Kathleen Raine (USA) and the Jennifer Mason's Hanoverian mare Breanna (by Brentano II x Weltmeyer) scored a 73.667% to win the Grand Prix Special 5* at the 2015 CDI Wellington on Saturday 7 February 2015. Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven (SWE) and Divertimento followed in second with a 72.000% and Jill Irving (CAN) and Degas rounded out the top three with a 69.078%.
Raine and her mare excelled with nice, regular passage work in which there was a good moment of suspension. Raine had a very smooth, effortless start of the test. In the extended walk the rhythm could have been purer and in the piaffe the mare does not really take the weight on the hind legs but the rhythm was good. The two tempi changes were very nice, but Breanna made an early change in front at the end of the extended canter diagonal and the exit from the pirouette left was slightly sloppy.
Raine and Breanne have been partners for more than 10 years, as she bought the mare as a four years old at the Hanoverian Elite Auction in Verden, Germany. The duo's performances are a testament to the time Raine has dedicated to creating a strong partnership with the mare. "It has been so fun to have had her for so long. We know each other really well, and I enjoy starting them from the beginning and training them up," said Raine.
The duo's extended stay in Europe at Johann Hinnemann's yard in Germany, this past season has really helped Breanna cope with large atmosphere venues. "Being in Europe really helped her suppleness and her whole way of going. I can see it in her reaction, her consistency, and the atmospheres we were able to experience there, which we don't really have here. It helped to boost her confidence," said Raine.
Vilhelmson-Silfven performed a very interesting test on her Westfalian gelding Divertimento (by Di Versace) with gorgeous trot half passes. In passage the horse could have shown more collection in general and engagement from behind but the regularity was there. The trot extensions were good but the tense bright bay gelding was unable to perform a proper extended walk. The two hooves overtrack were there, but the rider was unable to give any slack in the rein so that the horse could stretch forward over the back. Divertimento appeared more busy with his surroundings than focusing on his rider, but he improved towards the end of the ride. The two tempi changes were ground covering but in the ones on the centerline the changes to the right were not entirely through. The sweeping canter half passes were a highlight.
"Tim", who is known to get excited in electric environments, settled nicely for Vilhelmson-Silfven during the test. "This is our third week showing, and he keeps going and holding up very well. The weather earlier in the week made him a bit more excited than I wanted, but we cope with it and have figured out how to handle it," she explained.
Divertimento's large size can be intimidating to some, but he is the sweetest horse in the barn according to Vilhelmson-Silfven, which is what makes him so fun to work with. "He's the sweetest one. Absolutely anyone could hack him, but once he hears applause he starts to get worked up," she commented. "He tries really hard and all he wants to do is his best for you."
Canadian Jill Irving and Degas had a lovely test to place them third in the class. The accuracy and regularity in the movements were strong points in the ride. Irving produced smooth passage-trot work and very small but clean piaffes.
"I am so thrilled with our performance. He has finally become a man. Last year he was still a boy," she exclaimed. "He was very good and I feel like now we're covering ground in the canter, especially in the two-tempis. We landed right on the letter."
Irving is the presenter of the Jill Irving Owner's Award at each Grand Prix Kur event on Friday of the 2015 season, highlighting owners of winning combinations in both the CDI Prix St. Georges tests and national Shows. "I think this city, Wellington, has grown so much and is so international now. Just right now we have Sweden, Canada, and the U.S. represented here and I thought that it was time we started recognizing the owners who are such great stakeholders," said Irving.
She hopes the award will continue to draw the spotlight to many of the owners who make this sport possible. "I just felt like this was something really dear to my heart, and I'm so passionate about this sport. I think the owners deserve to get a trophy and have some time in the limelight," she continued.
- GDF press release with additions by Eurodressage
Photos © Astrid Appels
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