- Text © Eurodressage (this article expresses Eurodressage's' eye-witness account and opinion about the competition)
-- Photos © Astrid Appels/Eurodressage - No reproduction allowed - NO SCREENSHOTS!
Danish Grand Prix rider Anne Troensegaard and Slangerupgaards Saffron saved the day by riding a finger-licking good round, winning the 6-year old preliminary test on the opening day of competition at the 2025 World Championships for young dressage horses in Verden, Germany, Wednesday 6 August 2025.
A field of 40 combinations contested the warm-up round in which the 12 highest placing pairs directly qualify for the Finals on Saturday. All other pairs go into the consolation finals and the top three of that class can also move on to the finals. The Preliminary test was judged by Carlos Lopes, Kurt Christensen, Sven Rothenberger, and Susan Hoevenaars.
Looking for Inspiration
The day started with a lovely clear blue sky although the temperature was a rather crisp 13 C°, one-shirt and one-jacket weather. During the morning the wind picked up, clouds moved over the Lower Saxony area, and another layer needed to be added in order not to feel like autumn had kicked in. Rays of sun regularly cast a spotlight on the arena through the cloud filled sky and in general the weather was very pleasant but the windy conditions were challenging for a few horses.
Charlott Maria Schurmann's Hanoverian Vitamin B (by Valverde x Christ) said no from the start and refused to go past the letter P upon entering the ring. Schurmann made a few brave attempts to motivate her spicy bay gelding, but he said "no way jose". She had to lift her hand and retire from the test that barely started. Also Dutch rider Kim Alting struggled with her red-head chestnut Orange (by Vitalis x Stedinger), who pulled the handbrake two times and went into reverse (in the halt at entry and in the flying change). It lead to a low submission score. Pity because both horses were brimming with quality.
Today was a little bit of the same. There were plenty of nice horses, but after three blocks of rides, one was left hungry.. and...waiting..It was Denmark that saved the day with one horse that brought inspiration
Smooth as Saffron
I watched the training yesterday and one horse immediately stood out: the Danish warmblood mare Slangerupgaards Saffron. The Secret x Scolari mare was 16th and 6th at the 2023 and 2024 Danish Young Horse Championships but made a splash when she won the Danish warmblood 5-year old championship in Herning 2024. I remembered her name from that show and kept my eyes peeled for her in the training ring. She did not disappoint, but it was all about delivering it in the actual show ring.. and in what a way she did.
Appearing in the last block of riders in the early afternoon, Troensegaard and Saffron stood out from the pack with their balance, ease and beautiful contact. The mare was equally elastic on both reins, was not leaning on the bit, nor had a rider hanging on for control. The entire trot tour was well ridden, never rushed, expressive, engaged with clear lengthening of stride and frame on the diagonals. The shoulders-in were not over-ridden, like so many pairs did. The half passes had great crossing, ground covering and balance. The medium and extended walk had a great rhythm, with a clear V-moment and good relaxation. The rein back was a bit quick and dragging. In canter, Saffron had good scope, was engaged from behind, did two okay flying changes. She might lower the croup a tiny bit more in her striding, but she displayed three very high quality gaits and fantastic training. She was a treat to watch.
"I feel for champagne right now," said a beaming Troensegaard at the press conference. "Last year they (the selectors) didn't believe in her quality." For the 2024 WCYH Saffron was long-listed but not picked for the team. "She then knocked herself on the paddock and was operated on. She fractured her splint one. She had to walk for three months and then I started her again." This was the road to Verden for Saffron where she appeared elite in gaits and training. Anne, who gave up a nursing job to become a full-time rider more than a decade ago, has ridden Saffron since she was broken in. "She was long, thin, and spidery, but the feeling was great from the start." When asked what her feeling in the arena was today, Anne said that "in the walk she was holding a bit back, but I was just pleased when I finished the last centerline." In preparation for the Finals test Anne will only be walking the mare, who will also get a massage. She stated that she's not nervous. "I just ride."
Saffron is bred and owned by Alex Buchhardt Pedersen of equestrian center Slangerupgaard in Ringsted.
Danish Diva: Brandtbjergs Divya
Under the 22-year old Anders Sjobeck Hoeck this bright bay mare showed a nice, ground covering trot, which maybe could have been a bit more on the hindleg. The extended walk had very good overstep and clarity of rhythm and the canter had good striding and really flowed. The first flying change was in two phases but the second one was good. In the final halt the mare stood stretched. Divya has three top quality basic gaits, but a little more carriage from behind with improve the overall silhouette.
She scored 9.5 for trot, 9 for walk, 9.2 for canter, 8.7 for submission and 9.6 for general impression.
What was a breath of fresh air today was that not the typical big horse dealing houses were wielding the axe of power, not the muscle-flexing big stallion stations, but instead two privately owned mares... both from Denmark.
