Bart Veeze Plays the Game of Thrones with Red Viper - Wins 5-YO Preliminary Test at 2024 WCYH

- Text © Eurodressage (this article expresses Eurodressage's' eye-witness account and opinion about the competition)  
-- Photos © Astrid Appels/Eurodressage - No reproduction allowed - NO SCREENSHOTS!

Dutch Bart Veeze is playing the Game of Thrones" with the KWPN stallion Red Viper as he wielded the axe of power in the 5-year old preliminary test at the 2024 World Championships for young dressage horses in Ermelo, The Netherlands. Veeze and his stunning stallion showed to have their minds sets on the crown and title in the most competitive age category the WCYH has to offer.

Each year the 5-year old division brings out the group of highest quality horses as gaits and presentation matter more than technical skill, fine tuning and the ability to collection, something demanded in the 6 and 7-year old division. This is why the 5-yo class is always the most popular one and incites stallion owners to put their flashy stallions up for team selection as the WCYH provides one of the strongest marketing platforms in the world to pick up more breedings or to sell the horses for more bucks than market standard.  Of the 46 five-year olds in this year's field, no less than 22 (!!) are stallions, putting the mares (9) and geldings (15) on the fringe. 

Red Viper Reigns

Red Viper, a KWPN registered stallion by Romanov x Sir Sinclair, proved unbeatable in the preliminary test after posting a winning score of 9.20 points. The judges panel consisted of Bernard Maurel, Lars Andersson, Kurt Christensen, and Ulrike Nivelle and they had the very difficult task of sorting the field of 5-year olds according to quality and presentation. They began with whopping high marks and at the start of the day gave the impression there was little system in their judging, but in the afternoon their points became much more precise and clear.

Bart Veeze and Red Viper performed round noon time half-way through the field and impressed with his excellent basic gaits and drop dead gorgeous looks. Beauty embodied, the stallion showed a ground covering trot that moved uphill in front, but there was a clear lack of bending and flexion in the corners. Veeze literally rode the horse from behind into the hand, and overall the contact needed to be more light and elastic (proven by the fact that there was not enough stretch when the rein was given at the end of the ride). He often appeared too high and too tight in the neck.  The horse brimmed with quality nonetheless.  The medium walk was executed like an extended walk with two hooves overtrack, but there could have been a little more V-moment in the 4-beat rhythm. The canter work was lovely with big, balanced striding. Only the transition down to trot was hesitant and the simple change was slightly tense. The judges awarded the horse 8.8 for walk, 9.5 for trot, 9.2 for canter, 9 for submission (?) and 9.5 for general impression. 

Red Viper is bred by Coen Kerbert and owners by Eugene Reesink. He was named after one of the most legendary characters of the Game of Thrones series, Oberyn Martell,  translated to the silver screen by Chilean actor Pedro Pascal. The character is known for his unusual, deadly style of combat (before his tragic demise in one of the most gruelling scenes of the TV-series, but let's forget that for a moment). 

The First Will be Second

The first ride of the day was delivered by Swedish Jeanna Hogberg on Swedish warmblood Severucci HT (by Secret x Rubinrot) and the pair immediately set the bar very high as they scored 8.98 points and retained the lead for half the day. He is bred and owned by Gabriella Grewin Bramberg.

Hogberg and the chestnut stallion produced very supple and forward trot work that was balanced throughout the movements. In the rein back he dragged the feet a bit and dropped behind the vertical  and the transition to canter was a bit hesitant. The horse was very obedient though and always listened to his rider. In the counter canter he slightly lost the elasticity and 3-beat rhythm. The judges rewarded him 8.6 for walk, 9.2 for trot, 8.8 for canter, 9.0 for submission and 9.3 for general impression. 

The fourth horse of the day - the breeding stallion Glamdale WP - landed third place in the end with the same score as Severucci, 8.98 points. Presented by Stefanie Ahlert, the Westfalian registered Glamourdale x Millennium offspring, bred and owned by Heike Pleines, is a gorgeous black stallion one can hardly paint more pretty. The trot work was ridden in medium trot instead of working trot and was hurried because it was so forward, but the stallion certainly showed a very good hindleg and movement mechanism. He was unsteady in the poll. The medium walk showed very active, ground covering marching and the canter was good, but not as uphill yet despite an actively engaged hindleg. The stalion neighed several times, but kept working for his rider though. The judges loved him and rewarded the horse with 9.3 for walk, 9 for trot, 8.8 for canter, 8.6 for submission and 9.2 for general impression. 

