British Phoebe Peters clinched the individual test gold medal with a new world record score of 81.390% at the 2015 European Pony Championships on Ribersborg beach in Malmo, Sweden, on Saturday 8 August 2015. German Nadine Krause finished in the silver medal position and German Helen Erbe surprized herself with bronze. No less than five riders vied for bronze with scores less than 0.200% apart ranging from 73.512% to 73.756%.
The individual test was judged by Heike Ebert (GER), Kurst Christensen (DEN), Isobel Wessels (GBR), Bo Jena (SWE) and Mariette Sanders (NED). The distinguished panel of judges were unanimous in ranking Peters first. The 15-year old Brit did not score below 80.000 with any of the judges.
As first rider of group 2 to go on Saturday, Peters rode in mirky morning weather but that did not dampen her spirit. The halt at entry was square but stretched, but the following trot work flowed from one movement into the other. Her 13-year old German bred SL Lucci (by Lukas) was slightly tighter in the neck compared to the team test, but the talented Brit rode with much accuracy. The extended walk was very well regulated, the walk pirouette well executed. In canter SL Lucci always has a super engaged hind leg and the simple changes were fluent and expressive. There was a tiny bit of tension in the change at X but the rider waited for the walk to develop before making the canter strike off. Peters made it look so incredibly effortless and scored 81.390%.
Phoebe is in her last year at ponies and the 2015 European Pony Championships are her last international competition. She now holds all three world records in the FEI Dressage Pony division.
German Nadine Krause and her 9-year old palomino stallion Cyrill (by Champion de Luxe) were the overnight leaders, topping the ranking after group 1 had gone in the individual test. Her score of 76.732% was plenty for silver but could not thrown fown the gauntlet for Peters.
Helen Erbe and the 7-year old German Riding Pony FS Charly Brown (by Champion de Luxe) was one of the five riders who were on each other's heels for bronze, but Helen prevailed with her 73.756% and bronze medal earning score. Taking over the ride on the bay stallion from Anouk Wiemers and trained by Claudia Haller, Helen Erbe rode beautiful trot extensions in which the suspension was very nie. The trot work flowed but in the collected walk the pony became quite prancy and did not relax the top line sufficiently; this results in a lack of impulsion in the right turn on the haunches. The extended walk had nice overtrack but the pony fails to achieve that coveted V-shape in the rhythm of its strides. Also in canter the hind legs needed to move more towards the point of gravity. At times the young Charly Brown let the hindquarters come out from under the body instead of taking the weight. This showed in the voltes on the centerline. Neverthless, Erbe produced a very well ridden test with her quiet seat. At times the pony still gets quite strong in the hand to which the rider responded with subtle but frequent halt halting.
After the team championship test Danish Sara van Deurs Petersen and her 12-year old Farbenfroh (by Farewell I) were certainly the favourites for an individual medal. Their team test performance was the second best of the day, without a doubt, despite a big mistake and it was up to Van Deurs Petersen to reproduce that same form to guarantee individual glory. It was not meant to be and the Danish duo landed a fourth spot. Her dark bay pony spooked in the first trot lenghtening and it meddled with the right volte as well. There was tension at the beginning of the ride and the pony got locked in the back and tight in the mouth, but as the test progressed he retrieved his good form, swing and cadence. The trot volte left and shoulder in left were outstanding and the extended walk exceptional. The right extended canter was too conservative and in the simple change at X the pony jogged. They slotted in fourth with 73.707%.
Germany's Lana Raumanns and her Dutch Welsh pony Den Ostriks Dailan were second placed after group 1 on Friday and dropped to a final fifth place with her 73.659% score. Danish Louise Christensen and her Dutch bred Vegelin's Goya (by Verona's Bo Gi) tied in fifth place with the same score, although the judges showed less unison in their marks with 71.098% as low score and 76.463% as high score. Christensen did not have her chestnut stallion Goya as sharp as in the team test. The halt at entry was not square and the trot work was slightly less carried. The shoulder in right and half pass had much crossing of the legs. The collected walk was slightly tense and could have been clearer in the 4-beat rhythm. This also showed in some simple changed. Still, Christensen did a very able job steering her pony through the individual test program but her big moving pony was not as loose and swinging. The end halt was wide behind.
Linda Erbe and her palomino Dujardin B (by Deinhard B) showed much improvement from the team test and were certainly also medal candidates. They landed seventh place with 73.512%. The trot was more expressive with more ground cover and the extensions were big. In the walk pirouette there needed to be a bit more activity from behind. The rein back was good but Erbe used a lot of preparation time for it. The extended walk had two hooves overstep but needed more relaxation in the top line. The canter work was very obedient and each stride uphill, but the right extension was slightly rushed and some simple changes needed a bit more walk.
Danish Sara Aagaard Hyrm and her 13-year old German bred Der Harlekin B (by Golden Dancer) finished eighth with 72.634%. The golden palomino stallion could improve in his suppleness and swing in trot. He gets a bit quick in the lateral movements. Also the roundness and 3-beat swing in canter gets lost at times, expecially in the collected canter. Nevertheless Der Harlekin B was attentive to the aids and Aagaard Hyrm managed her pony's quality and form of the day well.
Best Dutch rider of the day was Zoe Kuintjes on the 13-year old German bred Elin's Noncisdador (by Nostradamus). The grey stallion was now much more focused on the rider than his surroundings and produced good flow in the trot work with lovely extensions. He lost some power behind in the left volte and in the collected walk he was not so clear in the 4-beat rhythm. The extended walk had sufficient overstep but needed a bit more relaxation. In the canter serpentine Kuintjes lost the collection and her pony got too long in the frame and on the forehand. Overall the pony lacked that last bit of total self carriage in canter which showed in a hurried canter extension and the simple change at X. Kuintjes excelled in the three text book halts that she rode. She scored 72.561% for ninth place.
Text and Photos © Astrid Appels - NO REPRODUCTION ALLOWED
Eurodressage's Astrid Appels was on the scene and took photos of all dressage riders . If you are interested in ordering prints, collages, photo albums or digital images, send us an email with your name at info@eurodressage.com
Related Links
Scores 2015 European Pony Championships
Eurodressage coverage of the 2015 European Pony Championships