Jack Daniels N, Oblix van de Kempenhoeve, Conan di Fonte Abeti, Mac Donovan Win 2019 Belgian Young Horse Championships

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2019 Belgian Young Horse Championships

The 4-year old Jack Daniels N, the 5-year old Oblix van de Kempenhoeve, the 6-year old Conan di Fonte Abeti, and the 7-year old Mac Donovan became the winners of the 2019 Belgian Young Horse Championships, which took place in Courrière, Belgium, on 13 - 15 August 2019.

Originally the 2019 National Young Horse Championships were supposed to take place at the equestrian school in Gesves, where it is traditionally staged, but as the show jumping part of the Championships burst out of its seams this year with over 900 horses entered to compete (!), the dressage horses were literally kicked off the premises and rehoused 9 kilometers down the road at the small but lovely equestrian yard Écuries de la Sandry of the Wathelet family, where a lacklustre Championship without spectators was held. This last-minute relocation became a disgrace, orchestrated by the Walloon equestrian federation (LWEB) who discarded dressage as an after-thought and proven to be unable to provide the proper attention and spotlight on Belgian young horse dressage sport.

The Belgian YH Championships followed the same format as the World Championships with a first qualification round in which the top 7 moves on to the finals, a consolation round in which the top three moves to the finals, and then the actul final round which counts for the medals.

In the 4-year old division Nils Debo steered the SBS registered Jack Daniels N (by Apache x Welt Hit II) to the title after scoring 86.4% in the finals. They were fourth in the preliminary round but in the Finals they beat the preliminary winner, Domien Michiels on the BWP licensed stallion Panthero van de Vogelzang (by Belantis x Quaterback). They scored 83.8% for silver. The bronze went to Saskia Hambrouck aboard the KWPN registered Powerpoint de Tamise (by Dark President x Sandro Song). They moved from winning the consolation finals onto the third step of the podium in the Finals.

"A nice test. He showed an active trot with a good hind quarter and lots of engagement," said the judges. "He's very straight for a 4-year old and seems older. He uses his back well in walk, he is supple and straight. His best gait today was the canter with much balance and good engagement. The obedience can hardly be any better. Very stabile."

In the 5-year old division Katrien Verreet rode her WCYH participant Oblix van de Kempenhoeve to the national title. TheBWP stallion by Quaterback x Sungold scored a winning 84.60% after winning the preliminary round. Floris de Coninck and the BWP bred Origi (by Don Frederic x Jazz) became the reserve champion with 84.4%, whie Flore de Winne finished third on the Hanoverian licensed stallion Flynn (by Fahrenheit x Sir Oldenburg). They scored 83.30% for bronze.

"A horse with much quality," said the judges about Oblix van de Kempenhoeve. "The trot has much candance, is very active with much engagement from behind. The walk is clear, active and straight. He has much balance in canter, showed nice transitions and a good contact in the mouth."

In the 6-year old division WCYH participant Nick van Laer and the Italian bred Hanoverian Conan di Fonte Abeti (by Apache x Sir Donnerhall) topped the leader board with 83.40% after winning the preliminary round. Antoine Nowakowski and the Hanoverian bred Quatergirl (by Quaterhall x Don Henrico) were the runners-up with 80.40% after making a major surge on the score board from 8th place in the preliminary round to second in the Finals. Shana de Ben and the KWPN bred Ivanow (by Apache x Gribaldi) ended up with bronze on 80.20%

"It was a very nice test, professionally presented," said the judges about Conan di Fonte Abeti. "The trot is very regular and light with a nice topline. The contact is consistent and light with good bending to the left and right. In walk he has a good self carriage with the an even rhythm, also in the collected walk and turns on the haunches. There is a nice balance in canter, straight, with the same quality contact without any resistance. The four flying changes were perfectly synchronous, very precise."

In the 7-year old division WCYH participant Flore de Winne and the BWP registered Mac Donovan (by Sir Donovan x Cantos) received the champion's sash after scoring 76.657% in the Finals. Nick van Laer landed second place on the Oldenburg bred Just a Gigolo (by Johnson x Werther) on 70.171%, while Brecht d'Hoore and the KWPN bred Hard to Beat (by Easy Game x Negro) finished with bronze on 70.171%.

"Mac Donovan showed a good cadence with much suppleness, especially in canter," said the judges. "He has a very good contact, is very harmonious and made no mistakes."

Photos © Temps des Poses/VLP

Results - 2019 Belgian Young Horse Championships

4-year olds

1. Nils Debo - Jack Daniels N - 86,400 %
2. Domien Michiels - Panthero van de Vogelzang - 83,800 %
3. Saskia Hambrouck - Powerpoint de Tamise - 82,800 %
4. Brecht D'Hoore - Kenzo G - 82,600 %
5. Tahnee Waelkens - Kumami ADQ - 79,800 %
6. Kara Bosman - Parisienne G - 78,000 %
7. Elisabeth Tepper - Dream Date - 77,600 %
8. Sam Luyten - Firenze - 6,400 %
9. Brecht d'Hoore - Kalashnikov v/d Wolfshoeve - 72,400 %
9. Shana de Ben - Prosecco Van De Steenblok - 62,800 %

5-year olds

1. Katrien Verreet - Oblix van de Kempenhoeve - 84,600 %
2. Floris de Coninck - Origi - 84,400 %
3. Flore de Winne - Flynn - 83,300 %
4. Kara Bosman - O'Belle Amour de Tamise - 78,400 %
5. Kizzy Halket - Flambo - 77,600 %
6. Pieter Vermeire - Iron Man - 75,400 %
7. Flore de Winne - San Lora - 72,600 %
8. Sally Jacobs - Monamie - 71,800 %
9. Shana De Ben - Jayda - 70,400 %
Katrien Verreet - Seigneur Biolley - RET

6-year olds

1. Nick Van Laer - Conan Di Fonte Abeti - 83,400 %
2. Antoine Nowakowski - Quatergirl - 80,400 %
3. Shana De Ben - Ivanow - 80,200 %
4. Evi Verschueren - Fairytale - 75,000 %
5. Nils Debo - His Romance - 70,800 %
6. Benedicte Renson - Dream Romance - 69,800 %
7. Peter de Mulder - Indian Summer - 69,600 %
8. Laurent Paquot - Belle Demoisel VH Lindenh - 65,800 %
9. Bas Verthriest - Iton - 61,600 %
10. Regis Brocatus - Icarus - 61,400 %

7-year olds

not found on the official score page