German Breeding Power

Six of the 12 horses that directly qualified for the Final were part of the German team, show casing the dominance of German breeding. Last year you needed at least an 8.26 to qualify directly for the final, this year the 12th score was 8.58 points.

Ann-Christin Wienkamp and the Hanoverian bred Voundation (by Vitalis x Foundation), bred and owned by Andrea Klüfers and Matthias Fieseler of  Rhenania Pferde, landed fourth place with 8.82 points. This horse was the second to go in the preliminary test. The tall, bright bay gelding looked extremely established for a 5-year old. Wienkamp regularly gave him the rein so he would not shorten the neck and the horse properly stretched into the contact when the rein was given at the end of the test. The rein back was crooked. The medium walk was an extended walk (pretty much not a single top scoring pair performed a medium walk, it was always an extended walk). Voundation marched well, but was a bit short-long in the front legs. The judges rewarded the horse with 9 for walk, 8.8 for trot, 8.5 for canter, 8.8 for submission and 9 for general impression. 

German Jennifer Stein presented her French bred Hanoverian Enrico de Hus (by Escolar x Don Juan de Hus) in a very sympathetic way. The tall, chunky liver chestnut truly looked like a happy athlete. The large-framed horse was big and forward in trot, but the rider could sit a bit more quiet in the extensions instead of unnecessarily pushing in the saddle when lengthening the stride. The medium walk was ground covering, with good marching, the canter had big uphill striding.  This gentle giant, which is bred by Xavier Marie at Haras de Hus, is owned by Bernadette Brune who acquired him from Gwendal Le Stunff before his fatal car accident. Bernadette paid it forward to her assistant rider Jennifer and gave her the chance to ride at a World Championships. The judges scored the horse 8.5 for walk, 8.8 for trot and canter, 9.0 for submission (correct!!) and 8.8 for general impression. 

Spaniard Alvaro Conesa de Oliveira rode Andreas Helgstrand's  J'Adore Dior H (by Jovian x Sir Donnerhall to a seventh place.  The pair represented team Germany as the horse is Oldenburg registered and bred by Hof Kasselmann's sales agent Michael Holtgers.  The bay J'Adore Dior is a very athletic, long lined and long legged horse with lightfooted, elegant gaits. Conesa sat quietly in the saddle as he piloted the horse through the test. The walk was a little limited, but the trot was a highlight. The judges scored the horse 7.5 for walk, 9.3 for trot, 9 for canter and submission and 8.8 for general impression.

French Camille Judet Cheret got sandwiched by the German horses into place six aboard her Oldenburg bred Emoji JCD SL (by Emilio x Foundation x Plaisir d'Amour). Acquired as a foal by Judet from breeder Stefanie Lohmann and reared in Germany at Hartwig Bulle's barn, the horse was saddle broken by Madga Pommier before Camille took over the training of the gelding in 2022. The bay gelding was very established in the work and moved with much lightness in the frontleg and freedom in the shoulder. The mouth was fairly dry and in the counter canter he lost some of the elasticity in the back. He scored 8.74 to place 6th with 8.6 for walk, 8.8 for trot, 8.5 for canter, 9 for submission and 8.8 for general impression. 

Look Who's Back

An apparition ! After a 13-year absence from international dressage sport Portuguese 2010 WEG team member Mafalda Galiza Mendes made a spectacular come back to the CDI arena aboard the Hanoverian bred stallion Belcanto HB (by Benicio x Rascalino). Bred by Helmut Bassmann in Germany, the very colourful chestnut with white stockings and blaze made a pleasant appearance in the arena and reminded much of his sire Benicio.  The stallion had lots of shoulder freedom and even though he appeared a bit ponyesque he delivered a very clean test that was soothing for the eye. The trot extensions showed clear lengthening of the stride, the rein back was excellently ridden and the horse actively marched in the medium walk. She was one of the few riders who rode really clear transitions. In canter Belcanto lost a bit the 3-beat rhythm.  The judges scored the stallion 9 for walk, 8.8 for trot, 8 for canter, 9 for submission (could have been higher) and 8.7 for perspective. With 8.70 points they finished 8th. 