Red Viper Sneaks into the Top Three
The massive liver chestnut stallion (by Romanov x Sir Sinclair), bred by Coen Kerbert and owned by sponsor of the class, Reesink Horses, competed early in the morning. Under the slim and elegant Van Liere the stallion looks even taller than with Veeze and Dinja did a fair bit of riding on the horse. While the stallion has three huge gaits that certainly impress, everything looked big, big ,big, forward today. Van Liere was riding the horse with the pedal to the metal and at no point in the test was there a bit of collection to be noticed. She pushed him through the corners, drove him forwards in the canter and trot extensions. The right half passes could have had more bending and the rein back was not diagonal. The medium walk already had two hooves overtrack, but the rhythm could have been clearer, in the extended walk there was better lengthening of the neck but not increase in overtrack. The extended canter was huge, uphill, but rushed. The flying changes were big. The transition down to trot did not happen and took until the horse has been turned on the centerline for him to finally trot. This was not really reflected in the submission score. The handsome stallion certainly leaves an impression but at age 6 a little more self carriage, lightness and collection would be nice.
Red Viper got 9.1 for trot, 8.5 for walk, 9.5 for canter, 8.5 for submission and 9.4 for general impression. He ranked third with 9.4.
German Stallions in the Top Five
Heemsoth's second horse, the Hanoverian mare Felice (by Furst Samarant x Riverside), bred by Rene Janzen and owned by Ingo Pape in co-operation with American Ken Steele, finished 8th with 84.60%. The tall, long-backed back mare has much cadence in trot but was crooked in the medium trot, clearly moving on two tracks with the hindquarters to the right. The left half pass had very good crossing and balance, but in the shoulder-in right she ran away a bit. In the extended trot it would be nice to see the more move the hindlegs more under the body. The extended walk had plenty of overstep but the rhythm needs to be clearer. The first flying change was crooked and in two phases, the second better. Despite some straightness issues, this 2024 Bundeschampion mare delivered an appealing test. She got 9.4 for trot, 7.5 for walk, 9.1 for canter, 7.5 for submission and 8.8 for general impression.
More Stallions
Dutch Under 25 rider Lara van Nek landed sixth placed aboard the KWPN stallion Obsession Taonga (by Vitalis x All at Once), bred and owned by her mom Willeke Bos of Stal 104. The black is a real beauty with a fluent and elegant trot but he was often flexed or tilted to the left. He held a good rhythm in the half passes but in the left shoulder in there was too much angle. Obsession really showed an impressive lengthening of the trot in which his stride became huge and he gained much airtime. For this compact stallion it was easy to have a ground covering extended walk, the canter strike off was via trot. The stallion was a bit distracted and screaming but he kept on doing the job, although Van Nek didn't dare to show a proper uberstreichen. The flying changes came very easy to him. The black scored 8.5 for walk and trot, 8.8 for canter, 8.2 for submission and 8.8 for general impression.
Jan Pieter Dalsem's home bred Dutch stallion Ohio (by Kaiman x Grand Galaxy Win) landed 9th place with 84.40%. Under Kirsten Brouwer this second-time WCYH competitor showed a big, scopy trot but on the left lead he lost the clarity in the rhythm at times. A collected trot was never shown, it was all working or medium trot. The extended walk had good marching and was very clear, the rein back was crooked, the canter had really nice uphill striding and the flying changes worked out. He got 8.2 for trot and walk, 8.5 for canter, 8.6 for submission and 8.7 for general impression.
Danish Olympian Carina Cassoe Kruth saddled Stutteri Svalegaard and Four Oaks' Danish stallion Svalegaards Hot Driver (by Donkey Boy x Hotline) and ranked 10th with 83.600%. The bay Hot Driver ha an absolutely gorgeous face and neck and is a real eye catcher. The trot work has so much suppleness and spring, but lacked a bit of self carriage. In canter he makes beautiful, strong strides that could be more uphill oriented. The flying changes were great, the uberstreichen barely shown. A lovely stallion that could be a bit more up in the poll. He got 7.6 for trot, 8.7 for walk, 8.5 for canter, submission and general impression.
The Final Two
The last two horses that made it directly into the finals on Saturday were a Swedish and American horse.
American young Grand Prix rider Hope Cooper shipped the U.S. KWPN-NA stallion O Romeo S (by Charmeur x UB40) to Europe to compete him in her first "Verden." The liver chestnut is bred by Gina Gaumer Ruediger of Sonnenberg Farm and is owned by Tammy Richard. The cute liver chestnut exceeded the expectations and delivered smooth trot work with the half pass right being the better one. The shoulder in right, though, was barely happening and in the rein back the horse got a bit deep, but the trot extensions were well ridden. In the walk lengthenings O Romeo had two hooves overstep with good clarity of rhythm and active marching. In canter the stallion grunts as he does the job, but it was all neatly performed: clear flying changes, good extensions. Overall he needs to take a bit more weight behind. He got 8.0 for trot 8.3 for walk, 8.5 for canter 8.4 for submission and 8.5 for general impression. With 83.40% they slotted in 12th.
- Photos © Astrid Appels/Eurodressage - No reproduction allowed - NO SCREENSHOTS
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Eurodressage Coverage of the 2025 World Championships for Young Dressage Horses
