Danish born American Charlotte Jorst is proving that her 19-year old Grand Prix horse Nintendo is aging like red wine. The pair bagged its fourth victory out of six starts at the 2022 Global Dressage Festival in Wellington, Florida, on Saturday 19 March 2022 during the CDIO 3*.
Nonstop Action
Week 10 of the 2022 Global Dressage Festival has been nonstop action. As one of the last combinations to go in the Grand Prix Special 3*, presented by Iron Spring Farm, Charlotte Jorst (USA) and her longtime partner, Nintendo (by Negro x Monaco), did what they do best and strutted to the top spot with a score of 72.936%.
In a highly competitive field of 15 starting combinations for the Special, Anna Marek (USA) rode Janet Simile’s Fire Fly to a personal best 69.915% to rocket up the standings. Their score held up for quite a while until Alice Tarjan (USA) and her nine-year-old Hanoverian mare, Serenade MF (by Sir Donnerhall I x Don Principe), laid down a stylish test for 70.872%.
Tarjan would have to settle for second and Marek for third as Jorst and “Nintendo” came triumphantly down their last centerline to applause from the crowd.
“I love my cheering section, and I love being out there,” expressed Jorst. “Especially at my age and because I started older, it’s a huge privilege to be able to do this at all, and then in addition to also to have someone actually admire what you do is unbelievable.”
Turning Back the Clock
Charlotte Jorst’s 19-year-old KWPN stallion Nintendo seems to be turning back the clock, showing more and more exuberance. Even after a demanding Grand Prix Special test, Nintendo was still charged up for the awards ceremony.
“He was so on fire today! I gave him yesterday off and he just walked, so he was full of energy today. It was such a fun test, and it was just so incredible to ride him like that today,” enthused Jorst. “In the test, I kept going and going, and he was always completely in front of my leg. He hasn’t been this energetic in I don’t know how long!” she laughed.
This week’s target for Jorst and Nintendo was the Special as a necessary component towards qualification for the 2022 World Championships Dressage in Herning, Denmark. Jorst noted that she hasn’t ridden this test with Nintendo in quite some time but enjoyed coming back to it today.
“I really liked the two-tempis coming across and then to the one-tempis, because I haven’t done those together like that in a long time,” Jorst explained. “I also loved the half passes because those big half passes are so much fun. He was really going uphill, so it felt very successful.”
Today’s win marks Nintendo’s last appearance at AGDF this season, and it certainly has been a great one for the pair as they won four of their six starts. Jorst added that her friendship and collaboration with Charlotte Bredahl has made the experience that much more joyful.
“This season has been very special. I think it started with Aachen last year where it kind of dawned on [Nintendo] what he’s supposed to do, and now he just seems to do it every class. He never misses a beat,” commented Jorst. “This has been my best season in terms of laughter and working together, and I think it shows in the horse.”
Aponte on Top
Second place went to Melanie Thomson of Canada and Anna May McCloskey’s Gatsby, a 13-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Goldfever II x Lauries Crusador xx. They had impressive collected canter work and achieved an overall score of 66.226%.
Rounding out the top three was fellow Canadian, Yanina Woywitka, with Hulk Hogan (by Bretton Woods x Houston). Woywitka and Susanne Dutt-Roth’s 10-year-old Hanoverian gelding achieved a personal best score of 65.490%.
Mendoza Wins Inter A
As the only rider in the test, Ecuador’s Julio Cesar Mendoza Loor was the star of the FEI Intermediate A CDI3* class with his and Alison Head’s Baylen Dream TWF.
The test was highlighted by the piaffe and passage, picking up several eights for the 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding by Benetton Dream x Routinier.
Text GDF, edited by Eurodressage
Photos © Sue Stickle
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