Van Peperstraten Puts Holland in the Lead at 2019 European Youth Riders Championships

On the opening day of competition on Wednesday 24 July 2019 at the 2019 European Youth Riders Championships in San Giovanni in Marignano, Italy, Dutch Daphne van Peperstaten put Team The Netherlands into an early lead in the nations ranking for Young Riders. 

Van Peperstraten and her 12-year old Dutch warmblood gelding Cupido (by Johnson x Duco) were the 2018 European Junior Riders Champions in Fontainebleau, France,  and moved up to Young Riders level in 2019. They had much to prove this year, i.e. they were able to manage the small tour movements with as much proficiency and skill as they showed at junior level. The move up the ladder is a big one and while Van Peperstraten was invincible as a junior, her trip at young riders' level was not as smooth as hoped for, not really going from one victory to another. However, young Van Peperstraten is very resilient at competitions and today she once again proved to be able to convince the judges. 

Judges Romanov, Nivelle, Matthiesen, Storr, and Truppa saw the best ride of the day in Van Peperstraten's team championship test. A group of 29 young riders contested the team test today and as last to go on a very hot day at the beautiful and proficiently laid out Horses Riviera Resort on the outskirts of the Italian beach town Rimini, Daphne posted the highest score of 74.265%.

Her 12-year old Cupido has been her loyal partner since her junior days but this time at Young Riders' level, the bright bay gelding did not come across as untouchable  as before. While the canter tour was absolutely superior with its wonderfully uphill canter half passes, a powerful canter extension and secure tempi changes, in trot the big gelding was not as smooth and supple. The horse leaned on the forehand from the start. In both the first and end halt he pulled on the reins, though standing squarely. The trot work did not have the same suspension and he dropped a bit on the forehand in the voltes, sometimes opening the mouth and showing tongue. In the left turn on the haunches he lost the impulsion, but the right one was better. The collected walk was good, but in the extended walk he could have been a bit more active, although the 38° heat might have had an impact on him. Cupido scored 74.265% in total but the judges were far from being on the same wavelength. The low score was 71.618 % (Nivelle) and the high score rose to 77.353% (Storr).

Van Peperstraten's big score combined with Kimberly Pap's 71.618% put Team Holland in a provisional first place in the nations' ranking with an average of 72.941%. Pap and the 17-year old Vloet Victory (by Jazz x Ulft) were the second pair to go and immediately set the bar. The horse was very expressive in trot with a lovely frontleg articulation. The extended trots had a lot of leg flash but the frame didn't properly lengthen. The right turn on the haunches was quite big and in collected walk Victory became prancey. The pirouettes were well ridden, the four tempi changes correct but they could have covered more ground. The extended canter was uphill. Overall the nose was consistently behind the vertical and in the tempi changes the head position went from left to right, but Pap produced a confident test with much flair. 

German Paulina Holzknecht landed a provisional second place in the individual ranking and brought Team Germany to a second place as well with an average of 72.824% just a few point behind Holland. Aboard her 16-year old Hanoverian Wells Fargo (by Welser x Fabrian) , Holzknecht rode a well cadenced trot tour, but the horse could have had a bit more self carriage on the right lead. On the left volte and half passes he dropped behind the vertical, but the trot extensions were smooth. The turns on the haunches were well ridden and the collected walk  remained clear in the 4-beat rhythm. In canter, the rider was visibly spurring the horse to stay in front of the aids. The pirouettes went well, the extended canter covered much ground but Wells Fargo could have lowered the croup more. They scored 73.471%. 

German Alexa Westendarp had the third highest score of the day on her father Johannes' home bred 8-year old Hanoverian mare Four Seasons (by Furstenball x Fidertanz). The black mare has progressed tremendously over the past year, displaying a much more balanced and elegant trot in which she moved lightfooted through the traversal movements. The extended trots covered much ground, but the horse dropped in the bridle. The collected walk needed more collection and be quicker behind, which resulted in a tense right turn on the haunches. The extended walk was nice. Whereas the mare has a super convincing trot, the canter is the weaker gait as she easily loses the 3-beat rhythm. Westendarp is already a professional dressage rider and her skill showed off. She remained calm and collected and steered the horse with much finesse through the test. The right pirouette was on the forehand and big, but Alexa kept her mare obedient and willing through each movement. They possted 72.176%. 

Swedish Elin Mattsson took her sister Marina's 17-year old Swedish warmblood gelding Beckham (by Bernstein x Koncertz xx) to his fourth European Championship. Marina rode the highly temperamental chestnut at the 2011 and 2012 European Junior Riders Championships and 2016 European Under 25 Championships. Now younger sister Elin has the ideal schoolmaster in the gelding who looked fresh and fit. The trot work was very cadenced and smooth and at all times the horse stayed up in the frame and consistent in the contact, which definitely could have been lighter and less hand-held. Nevertheless the duo showed a superb collected walk, but needed a bit more bending in the right half pirouette. They scored a well earned 71.118% for fifth place. Sweden is currently standing in bronze medal position with an average of 69.618%.

Belgium is in fourth position with 69.294% after a bit of a troublesome climb on the ladder. The first pair to go for Belgium, Kayleigh Buelens on her 7-year old Fifty Ways to Victory (by Foundation x Harvard) were supposed to start as fourth pair in the class, but right before entry, the horse knocked off a shoe. He had to be reshod and after a second warm-up in simmering hot temperatures he entered right before noon and scored 68.941%. Fifty Ways of Victory competed in the 6-year old division at last year's World Young Dressage Horse Championships in Ermelo.

Best Belgian of the day was Suraya Hendrikx on the 8-year old Dear Friend (by Danone x Dollman). Trained by her aunt Jeannette Haazen, Hendrikx rode the trot work with much energy and forward power. Sometime one wished for a bit more collected in the voltes and traversal movements. The turns on the haunches were small and the extended walk well ridden. The right half pirouette was beautiful but big, and in the extended canter the horse needed to lower the croup more, but the tempi changes were neat. They finished on 69.647%. 

Text and Photos © Astrid Appels - NO REPRODUCTION ALLOWED

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Related Link
Eurodressage Coverage of the 2019 European Youth Riders Championships