of his own and you need to know how to deal with it. I am going to continue competing on him as long as he is happy and fit. He loves the shows and the competition, he would be sad if I had to stop working him.”
A horse that enjoys his walks in the woods, PB has more fun days than hard working days, and Morgan says he felt better than ever at the WEG. “We even scored our personal best in the Special and earned an 8 and an 8.5 in the piaffe," she added.
Fifteenth in the Special with 74.902%, Morgan thinks PB is just now reaching his career peak, and feels the older he gets the wiser he is.
“He is 100% with me and gives me the best feelings now! Caen was the highlight of our career as well as our third team place in Aachen in the Nations Cup for 2014!”
Painted Black (by Gribaldi x Ferro) will now enjoy some much earned holidays before the pair start their preparation for the indoor winter season.
Royalty amongst the ranks: Digby
In 21st spot in the Grand Prix with 72.771%, Denmark's Nathalie zu Sayn-Wittgenstein and 17-year old Digby (by Donnerhall x Sandro), were in tip-top form. Nathalie said the horse was fit and motivated and performing at his career best.
“I think the Grand Prix Special, feeling wise, was his best special in his career," she said. "'I am so proud that he is leaving the scene in the best health and still performing at his usual strong style.”
Rising to 14th place in the Special with 75.406%, Nathalie was also very proud of Digby’s finale in the spotlight in the Kur to Music and has shared many such moments with this very special number one man.
“I think 2010 was his peak year career wise, but he was from 2008-2014 performing consistently at a very high level and just getting better and better," she explained. "And I can say it now, Digby has never had an injury in his long career!”
As for the future of the dressage great, Nathalie says "this is it!" She added: “I think he had a great career. He may not be the biggest mover, but is one of the few most consistent horses there has been. With age he got better and better and he still is/was getting his high scores."
Nathalie will continue to ride Digby at home as long as he wants to be ridden, but knows he will never be a schoolmaster, or another other than the number one!
“He still wants to be the king of the yard and get all the attention," she stated.
Wisest of the WEG stallions: Pro Set
Finishing in 51st position with 68.057% in the Grand Prix, Dutch warmblood stallion Pro-set (by Jetset-D x Flemmingh) and his Norwegian rider Lillann Jebsen entered their own world in WEG and enjoyed every minute of it.
“I feel that when we compete, we end up in this kind of bubble. It starts when I begin to plait him and ends when we walk out of the arena.
In this bubble we are so focused that I don’t have the time to get nervous, and he is always a 100% on the work," she said.
Lillann knows, however, that sometimes if Pro-Set suddenly gets afraid of something, their bubble can burst and then it can be hard for them to regain their focus.
“I have noticed though that the older he gets, the less the chances are for the bubble to burst. At the WEG we kept our focus and performed without any major mistakes. It was a perfect ending of our amazing era together.”
A one-of-a-kind, wise dressage master, Pro Set is described as a fighter and the most uncomplicated stallion.
“He is so calm and kind that a lot of people get surprised when I tell them that he is a stallion. At home though, he is the boss and needs to keep an eye on all the newcomers, but he is always a gentleman. He is always happy to work and he just gives me the best riding feeling ever.”
Riding Pro-set since November 2009, Lillann took him to the WEG in Kentucky in 2010 and at that time she has only been with him for less than a year.
“My best result in tests was in 2012, but I feel that he is much better now then ever. That might be because I have gotten a little bit better at this. I know him so well now that he is no longer the one carrying me around and teaching me everything from scratch. We have become a team that fulfills each other's weaknesses and strengths.”
Pro-set completed Lillann’s dream will now retire back with his old owners in England at the stable of Carl Hester, where he is going to be ridden a little bit, just to keep in shape, but his life in the spotlight is over.
“I feel that it is best to stop now that he still is on top, and he has, without a doubt, done his job to the fullest. He will now get the retirement he deserves. He was a stallion and when I bought him, and I took him out from breeding, because I wanted him focused and I did not want to put more strain on the hind legs then necessary. Now that he has retired, he will stand at stud again. So he will have a great life with big grass fields, light riding, and a lot of mares!”
So how to keep a stallion fit into his teens?
“After every competition, he got a whole week off with no rider on him. I took him a lot into the woods and almost a week before a competition I started to ride him more intensely, but never more than 20 minutes," said Jebsen. "I just didn’t need more on him. He is always loose and soft in his body. I just had to make sure that I did not ride too much, but just enough to keep his muscles intact and in shape for the competitions. This is my first horse at this level. So he is the oldest horse I have competed at Grand Prix level. He has made me an international dressage rider and I will never forget what this great horse has taught me and the amazing journey that we have had together.”
A journey from start to finish: Fontalero
With 65.457% in the Grand Prix, 17-year old Fontalero and Veronique Henschen from Luxembourg finished 77th. They have been together since the horse was 5 and competed together from Juniors up to senior level and finally at the WEG in Normandy.
“He just loves working and competing and presenting himself, that's why I think we made it from Junior to Grand Prix! Now after the Games he will have a longer break. He can go into the field and the woods! In November/December we will start competing again!”
Feeling relaxed during her Caen performance, Veronique admits she prefers to have had her horse a little bit more electric, but she knows that after so many years competing he really learned to go in more relaxed!
“All in all I was happy with my test, only in the piaffe we had a lot of problems! That we can do much better!”
Hitting his peak at the age of 16, Veronique feels that it was at this age that he learned to relax in competition so riding him got easier.
“Before that he was a very nervous horse with a lot of go! Fontalero is still very fit and he likes competing! At the moment I' m not thinking of retirement! When it's time for it I'm sure he will tell me, and then he can enjoy his life in the field!”
Not Done Yet: Randon
In 79th place on 65.157%, new comer on the Italian team Leonardo Tiozzo relied on his 17-year old schoolmaster Randon (Czuwaj x Fanimo x Genius) to show him the ropes of top level competition.
The Polish warmblood arrived with his Italian rider Tiozzo in tip top condition eleven months ago. Leonardo says the gelding is not done yet with his international show career.
“Randon felt just fine during the Games, and he is physically and mentally fit," Tiozzo told Eurodressage. "It is amazing how much he likes working together with me and we are building a really special relationship of trust and friendship. After the Games our intention is to take part in the Kaposvar World Cup qualifier."
Leonardo feels that Randon's competitive peak was probably between 2010 and 2011 with previous rider Michal Rapcewicz, when the horse gained a 15th place at the WEG in Lexington, finished 12th at Hertogenbosch's World Cup Final, and also winning the WDM Palm Beach Grand Prix Special.
Purchasing the horse less than one year ago in Germany, Leonardo has been riding him since mid September 2013 and says their best show together was their debut in the World Cup classifier in Brno this year, where they finished in second position both in the Grand Prix and the Grand Prix Kur scoring 67.760 and 69.900 respectively.
“Randon will now get a deserved vacation for a few days eating grass and doing just some really light work and then we will be back into the training," said Tiozzo who is coached by Christoph Koschel. "Considering how much we like working together and the great condition he is in we will keep competing together. He just loves going to the shows."
Text by Sarah Warne - Photos © Astrid Appels
Related Link
Eurodressage Coverage of the 2014 World Equestrian Games