Dutch Kirsten Brouwer is also back at the WCYH with yet another young horse. Holland's serial WCYH medal winner saddled Jan Pieter Dalsem's KWPN stallion Ohio (by Kaiman x Grand Galaxy Win) for the occasion. The beautiful black stallion has an impressive forehand and generates much airtime in the trot work, although he rushed a bit in the medium trot. The walk had a clear rhythm and the canter was solid, but he lacked stretching when the rein was given and overall the bending and flexion of this horse have to improve. He got 8.68 for a 9th place with 7.8 for walk, 8.8 for trot, 9 for canter and submission and 8.8 for perspective. 

A Few Notes

There were so many good horses in the 5-year old class, one felt like a kid in a candy store watching all that horse power paraded in front of your nose. 

Dutch young breeding sensations One Million (by Vivaldi x Apache) and Obsession Taonga (by ) both had similar black jackets and conformation and three high quality basic gaits but struggled with their general attention and with lightness and chewing in the bridle. 

In previous years Danish warmblood has had annual medal winners but this year Denmark is struggling to keep up with the pack. Their medal favourite Lygum's Zelina (by St. Schufro x Zack), presented and co-owned by rider Victoria Vallentin, was probably one of the most interesting horses to watch, but correctly scored by the panel with an 8.56 overall.  The black mare is a real prima donna: elegant, feminine, light footed with unlimited freedom in the shoulder, a frontleg that reaches far and very uphill in trot and canter. The hindleg is quick and engaged, but she appeared very reliant on the rider  and unless she was driven forwards in a spectacular medium trot, she lost her self carriage and balance in the corners and appeared a bit "tricked".  The walk was correct in rhythm but did not have the big overstep like some of her peers, the mouth was dry and frozen (no chrwing) and she seemed more ridden on the left than the right rein. She got 7.7 for walk, 9.3 for trot, 8.5 for canter, 8.6 (still high) for submission and 8.7 for general impression.

Canadian Beatrice Boucher made an impression on Canadian Olympian Camille Carier Bergeron's KWPN mare On Fire (by Indian Rock x Davino), scoring 8.52 points for a 14th place. The compact bay mare is pretty, elegant, lightfooted in trot. She needed more bending and flexion on the half voltes. The medium walk was very active. She got 8.5 for walk, 8.8 for trot, 7.8 for canter, 9 for submission and 8.5 for general impression. 

American Grand Prix rider Alice Tarjan presented her KWPN stallion Orado (by Desperado x Johnson), a drop dead gorgeous horse bred by J. De Louw. The stallion showed incredible willingness and rideability, but overall the hindlegs moved more out than under. Nevertheless, Tarjan did a good show in presenting him in a consistent frame, giving the horse confidence in the test. They got 8.26 points. 

British Grand Prix rider Fiona Bigwood made her WCYH debut aboard the British bred Oldenburg gelding Newton Sylvanite (by Torveslettens Sylvester x Don Schufro). The trot work was active, off the ground and quick in the hindleg, but the horse leaned on the rider's hands. The medium walk had plenty of overtrack but was not so relaxed. The canter was uphill. He got 7.98 for 23rd place. 

The best scoring non-warmblood was PRE stallion Quincallero Ancla II (by Travador IX x Guaro V), presented by Spaniard Alfonso Jesus Martinez Benitez whose last major FEI championship was nine years ago at the 2015 European Championships in Vidauban as a junior rider. The pair rode a clean test and never did the rider obstruct or overask his horse. In a field of massive movers, this bay PRE stallion stood his fround and got 7.74 for 28th place. 

German born Chilean rider Svenja Grimm has a high quality horse in her Oldenburg gelding Best Secret (by Bonds x Sandro Hit) but today the horse was too electric and spooky to show off his top gaits in a relaxed and fluent way. 

Spain's Claudia Costas Nijhof certainly has a horse for the future in the CDE registered Olivetti (by Joyride x Olivi), but the rider's lack of experience, or maybe nerves, affected the smoothness of the ride. The chestnut has an expressive trot with the right amount of "knee", but lacked bending in the trot work. The walk was not entirely relaxed but could have good overstep. Also the canter was not bad, but it all lacked polish for a WCYH. Onwards and upwards. Today it was 7.56 points for 33rd spot. 

On Thursday 5 September the consolation finals for 5-year olds will take place in the afternoon. The top three of that class will also qualify for the Finals, bringing the total to 15 that will ride for the medals. 

So let's see what will happen. Eurodressage is there to cover it all in detail with photos and article. I'm ready!

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

Eurodressage is taking photos of (pretty much) all competitors in Ermelo. No reproduction allowed - NO SCREENSHOTS!

Related Link
Eurodressage Coverage of the World Championships for Young Dressage Horses