Pony Pair Benner and Der Kleine Sunnyboy, World Number One, Sweep 2020 CDI Le Mans

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2020 CDI Le Mans

German pony pair Shona Benner and her loyal equine partner Der Kleine Sunnyboy swept the pony division at the 2020 CDI Le Mans on 14 - 16 February 2020 bagging a double victory in the team and freestyle test and a second place in the individual.

Coming into her last year on ponies, Benner started 2020 with another notch on her belt: She is currently ranked Number One on the FEI World Pony Riders Ranking.

Double Victory at 2020 CDI Le Mans

Benner and the 10-year old Der Kleine Sunnyboy (by Der Feine Lord x Valentino) swept the board in two of three pony classes at their first CDI of 2020 in Le Mans, France. They posted a winning 74.048% in the team test and a top placing 76.375% in the freestyle to Music. They were second in the individual test with 72.158%.

Riding the liver chestnut pony that is owned by Paul and Tobias Schulz-Isenbeck and Shona herself, Benner was thrilled with Sunny's performance at the indoor show in France.

"Sunny felt just great," she told Eurodressage. "I had the feeling that after the Europeans he still has improved and is improving. He was concentrated and relaxed, in a good way excited about being on a competition again. Of course there are still some things I could improve as it`s the beginning of the international competition season, but I'm looking forward to all the other competitions with a very good and positive feeling."

Benner looks back on a massively successful year 2019. She won the team, individual and freestyle bronze medal at the European Pony Championships in Strzegom, Poland, last August.

In December she competed at the CDI Aachen Indoor Dressage Days with another string of seventy percentage marks. Le Mans was their first CDI of the new year.

"We've already heard through friends that the scenery is beautiful there and as we wouldn't have had time at the weekend of the CDI Lier we chose Le Mans," said Benner. "Plus we are always very excited to get to know new competitions, it brings variety into our competition plan."

Focused on Professional Training for Optimal Results

Benner and Der Kleine Sunnyboy made their international show debut at the CDI Nieuw en St. Joosland in April 2018. Two years of hard workd culminated in German team selection and a trio of medals at the 2019 Europeans.

Shona and Sunny at the 2019 CDI Leudelange

"I'm training with Katharina Schulte-Varendorff who has supported and trained me for over five years now at the stable of Helen Langehanenberg," said Shona. "I absolutely love training with her every single time. She's simply one of a kind in the most positive way there is. She knows Sunny and me so, so well and can decide by looking at us what kind of training will be most useful that day. I'm so very thankful and grateful to have her and I couldn't think of a better trainer! I am also very grateful to have Helen Langehanenberg in the background and I am able to train on her lovely premises."

German team selection also involves having the watchful eye of German team trainer Cornelia Endres as an extra. Endres lives close to Benner's base near Munster, Germany, and sees Endres on a regular basis. "Once in a week I'm also training with Connie Endres, which is an ideal supplement to my home training," she added.

Over the winter the pair has worked hard to improve even more and fine-tune their skills.

"We especially worked on the shoulder in's and the half passes which is where we always had some difficulties," said Benner. "Katharina made such a great plan so Sunny's half passes are better than ever now. We also work on the elasticity of Sunny which already is very, very good."

But it is not always work and full focus. Shona does not forget to have fun with her pony.

"He's always has so much fun being ridden without a saddle or cantering in jumping seat," she said. "And the most important thing we wanted to keep is the fun. Sunny always has fun, which you can feel every time you ride him."

2020 to Be the Apex of a Pony Career

Ambitions are high for 2020, Shona's last year on ponies. The 15-year old is striving for more medals at the European Pony Championships, which will return to Strzegom in the summer and they are already off to a great start by being the number one ranked pair on the FEI World Pony Ranking List.

Triple bronze at the 2019 European Pony Championships

"It feels so amazing," Benner gushed about this achievement. "I can't really put in words how proud I am of Sunny. He has done and is still doing so much for me always fights for me which is why I'm really happy for him, because it's also a distinction for him. Without him and without Katharina I wouldn't have been able to achieve such a success."

While Shona wants to shine in the show ring, she keeps her feet on the ground and realizes that pony sport is all about having fun and establishing a deep bond with her equine partner.

"I just want to have a lot of fun with Sunny and enjoy every second with him," she explained. "It would be great if we could follow up our successes from 2019 and improve things. But really most important is having fun and keeping well and fit."

This year Shona will also start focusing on making the transition to junior level with her horse Dancing Florencia (by Don Tango B x Negro). Benner is also serious about school and plans on studying medicine at university in three years, but she will include riding in her life, for sure.

"If I'm lucky I'll be able to keep up riding during my studies and also afterwards," she said. "Riding is really part of my life and it is my passion. I would be really sad if i had to give it up."