The 2017 Bundeschampionate not only gathered dressage and breeding aficionados for warmblood horses, but it is also the turf for top level pony sport. The 3-year olds Cosmo Royale and New Magic and the 4-year olds Coer Noble and Dancing Daylight claimed the titles in the riding pony divisions on Saturday and Sunday 2 and 3 September 2017.
Cosmo Royale, Pedigree of Bundeschampions
In the 3-year old pony stallion division, the Hessian based Danica Duen steered her home bred stallion Cosmo Royale (by Cosmopolitan D x Casino Royale K) to the title after scoring the highest in the finals round and getting top notes from the guest judge riders Jessica Suss and Laura Strobel. The liver chestnut stallion got 9 for trot, 9.5 for canter, 8.5 for walk, 9 for conformation and training and 18.50 from the test riders. A total of 63.50 points put their first on the leader board. The judges praised Cosmo Royale for being "typey, well built, athletic and with good musculature. He shows a modern trot without tension, lightfooted and relaxed. His canter is very well balanced. Under saddle this stallion is very relaxed, yet sensitive and balanced." Cosmo Royale's dam Cascada Royale was the 2013 Bundeschampionate bronze medal winner, then in foal to Cosmo Royale. Dam Sire Casino Royale K was a double Bundeschampion himself.
The silver went to Mareike Mimberg on Jill Mieleszko's bucksin Golden Grey (by Golden State x Clooney AT). He scored 8.5 for trot, 9 for canter, 8 for walk, 8.5 for training, 9 for conformation and 18.50 from the guest judge riders. Wenke Kraus and Hans Jurgen Tackmann's bay Tackmann's D-Jay (by D-Day x Champion de Luxe) scored the bronze medal with 8 for trot, and 8.5 for walk, canter, training and confirmation. The guest judges gave D-Jay 17 points.
Judges Mannheims, von Platen and Sickinger praised the finalist stallions for being "significant stallions with much expression, movemement and top class rideability. These are modern ponies for breeding and sport, which showed itself extraordinarly here."
New Magic Wins Mare Power Final
In the 3-year old mares and geldings division it was all about mare power as the three highest scoring ponies in the A-part of the Finals were mares. The winner of the warm up round, Danica Duen's Cosmic Dancer, finished fourth in the A-final and was not test ridden. This left room for three mares to battle it out for the medals.
Patricia Gehre and her own chestnut Rhinelander bred mare New Magic (by FS Numero Uno x Voyager) reigned supreme after only placing sixth in the warm up round. The chestnut mare scored 9 for trot, 8.5 for canter, 8 for walk and training, 7.5 for conformation and she got a whopping 19.50 points from the two test riders. New Magic finished in the golden spot with a total of 60.50 points. "This mare has a very good, swinging and accentuated trot with much shoulder freedom. She was secure in the hand concerning her rideability, and showed good looseness and stability," said the judges.
The silver medal went to Jana Bertels aboard Elke Kühn's Westfalian bred Caramba KE (by Cosmopolitan D x Cappuccino). This bay mare led the A-finals with 8.5 for trot, 8 for canter, 8.5 for walk, 8 for training, and 8.5 for conformation, but scored slightly less under the guest judge riders who rewarded her with 17 points. She finished second with 58.50 points. Iris Hannöver and Hermann Koopmeiners' Weser Ems bred mare Romanza Royale K (by Olivier K x Top Nonstop). This mare scored 8.5 for trot, 7.5 for canter, 9 for walk, 8 for training and 7.5 for conformation. The test riders gave her 17 points, so she finished third with 57.50 points.
Coer Noble Smashes Competition
In the 4-year old stallion class the 19-year old Nazila Natasha Lotz and Johannes Wollesen's buckskin Hanoverian bred Coer Noble <sp> made a smashing impression on the judges and crowds. With no less than 24 combinations competing in the warm up round, this was the biggest 4-year old riding pony stallion division ever. The finals were judged by Carsten Munk, Peter Olsson and Jürgen Uthoff. The guest judge riders were Pia Münker and Michele Schulmerig.
Coer Noble (by Caramel x Noir de Luxe) impressed in the finals with his basic gaits, scoring 9 for trot, 9.5 for canter and 8 for walk. His training earned him a 9.5 and for conformation the pretty buckskin got 9. The test riders loved the pony and rewarded him with 19.50 points, so Coer Noble finished on 64.50 points for gold. "The test girls did not want to dismount from the champion" said judge Carsten Munck. "He is a light, noble and engaged stallion with a friendly temperament." Judge Reinhard Richenhagen, who provided the public commentary, added that "we see here a very modern riding pony stallion with a hardly to beat harmony. He is a typey stallion who is always uphill. The trot is active, fresh and with much shoulder freedom. In canter the stallion shows much lightness and elasticity. He has much balance in his rideability, with much relaxation and expression. This was beautiful riding."
The Rhinelander stallion Glück Auf A (by Hesselteichs Golden Dream x FS Champion de Luxe) became the reserve champion. Onwed by Michael Assenmacher and ridden by Jana Freund, the bay stallion scored 8.5 for trot, 9 for canter, 8.5 for walk, 9 for training and 8.5 for conformation. The guest judge riders gave hum 18.50 points so he finished second with 62.00 points. Wenke Kraus and Hans Jurgen Tackmann's Weser Ems bred Tackmann's Macchiato (by Mr Right x Don William) scored bronze with 8.5 for walk, trot, canter, 9 for training, 8.5 for conformation and 17 points from the test riders.
Dancing Daylight Wins Nail Biter Finals
Christiane Seelig and Dancing Daylight won the 4-year old mares and geldings division after a nail biter finals in which all three finalists that were test ridden were neck-to-neck on the score board.
Cathrin Beckmann-Messfeldt's Wesfalian mare Dancing Daylight (by Dreidimensional x Dressman) had her nose over the finish line the first. With a 9 for trot, 8.5 for canter, 8 for walk, 8.5 for training and 8 for conformation, she led the A-part of the Finals. The test riders also scored her the highest and rewarded the mare with 17.50 points. Dancing Daylight scored a total of 59.50 points for the gold and the title. "A modern riding pony with clear riding horse points," said the judge. "We saw modern, lightfooted and relaxed trotting. The canter is swinging and balanced." Seelig was excited with the title: "this pony ticks all the boxes: quality, sportive attitude and character. She's a pleasure to ride."
Jana Freund and her own and breeders group Voss' Rhinelander gelding Doc Hollywood (by Daddy Cool x Dornik B) landed silver. The chestnut gelding got 9 for trot, 8 for canter and walk, 8 for training and 8.5 for conformation. The test riders gave him 17 points, so he was second with 58.50 points. Doc Hollywood was last year's reserve champion as a 3-year old. Kimberly Hinrichs and Thomas Stuhldreier's gelding Camino Royal (by FS Cracker Jack x Courage) slotted in third and got bronze with a total of 57.50 points. This pony eared 8 for trot and canter, 9 for walk, 8.5 for training, 7.5 for conformation and 16.50 from the test riders.
Photos © LL-foto
Related Link
Eurodressage Coverage of the 2017 Bundeschampionate