Klimke Premiers Vayron, Justin Verboomen Steals the Show at 2024 CDI Kronenberg Indoor

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

The 2024 CDI Kronenberg Indoor at equestrian center De Peelbergen is an annual magnet for new combinations to test their skills and prepare for the upcoming show season. Last year Dufour premiered Mount St. John Freestyle there, this year we saw two new pairs lay the foundation for an exciting show year in 2025: Klimke on Vayron and Verboomen on Zonik Plus.

The Grand Prix entry field with 36 pairs had more to offer than those two new stars, but it was a task for the hard-core to sit it through as competition day started at 8h30 in the morning with youth classes and the Grand Prix only commenced at 16h00. The class lasted until almost 22h30 and tested one's endurance and dedication.

Great Expectations for the Grand Prix

Ingrid Klimke premiered the Olympic team silver medal winning Vayron (by Vitalis x Gloster) after only one month together. The 13-year old giant bay represented Denmark at the 2023 Europeans and 2024 Olympics under Daniel Bachmann. After a sale to the U.S.A fell through, the horse moved into Klimke's barn at the end of October. 

Ingrid has a far different riding style from Daniel Bachmann who is more a pilot in total control of his horse and literally supporting it through the difficult parts, while Klimke attempts to have her horses in a more self-carrying, "autonomous" condition. I arrived in Kronenberg with great expectations and curiosity to see how the celebrated eventing rider would manage the 1.92m standing Vayron.

The draw for the Grand Prix was supposed to be "random" as indicated on the FEI schedule , so something smelled fishy when you looked at the starters list and all the big name riders were 'drawn' in the final group. Sure some had two horses in the class, but it did not feel "random" at all with the Olympians going in the best spots shortly before what felt like midnight (Minderhoud, Fry, Pottier, Rahmouni, Klimke). 

Klimke and Vayron Win

As last rider to go Klimke and Vayron rode a confidence building test. The horse excelled in the trot extensions and half passes, showed a good relaxed extended walk and had much bounce in the passage, but in piaffe he crossed behind and leaned on the forehand. The side view in the piaffe is better than a frontal view. The line of two tempi changes started croup high and the last change was short. The zig zag lacked some ground cover and there was a very early change at K after the extended canter. Ingrid struggled a little with the canter pirouettes which were big and in the final passage on the centerline the horse swayed heavily in the hindquarters, but overall it was a good enough ride to begin with after just four weeks together.

The judges panel in Kronenberg included Paula Nysten, Thomas Kessler, Eduard De Wolff Van Westerrode, Clive Halsall, and Jacques Van Daele and as usual with new combinations, they are frazzled: reward the big name, past achievements, or actually scores what happens in front. Klimke finished on a total of 73.609% and placed first with all five but the individual marks ranged from 72.391% to 76.522%.

"I am overjoyed how great Vayron presented himself in the arena today," Klimke took to Instagram. "After such a short time being able to win the Grand Prix right away, I also thank Daniel Bachmann's good training.  I was also very happy that the owners Sandra and Rudolf Spiekermann, my mom and Monica Theodorescu supported me here."

On Saturday they were fourth in the Special with 71.149%.

Rothenberger Runner-Up

After a rather on and off season with shows and no-shows, doing seniors as well as Under 25, winning the Under 25 Nationals but getting refused for the U25 team, Semmieke Rothenberger rode her top horse Farrington, a 14-year old KWPN gelding by Jazz x Samba Hit, in his first international this year...and not in the U25 but in the senior division alongside her second horse Flanell, which she started earlier in the class.

They began with a square halt that was wide behind and a conservative trot extensions with little overtrack, the half pass right was too passagey, the left one much better. The rein back had a good halt but was six steps. There was hardly any overtrack in the second trot extension. The first piaffe was expressive but moving forward. Farrington achieved one hoof overtrack in the extended walk but had good relaxation. Also the second piaffe was too forward but the energy in the piaffe and passage was good. The zig zag was nice, the one tempi straight. The extended canter was barely shown (6 - 7). The left pirouette was the better one as the right one lacked bending. The last centerline was polished. They finished on a 72.065% for second place.

