Oatley, Schmitz-Morkramer, Schrödter, Rothenberger Win 2019 German Youth Riders Championships

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2019 German Youth Riders Championships

Pony rider Rose Oatley, children rider Alegra Schmitz-Morkramer, junior rider Jana Schrödter, and young rider Semmieke Rothenberger became the winners of the 2019 German Youth Riders Championships in Zeiskam on 13 - 15 September 2019.

Rose Oatley is German Pony Champion

In the pony division the youngest rider of the pack grabbed the gold medal. Twelve-year old Rose Oatley rode her 9-year old palomino gelding Daddy Moon (by Daddy Cool x Capri Moon) to victory after winning all three rounds. Trained by her mom, Australian Olympian Kristy Oatley, Rose and Daddy Moon won the team test with 76.888%, the individual with 77.561% and the kur to Music with 81.875%. The silver medal went to Shona Benner on the 9-year old Der Kleine Sunnyboy (by Der Feine Lord x Valentino). The pair won double individual bronze at the 2019 European Championships but on national level they were bested by Oatley. Benner was second in all three rounds with 74.658%, 76.382% and 79.025%. The bronze went to Johanna Kullmann and the 15-year old Champ of Class (by Champion de Luxe x Dornik B). The duo was not selected on the German team for the 2019 Europeans, but on national level they proved their worth. They were fourth in the team test (72.222%), third in the individual (73.496%) and third in the kur (77.075%). Biggest absentee at the German Pony Championships was German European pony team rider Lana Pinou Baumgurtel with Massimiliano. For the second year in a row, the Baumgurtels skipped the National Championships. Sister Lucie-Anouk competed pony Coriander at the small CDI Waregem in Belgium instead, but retired from the team test as she became unwell in the saddle.

"I'm very proud of my pony," said Rose. "While leaving the arena I had the feeling that we had made a mistake, but then I saw the scores and thought "wow". Daddy Moon now gets a break and then in November I'll ride at the Aachen Dressage Youngsters." Team trainer Connie Endres rung in: "At age 12 Rose is a special talent and she confirmed that here by winning three tests. That is why we took her to the Europeans. There nerves still came into play, but the German title underscores that she looks ahead of a good career in the pony saddle and that our decision was the right one." Interestingly, Germany's firm hold on team gold was convincingly broken by Denmark (gold) and The Netherlands (silver) at the 2019 European Championships in Strzegom, Poland, in August and Germany returned home with 'just' team bronze and two individual bronze medals.

Schmitz-Morkramer Wins Children Horse Change Finals

Nineteen riders competed in the Children division but only the three highest scoring ones were allowed to move on to a Finals , which were won by the 2019 European Children Champion Alegra Schmitz-Morkramer. The German children championhip took a very different format from the standard FEI system with three tests of which the scores are added. The three top children scoring riders had to compete in a finals with horse change, riding each other's horses. after winning the first two rounds on the 8-year old Holsteiner gelding Lavissaro (by Lissaro van de Helle x Aljano) with 77.111 and 78.854%, the 13-year old also dominated the finals, scoring 9.5 with her own horses and twice 8.8 on the horse's of her two competitors. She won gold with a total of 27.1 points. The silver went to Jona-Emily Bomberg on the 13-year old Oldenburg gelding Sinatra M (by Stedinger x Donnerhall). Jona ended up scoring even higher on the two other horses than her own in the finals and got silver with a 26.4 point total. Leonie Koch and the 11-year old Westfalian Floriano HB (by Florenciano x Rockwell) slotted in third with bronze. She finished on 24.3 points in the finals.

"Your seats needs no comment and your horse is light and fluent. You have talent for this sport and your ride approaches the optimal," said the judges about Alegra's Finals' round. Alegra beamed with pride: "I came to Zeiskam with my entire family and trainer Sonja Ellerbrock. I also competed in the pony division with my mare Loreley and made it to the Kur Finals, which made the time schedule really tight. Lavissaro is a sweetheart and always makes an effort for his rider. He did so his best. It's quite an effort to rode different horses in the finals."

Jana Schrödter In Command in Junior Division

The junior podium: Schmidt, Schrödter, Middelberg

After traveling to the 2019 European Junior Riders Championships in Italy as a last minute substitute for Lucie-Anouk Baumgurtel and winning triple gold there, Jana Schrödter continued to be in command at national level in the junior division. Aboard her 11-year old Oldenburg stallion Der Erbe (by Dimaggio x De Niro), Jana completed a hattrick winning all three rounds with 76.441%, 77.018% and 81.475%. Team mate Henriette Schmidt and the 12-year old Westfalioan stallion Rocky's Sunshine (by Rock Forever x Fittipaldi) finished on the silver step of the podium thanks to a 79.100% earning freestyle. She was in third place after the first two rounds with 73.874% and 73.860% but jumped to second place after the freestyle. Anna Middelberg and the 8-year old Hanoverian mare Blickfang HC (by Belissimo M x Brentano II) slotted in third for bronze. They were second in the team test with 73.919% and in the Individual with 74.737%, but dropped to fourth place in the kur with 75.825%

"Jana Schrödter and her horse are a dream pair, because they both have that winner's personality," said German youth team trainer Hans-Heinrich Meyer zu Strohen. "They have the urge to ride at the front. In the freestyle it worked for them with perfect music. The stallion has much power, dynamics and expression, which impresses the judges and the audience. We now hope that Jana will continue that way at young riders' level. She is in control of that mentally and as a rider."

