Quentano Gives Manuel Dominguez Winning International Grand Prix Debut at 2022 CDI Troisdorf

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F.O.C.U.S.

German based Spanish professional dressage rider Manuel Dominguez Bernal celebrated his international debut at Grand Prix aboard Niina Nilosaari's Quentano. At the 2022 CDI Troisdorf on 6 - 9 October 2022.

The CDI Troisdorf hosted its second international dressage competition at Haus Rott on the outskirts of Cologne (GER) this year. After a pilot CDI in 2021 and a first spring edition in 2022, the October CDI was the last outdoor CDI in western Europe of 2022. A strong field of Grand Prix riders rallied in Troisdorf to compete with two Grand Prix tours bringing top level action to the venue.

Winning Grand Prix Debut

In the Grand Prix Special tour, Manuel Dominguez Bernal and the Finnish owned 13-year old Hanoverian gelding Quentano (by Quaterback x Dartagnan) won the Grand Prix with 70.935%. For Dominguez, who is best known for winning silver and bronze at the World Young Horse Championships with breeding stallion Escamillo, this victory was a massive success as it was the rider's first international Grand Prix start in his career.

In a field of 11 riders, Dominguez and Quentano edged out German routinier Andrea Timpe on the 19-year old Don Darwin (by Don Schufro x Warkant) with 69.152% and German former pony team rider Annabel Frenzen on the 11-year old SilberStern FRH (by Silbermond x Raphael) with 68.717%

In the Grand Prix Special the next day, Dutchman Geert Jan Raateland and VMF Chardonnay (by Westpoint x Wellington) moved into the winner's circle with 71.149%, with Dominguez in second place on 70.957% and Timpe third with 69.426%

"Quentano went very well, better than I expected," Manuel told Eurodressage. "Even though there were things to improve I am very happy.

The 31-year old Dominguez, who works for Helen Langehanenberg in Germany, immediately thinks of what could have gone better and what the working points.

"There were very good moments in the test and other things that we still have to improve on to make it the same as at home," he said.

Quentano

Quentano was originally owned by Isabelle Bergmann and was nicknamed "Quatsch" at the time. Under Madita Zurheide he had his international show debut at a 6-year old in the young horse classes at the 2015 CDI Perl.

In 2018 Quentano sold through Hof Kasselmann to the British based Finnish Niina Nilosaari, who developed the horse to Grand Prix with her then-coach British Olympian Emile Faurie. The Brit put the first Grand Prix miles on the bay and competed him at a select few CDI's in 2019 and 2020, achieving 70.340% at the 2020 CDI Lier and 72.935% at the 2020 CDI Keysoe.

In the spring of 2021 Niina moved Quentano to Finnish team trainer Rien van der Schaft's yard in The Netherlands. The new collaboration convinced Van der Schaft to put on his tails again and he showed Quentano in a national show in Tolbert that year. Rien's last CDI start dated back to November 2008.

In Spanish Hands

Aside from one small tour start in 2018, Niina has not yet competed Quentano herself, but moved him into training from Van der Schaft to Dominguez in mid April 2022.

Nilosaari on Kom Ragdoll at the 2019 CDI Joosland

The horse has had a full one year break due to a hoof problem which required three MRI's and a scintigraphy to discover. After an operation, Quentano has restored to full health.

When asked what the future plans are with Quentano, Manuel replied, "continue to improve and do some international shows, and together with his owner plan the coming season."

Owner Nilosaari is an international dressage rider for Finland. She made her CDI debut in 2015 on the now 18-year old Finnish bred KOM Ragdoll (by Patrick x Tolstoy) and represented Finland at the 2017 European Championships in Gothenburg. In February 2022 Niina announced that Kom Ragdoll has been leased to a Taiwanese rider who wants to qualify for the postponed 2023 Asian Games.