The pair went on to win the Kur to Music on Saturday night with 77.335%.

Belgian Sensation: Justin Verboomen and Zonik Plus

There was only one pair that was the talk of the town in Kronenberg: Belgian sensation Justin Verboomen on the 8-year old Hanoverian stallion Zonik Plus (by Zonik x Hohenstein). The duo that virtually came out of nowhere not only should have won the Grand Prix, but will be the ones to watch in 2025 !

Bred in Portugal at Dressage Plus, the black licensed stallion Zonik Plus was discovered by the Brussels based Verboomen as a two-year-old and produced to Grand Prix level himself. Justin has little international experience even. His CDI debut was in October 2015 and in the next seven years he rode three horses - Lusitanos Tamino (by Gazoso x Pagode) and Nevado de la Font (by Galopin de la Font x Quilate) and Wadest (by Welt Hit II x Sandro Hit) - at GP level at only four CDI's. 

Verboomen returned to the international arena at the 2022 World Young Horse Championships in Ermelo, where he placed 6th with a 6-year old Zonik Plus after earning a ticket to the finals by finished second in the consolation. Already in Ermelo the black Zonik Plus stood out with his quality but the horse disappeared from the international show scene until Friday in Kronenberg! At the start of October they earned 74,94 in their first national Grand Prix test in Belgium and it was just a precursor of what was to come 

The "unknown" and FEI unranked rider "miraculously" drew first to go in the "random" draw for the Kronenberg Grand Prix. Quelle surprise ! The duo immediately shook everyone awake from their afternoon lul. The pair showed wonderful lightness in their work and Zonik Plus moved very elegantly, floatingly, maybe at times a bit too passagey in the trot work. The half pass right lacked some bending, but the passage itself was world class with impeccable transitions in and out of the piaffe. The piaffe was rhythmical and on the spot, the hindlegs could be a fraction more sitting. The extended walk had a clear V in the rhythm and enough overstep, in the collected walk the stallion got a tiny bit peacocky in his steps and needs to relax a bit more over the back. A little tension crept into the tempi changes with the right ones being slightly shorter in the twos. In the zig zag there was a counting error the ones were rather tense and a bit short behind.  The pirouettes were beautifully ridden and the final centerline was super smooth and energetic through the final halt. These new kids on the block got 71.739% to finish third. Without a doubt, had a big name rider produced this type of test, a 74 or 75% would have been on the board. His individual mark ranged between 70.870% and 73.043%

What is most important is the rise of a new combination pursuing lightness and harmony. The contact was always soft and steady, the rider sat beautifully and often gave the rein to keep length in the neck. The passage was a true passage and the transitions fabulous. With the sale of Flynn the Belgian team seemed weakened, but Zonik Plus is the new young star on the block and seems to be able - easily - to fill those shoes.. and more!  Let us hope that the stallion's career will be carefully curated with a minimum amount of shows for maximum result: Belgian team selection for the European Championships in Crozet. Verboomen proved that his horse is well versed in the Grand Prix work and doesn't need a zillion of miles. Maintaining relaxation and a supple back seem the task for next year. Bravo!

It was no surprise that on Saturday the pair won the Grand Prix Special with 74.042%.

"I have been waiting my entire life to find a horse like him," said Verboomen. "Yesterday, he exceeded all my expectations by securing the first place of the Grand Prix Spécial. I am incredibly grateful to everyone who has been involved in this journey. A special thanks goes to Claudia (Kircheiss), who has been training and guiding us for the last year."

Bitter Sweet Debut for Taminiau

Kronenberg was the ball for another debutant: Taminiau. Aside from Verboomen being on everybody's lips, the news of Glock suddenly ending all business in The Netherlands was also heavily discussed. It has sent a shock wave through the Dutch dressage world and Dutch magazine De Paardenkrant did impressive research into the situation and links Glock losing major gun contracts in the USA and Australia as the cause of the sudden end of Kathrin Glock's horse frivolity (which has reportedly cost up to 380 million euro in the last 12 years).

The Glock horses are still in Holland although it is said that as of 1 January 2025 they will all move to Austria for a life in the field. The stallions will be gelded, rumour has it. All questions sent to Glock are not answered and the Dutch boys signed an NDA and cannot discuss it.

