Germany's Henriette Schmidt became the overnight lead in the team championship test after the first group has ridden at the 2020 European Young Riders Championships at Stable Unikornis in Pilisjaszfalu, Hungary on Monday 17 August 2020.
The action continued at the 2020 European Youth Championships at Unikornis in the Budapest region in Hungary. The event consolidates all five 2020 FEI Youth European Championships, coming to the rescue after two venues - Strzegom and Hartpury - cancelled the organisation of the pony, junior and young riders Europeans due to Corona.
Germany Posts High Score of the Day
The Young Riders pairs arrived on the weekend and the opening ceremony took place on Sunday afternoon 16 August 2020.
This week the European Youth Championships will feature the Young Riders and Under 25 division, both in which the team medals were won by Germany. This year the German Young Rider team arrived in Budapest in a slimmed down version, which just three combinations in the team. The last time this was the case pigs could still fly and man had just invented the wheel! Germany's Young Rider lead-up to Budapest was more than troublesome with no less than four horses unsound and one not passing the drug test.
The pair began its ride with a good flow in the trot tour and smooth half passes, but there was a light tilting on the voltes. Overall the eye mote was the fact that Schmidt had busy backwards half-halting hands that were often held high and never quiet. This translated into a horse's mouth that was not quite and showed a trembling, tense lip. There was a good collected walk, but a small hesitation in the left turn on the haunches. The extended walk had two hooves overstep with clear rhythm and good relaxation, but it wasn't the biggest striding. In the canter half pass to the left lost the 3-beat rhythm a bit and in the left half pirouette he dropped in the poll and it looked laboured. The right half pirouette was smaller but still not entirely balanced. The four tempi changes were straight but could be more supple over the back. The three tempi changes were clear, but there was lost of ground cover and straight length. Schmidt two clean, square halts at entry and at the end of the ride.
The judges rewarded her test with a generaous 72.824%. Her individual scores went from 71.765 (Christensen) to 74.559% (De Wolff).
Team Denmark Connects
Two Danish riders competed today and they ensured that they stayed connected with the top of the field. Based on the highest score ridden, Denmark stands second, but if you look at both scores, they are the overnight leader in the team competition so far.
Her team mate Laura Jarlkvist Rasmussen followed in a provisional fourth place with 70.441%. Aboard the 16-year old Aatoftens Dornier, Rasmussen is an elegant rider but overall her chestnut looks a bit compressed and not free flowing enough through the body. The judges' marks ranged from 69.118% to 71.324%.
Dutch Third Highest Despite Elimination
The third highest score of the day came from Holland's fourth team rider, newcomer Quinty Vossers aboard the 8-year old KWPN gelding Hummer (by Charmeur x Daddy Cool). The pair posted 71.235% to place third provisionally.
The last starter of the day was team routinier Thalia Rockx on the 9-year old home bred KWPN gelding Golden Dancer de la Fazenda (by Bretton Woods x Florestan). The long legged liver chestnut began the test with a halt at entry with the hindlegs stretched out. The first extended trot was crooked on two tracks with hindquarters to the right but had good overtrack. The trot work showed much cadence, as Golden Dancer is big mover but a bit slow behind. Nevertheless the horse was very willing to work with the rider. In the collected walk he lost a bit of the suppleness in the back in the right turn on the haunches and also in the extended walk he was limited in overtrack, with just one hoof overstep, but Rockx was able to show good relaxation. Unfortunately right after the canter half passes, the pair was stopped by the judge at C as Golden Dancer bit his tongue and drew blood. This automatically leads to elimination. A big blow for the Dutch team.
Belgians Follow
The dark bay gelding showed good cadence in trot, with a very steady rhythm in lateral movements and voltes, and good ground cover in the lengthenings. The horse came off the track in the shoulder in right, but overall there was a good forward tendency. In the collected walk the clarity became edgy before the turns, but the half pirouettes in walk were well ridden. The extended walk had two hooves overtrack and Lamborghini could stretch the nose more forward. In canter there was good balance in the half pirouettes, but they could have been ridden a bit more neatly. The fours went well, but lacked some expression, as the contact in the bridle become stronger and stronger dyring the test. The horse is too held in front to really swing over the back. There was a small blip in the threes, otherwise the score would have been even higher.
Luyten scored 70.412% to place fifth provisionally. Team mate, new comer Beaudine Pieters and the 11-year old KWPn gelding Elbrasco L (by Ampere x Aktion) were 16th with 65.323%.
The team championship test concludes tomorrow morning after which the team medals are decided.
Eurodressage will be live on the scene as of Wednesday.
Text by Astrid Appels - Photos © Lukasz Kowalski
Related Links
Scores: 2020 European Young Riders & Under 25 Championships
Eurodressage Coverage of the 2020 European Youth Championships
