Juliane Brunkhorst and Diamante Negro Win First 2024 Nurnberger Burgpokal Qualifier in Hagen

The first finalist for the Nurnberger Burgpokal is confirmed: Juliane Brunkhorst won the first qualification of the 2024 season on the 8-year-old Diamante Negro on Sunday 28 April 2024. 

2024 Burgpokal

The CDI Hagen is traditionally the kick-off event of the Nurnberger Burgpokal circuit, an international, German based competition circuit for Developing Prix St Georges horses. Running for the 33rd time, the "Burgpokal" was established with the help of Dr. Reiner Klimke as a pathway for talented FEI level horses towards Grand Prix.

The 2024 circuit includes eight qualifiers (Hagen, Munich, Balve, Bettenrode, Elmlohe, Görlitz, Donaueschingen, Darmstadt). The 12 highest scoring pairs will be eligible to compete in the finals in Frankfurt in December 2024.

Brunkhorst Wins First Qualifier

Juliane Brunkhorst and Janna Alpers' 8-year old DSP bred Diamante Negro (by DeLorean x Furst Romancier) were the winners in the warm-up round on Saterday afternoon and also clinched the final on Sunday with 75.682%. 

"Hagen has an incredibly large and strong starting field, so it's very special to win here," said the professional rider from Hamburg. "You know the competition and can't afford to make any mistakes."

Her horse is bred by ZG Korhn and Dötschel. He was first showsn by Britta Krohn in 2019 before professional Silvia Busch-Kuffner took over the ride in 2020 until the spring of 2022 after which Brunkhorst got on board. The pair finished 15th at the 2022 Bundeschampionate for 6-year olds. The pair already competed on the Nurnberger circuit in 2023 when the horse was 7.

"Diamante Negro has developed a lot over the winter, everything is much more mature," said Juliane. "The whole test was simply superb from start to finish, it was seamless. Diamante has an incredible amount of rhythm and balance in all paces and is very sure-footed."

Dante's Pearl

In second place was Charlott Maria Schürmann with the 9-year old Oldenburg mare Dante's Pearl (by Dante Weltino x San Amour). 

Bred by Kerstin de Neui, the black mare is owned by Hof Kasselmann and sold in the 2020 PSI auction for 335,000 euro to former Swiss international youth rider Caroline-Marie Scheufele. The mare moved to Switzerland for a while, but returned to Hof Kasselmann's as Scheufele's main priority is no longer on riding. In 2022 she was allocated to Schürmann. 

The pair was fifth in the warm-up round on Saturday with 71.902% and moved to second place on Sunday with 73.658%

High Quality

In the warm-up round a group of 29 combinations competed in the Prix St Georges Special and it has to be said: there was so much horse power in it. So many gorgeous movers with high quality in all three gaits.

There were several future stars to be noticed, including Evelyn Eger's powerhouse Global Power, a 7-year old Oldenburg by Grey Flanell x Don Frederic, owned by Christiane Bergmann. What a horse !!

Lena Waldmann's Chere Celine (by Governor x San Ampur) looked more like a stallion than a mare, such a bodybuilder, and such a strong mover.

Wulfderding's Barnsdale W (by Boston x Breitling W) is certainly talented but showed no collection whatsoever. All movements were ridden in medium or extended trot/canter, yet they scored 72.073%.

This stood in stark contrast with the best ride of the day - without a doubt - when it comes to classical schooling, harmony, lightness and presentation. That was Greta Heemsoth on Boa Vista (by Bon Coeur x Scolari). The chestnut mare is certainly not the prettiest with her thin neck and high croup and not yet that uphill ridden, but the ease, lightness and correct way of training she showed, I expected her to come out of the ring with a 78%. Alas it was  69.853%.  That bridle contact was textbook for educational videos around the world! 

Gosh there were so many nice horses: Kristine Moller's Big Bang (by Bon Coeur x Quadroneur), Malin Nilsson on Svalegards Hot Zalina (by Zalabaster x Hotmine), and also the more old fashioned looking for strong D Rex RR (by Don Nobless x Furst Heinrich), presented by Austrian Terese Rhomberg-Rochelt. It was a yummy class.

- Text and Photos © Eurodressage (this article expresses Eurodressage's' eye-witness account and opinion about the competition)  

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