Hans Peter Minderhoud premiered the 9-year old Taminiau (by Toto Jr x Sandro Hit) and scored 71.065%. It must have all felt bitter sweet knowing the partnership will end in four weeks because there is plenty of promise there. Taminiau, who is named after a famous Dutch high fashion designer, is a very strong  stallion clearly stamped by Toto Jr and he has plenty of testosterone fuelling this power. The trot extensions were big, there was much ground cover in the half passes. In the first piaffe he got a bit wide in front and moved forward. The passage had plenty of airtime and strength, but in the second one the steps were not all even. The extended walk had plenty of overtrack, but he got a bit prancy in front.. The one tempi were straight, but there was a bobble in the twos. The zig zag was good, the left pirouette the better one as the right one was overbent. In the trot trot extension more overtrack needed to be achieved. There was still plenty of energy in the tank on the final centerline, but in the piaffe at X he did a few double beats behind. They were fourth in their first GP test. The judges had him between second and seventh place (70.21% and 72.065%

Quick Notes

French Olympian Corentin Pottier and the 13-yea rold KWPN bred Gotilas (by Totilas x Ferro) rounded out the top five in Kronenberg with 70.696%. They produced a very clean and pleasant test in a consistent frame, but overall Gotilas needs to show more collection and weight bearing in the hindquarters in the passage. Corentin is coached by wife Camille Judet Cheret.

British Olympian Laura Bechtolsheimer rode her second international aboard the 10-year old Danish warmblood Soegaards Bon Royal (by Bon Bravour x De Noir). The elegant bay gelding showed very uphill flying changes and good passage work. In piaffe the hindlegs could be a bit more sitting. They finished sixth with 70.217%. Tomlinson is coached by Carl Cuypers.

Geert-Jan Raateland has a very talented 13-year old KWPN gelding in Gladiator (by Totilas x Havidoff) with so much quality and potential in piaffe and passage, but the horse appeared high strung and got short in the neck. Gladiator was briefly with Minderhoud/Gal but has now returned in Raateland's care and riding. They were 8th with 69.479%. Raateland is coached by his life partner, Belgian Olympian Domien Michiels.

Former German U25 rider Joana Peterka premiered a second horse in the international arena in her professional career. Aboard Hendrik Sassmann's 11-year old Westfalian Vitus (by Vitalis x Brentano II) she placed 18th with 67.630%. The pair had highlights in the straight two tempi changes and good piaffe-passage work. The collected walk was poor and there was a mistake in the ones. They train with Johan Zagers.

Belgian Nico Nyssen made a come back with the 15-year old KWPN licensed stallion Expression (by Vivaldi x Vincent). The bay stallion was once Holland'd next Grand Prix sensation when he had to do GP full blast as an 8-year old under Diederik van Silfhout and then broke down for four years. Still owned by Van Norel, the stallion is now under the careful care of Nyssen who takes it one day at a time. They were 19th with 67.478%.

One to watch is French Justine Ludot on Claude Niedner's 11-year old Hanoverian gelding San Cloud's Lucky (by San Amour x Wolkenstein II). We particularly liked her wonderful, quiet seat and hands in the saddle. The second piaffe-passage was a nice example of patient riding. The horse was produced to Grand Prix level by Terhi Stegars before Ludot took over the ride as head rider Niendner's Contern Equestrian Center in Luxembourg.

Former British Under 25 team rider Alexander Harrison had his continental premier aboard the 9-year old AES registered Kickback (by Galaxie x Florencio). He began riding him as a 4-year old in 2019 and began competing him in the spring of 2022. They premiered at GP level this past spring. The horse has plenty of spring in piaffe and passage, is maybe a little overeager behind in piaffe and has uphill tempi changes. 

- Text and Photos © Eurodressage  No reproduction allowed - NO SCREENSHOTS!

Eurodressage took photos of both rings on Friday 29 November. I photographed as many youth riders as I could and have all Grand Prix riders. Email me if you want to buy photos for social media or prints.  

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Scores: 2024 CDI Kronenberg Indoor