Rothenberger Back on Gold

The Young rider podium: Holzknecht, Rothenberger, Welschof

Semmieke Rothenberger recaptured the German Young Riders Champion's title which she held for the first time in 2017. Rothenberger and her 12-year old Hanoverian mare Dissertation (by Don Crusador x Gluckspilz) are the 2019 European Young Riders Champions and in Zeiskam they dominated at national level. They won all three rounds with 77.895%, 79.298% and 83.100%. Team mate Paulina Holzknecht and the 16-year old Hanoverian gelding Wells Fargo (by Welser x Fabriano) got silver in their last year at Young Riders level. They placed second three times on 74.342%, 76.053% and 79.125%. Last year's German Young Riders Champion Lia Welschof brought her second ride to Zeiskam, the 17-year old Oldenburg gelding Don Windsor (by Don Cardinale x Waldstar xx), instead of her European Championship horse Linus K. With Don Windsor she got the bronze on 73.904% (4th), 75.439% (3rd) and 77.525 (3rd).

"Even though the season was so successful for us, I was a bit nervous competing here at the start," said Rothenberger. "We have to keep up the performance or improve even more. I don't think I've ever scored more than 83% for a freestyle with Daisy. This was incredible. Good that we worked on the traversal movements, which she shows really well at home. She now also did them super well in the Kur. I can only ride with a smile on her, because she's so much fun."

Photos © Sina Schäper - Mirka Nilkens

Results - 2019 German Youth Riders Championships - Zeiskam

Pony Riders

1. Daddy Moon - Oatley, Rose - 76.888 - 77.561 - 81.875 --- 236.324
2. Der kleine Sunnyboy - Benner,Shona - 74.658 - 76.382 - 79.025 --- 230.065
3. Champ of Class - Kullmann, Johanna- 72.222 - 73.496 - 77.075 --- 222.793
4. Drink Pink - Middelberg,Lara - 72.991 - 72.642 - 76.150 --- 221.783
5. Del Estero - Duen,Sophie Luisa - 72.009 - 73.089 - 73.300 --- 218.398
6. Dujardin B - Wulffen,Paulina von - 70.812 - 70.407 - 76.850 --- 218.069
7. Kastanienhof Cockney Cracker - Busch-Kuffner,Antonia - 65.342 - 73.496 - 75.950 --- 214.788
8. Da Capo's Dancing Boy - Paschertz,Clara - 67.564 - 70.772 - 73.250 --- 211.586
9. Mister Dornik - Klenk, Kelly-Ann - 69.231 - 70.000 - 71.325 --- 210.556
10. Frühlingstraum - Palm,Enya - 69.060 - 69.390 - 71.950 --- 210.400
11. Golden Diamond W - Bücker,Lena - 68.376 - 70.122 - 71.175 --- 209.673
12. Loreley - Schmitz-Morkramer, Allegra - 69.060 - 69.553- 69.275 --- 207.888

Children

1. 1 286 Lavissaro - SchmitzMorkramer,Allegra - 77.111 - 78.854 ---- 8.800 9.500 8.800 --- 27.100
2 391 Sinatra M - Bomberg,JonaEmily - 70.333 - 73.333 ---- 8.900 9.100 8.400 --- 26.400
3 232 Floriano HB - Koch,Leonie - 71.111 - 72.448 ---- 8.300 8.200 7.800 --- 24.300

Junior Riders

1. Der Erbe - Schrödter, Jana - 76.441 - 77.018 - 81.475 --- 234.934
2. Rocky's Sunshine - Schmidt, Henriette- 73.874 - 73.860 - 79.100 --- 226.834
3. Blickfang HC - Middelberg, Anna - 73.919 - 74.737 - 75.825 --- 224.481
4. Summer Rose OLD - Allard, Romy - 71.892 - 73.377 - 76.500 --- 221.769
5. Sir Robin Off Loxley - Gömmer, Emma - 71.036 - 71.886 - 74.500 --- 217.422
6. Ducati K - Schamburg, Henri - 70.631 - 72.237 - 72.600 --- 215.468
7. FBW Despereaux - Loon, Emely van- 71.171 - 71.754 - 71.800 --- 214.725
8. Descolari - Collin, Luca Sophia - 69.865 - 71.272 - 73.575 --- 214.712
9. Babylon - Wulffen, Elisabeth von - 69.324 - 71.140 - 73.950 --- 214.414
10. Holly Golightly - Derlien, Anna - 69.730 - 70.088 - 73.275 --- 213.093
11. Boscolo - Bendig, Lily - 68.423 - 71.842 - 72.350 --- 212.615
12. Rigamento Royal - Nölken, Franziska - 69.775 - 70.614 - 70.975 --- 211.364

Young Riders

1. Dissertation - Rothenberger, Semmieke- 77.895 - 79.298 - 83.100 --- 240.293
2. Wells Fargo - Holzknecht, Paulina - 74.342 - 76.053 - 79.125 --- 229.520
3. Don Windsor OLD - Welschof, Lia- 73.904 - 75.439 - 77.525 --- 226.868
4. Four Seasons - Westendarp, Alexa - 74.342 - 75.351 - 74.225 --- 223.918
5. Fürst Kaspar - Erbe, Helen - 72.237 - 73.509 - 76.350 --- 222.096
6. Fierro - Erbe, Linda - 71.711 - 70.789 - 75.825 --- 218.325
7. Lifestyle - Damm, Franz Otto - 70.658 - 71.886 - 74.600 --- 217.144
8. Rue Noblesse - Reef, Sophie - 69.342 - 70.351 - 73.775 --- 213.468
9. Dancer - Krause, Nadine - 68.772 - 70.614 - 73.900 --- 213.286
10. Resümee - Jensen, Emilia Josephina - 69.868 - 70.877 - 71.800 --- 212.545
11. Lord Locksley - Renners, Kea - 68.816 - 71.974 - 71.150 --- 211.940
12. Lady Danza - Sieverding, Johanna - 69.605 - 69.956 - 67.450 --- 207.011