German Bianca Nowag and her long-time mount Fair Play RB made it work at the 2017 CDI-U25 Riesenbeck on 22 - 25 June 2017. The Riesenbeck international is primarily a show jumping event, hosted by Ludger Beerbaum and Baron Constantin Heereman, but this year a small international dressage class for Under 25 Grand Prix riders was included in the programme.
The dressage classes were held in the indoor arena and a field of 14 young Grand Prix riders, mainly Germans, gathered at this event. Only three foreign riders (from Luxembourg, France and Russia), travelled to Riesenbeck to collect scores and mileage.
The 22-year old Bianca Nowag scored a hattrick aboard her 13-year old Westfalian mare Fair Play RB (by Fidermark x Brentano II). They won the Intermediaire II with 73.421%, the Short Grand Prix with 73.062% and the Kur to Music with 75.667%. Each time they referred 2016 European German Under 25 team gold medal winning Florine Kienbaum on her 13-year old Hanoverian gelding Doktor Schiwago (by Don Frederico x Weltruhm) to a second place.
" I was very, very happy with "Mausi" in Riesenbeck," Nowag told Eurodressage. "She did a fantastic job all three days and gave me a concentrated and good feeling. In the freestyle there were a few mistakes at the end but that was me. I was a bit confused which flying changes I should ride again."
Nowag, who won kur gold at the 2015 European Young Riders Championships in Vidauban and the title at the 2015 German Young Riders Championships, has opted for a professional career as a dressage rider and now works half days for Johannes Westendarp in Wallenhorst. She has also been training with German team coach Monica Theodorescu for the past two years and is currently preparing for her team debut at the CDIO-Under 25 Nations Cup in Aachen. After that there is one more selection trial in Verden before the German team will be announced for the 2017 European Under 25 Championships in Lamprechtshausen, Austria in September.
"Our next competition is Aachen in three weeks," said Nowag. "It's a big honour for me to ride there. I think it's the dream of every Young Rider to ride at the CHIO in Aachen. I really hope that Mausi and I will stay healthy to live up to earlier success."
Photos coutesy Riesenbeck International
Related Links
Scores 2017 CDI-U25 Riesenbeck
German Under 25 Team Selected for 2017 CDIO-U25 Aachen
Bianca Nowag Goes for Kur Gold at 2015 European Young Riders Championships
Rothenberger and Nowag Win 2015 German Youth Riders Championships