Wellington regular Susan Pape (GBR) topped the 3* Grand Prix at the 2023 CDI Wellington on Friday 27 January 2023, riding the American owned KWPN gelding Eclectisch to 70.826%.
In second place behind Pape, Singaporean rider Caroline Chew made her CDI debut on the well-known stallion Blue Hors Zatchmo. The 14-year-old by Blue Hors Zack x Donnerhall — who was most recently competed at the level by Danish rider Nanna Skodborg Merrald in 2022 — scored 68.261%.
Jan Ebeling (USA) finished third, riding Jubi’s Tenacity to 67.978%.
Smattering of Eights
The 14-year-old stallion received a smattering of eights throughout the test.
“I think the extended canter was pretty good,” enthused Pape, who is based in Germany and is riding at Global Dressage Festival for the eighth time. “His pirouettes were very nice, his twos were very nice, and all of his canter work is a highlight.”
Pape, along with her sponsor Harmony Sporthorses, bought the son of Zenon x Olivi when he was a rising eight-year-old.
“He was owned by a Swedish woman [Ida-Linn Lundholm] who competed him in the World Championships for young horses’ level, where he was very successful,” explained Pape, who usually produces horses up the levels herself. “At that time, we were looking for an upcoming Grand Prix horse. This time my sponsors wanted to buy me this nice horse. He’s been here [at GDF] almost every year since then and started here in the Prix St. Georges, and we worked our way up to the Grand Prix.”
From Holland to Denmark to Sweden to Germany and the U.S.A.
Eclectisch is bred by the Andeweg family in The Netherlands and was first owned by Leander de Heer, who presented him at the 2012 AES Stallion Licensing, where Andreas Helgstrand bought him.
In 2013 he finished sixth at the Danish Young Horse Championships under Thomas Sigtenbjerggaard and in 2014 Eclectisch sold to Ericsbergs Sateri AB. Under Ida-Linn Lundholm he won bronze at the 2014 Swedish Young Horse Championships and finished 14th in the Finals for 7-year olds at the 2016 World Young Horse Championships in Ermelo.
In December 2017 Leslie Malone of Harmony Sport Horses bought the stallion for Pape to ride.
Riesenbeck
Last year, Pape and Eclectisch were on the long list for the 2022 World Championships, and this year’s calendar climax is the 2023 European Dressage Championships in Riesenbeck, Germany, in September.
“I don’t really go goal by goal, I just go month by month,” said Pape. “The selectors will decide, and we will see where we end up. The plan now is to do two more Grands Prix here and then a World Cup at the beginning of March, and then we fly home.
“I really enjoy being here,” she added. “I only have a couple of horses here, so you can spend time with them. At home we have a big business, and it’s rush, rush, rush. Here you can really concentrate on the process and that is what I really love about it — and showing here in this ring, it’s just awesome.”
Text by GDF, edited by Eurodressage.
Related Links
Scores: 2023 CDI Wellington
Eclectisch Sold to Harmony Sport Horses
Bohemian and Eclectisch Win 6- and 7-Year old Consolation Finals at 2016 World Young Horse Championships
Susan Pape and Eclectisch Second Twice on GP Debut at 2020 CDI-W Wellington