Krooswijk, Witte-Vrees and Haazen, 2010 Dutch Indoor Dressage Champions

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2010 Dutch Indoor Dressage Championships

Angela Krooswijk, Madeleine Witte-Vrees and Jeannette Haazen captured the 2010 Dutch indoor dressage champion at the Dutch Indoor Championships hosted at the KWPN headquarters in Ermelo, The Netherlands, February 26 - 28, 2010.

The Belgium based Jeannette Haazen will not go the World Cup Finals in Den Bosch because she lacks points in the ranking. So instead of giving it a final try at the final World Cup qualifier in Gothenburg, Haazen drove her huge 15-year old bay gelding Nartan (by Jazz x Le Faquin) to Ermelo instead for the Dutch Indoor Championships. A good choice as she grabbed the national indoor Grand Prix title. With 70.21% Haazen finished second in the Grand Prix behind Edward Gal on Sisther de Jeu (by Gribaldi). She won the Kur to Music with 75.50% following the unfortunate elimination of Gal and Sisther as the bay mare had bit her lip in the walk part of the freestyle.

"I really thought, 'this is going well,'" Haazen commented after her ride. "My husband rebuked me that I had to ride more. I know it can be better because I feel it. The way Nartan passages in the warm up is still better than in the show ring, but I'm super happy and I'm going to enjoy this victory. I had hoped to ride the World Cup Finals at Indoor Brabant. I didn't make it but this is a nice consolation."

Of course Gal was disappointed about his elimination in the freestyle. "Sisther was going so well until the walk and she was comfortable with the music," Gal explained. "I was very happy with the feeling I had until the bell rang. I'm so bummed and this is not fun, especially not for Sisther. Sisther had very little problems with her lip and when she arrived at her stall, she was immediately munching food and was relaxed."

Gal's partner Hans Peter Minderhoud became reserve indoor Grand Prix champion with his rising star Tango (by Jazz). The combination received 68.37% for their Grand Prix test and 74.17% for their freestyle from the panel of judges.

At small tour level Madeleine Witte-Vrees outclassed all competition, especially in the freestyle. Aboard her liver chestnut Vontango B she scored 6% higher in the kur to second placed reserve champion Joyce Lenaerts and Ubique. Witte-Vrees also captured the indoor title at ZZ-licht level with the black licensed KWPN stallion Wynton (by Jazz).

"I'll be singing my way home," said Witte-Vrees. "Both horses are so nice and with such enormous quality. I've had high quality horses before but these two also have a super character. It is very important that they want to work with you. I've learnt that the past few years. Only quality is not enough. They have to have the eagerness to do it."

Young rider Angela Krooswijk returned home with the champion's title at ZZ-zwaar level. Astride Johann Hinnemann's Rhinelander stallion Roman Nature (by Rohdiamant), Krooswijk won all three championship rounds and averaged 72.32% in total.

"I had a really good feeling when I finished my ride," Krooswijk explained. "It was the third time I rode this freestyle and it was the best test. Sometimes Roman Nature can be a bit stalliony in the ring. He is too much against my leg and that makes the pirouettes hard to execute. But this time it went really well."

Photo © Dirk Caremans

Results

ZZ Licht (Third level - top 5 only)

1. Madeleine Witte Vrees - Wynton - 71.14% - 68.43% - 73.33% ---70.97%
2. Angela Krooswijk - Revino - 68.57% - 68.53% - 73.83% --- 70.31%
3. Lynn Maas - Uranium W - 65.81% - 63.92% - 72.75% --- 67.49%
4. Wilma Salm - Victoria - 64.67% - 61.86% - 69.75% --- 65.43%
5. Thamar Zweistra - Whoopy - 65.71% - 65.69% - 64.00% --- 65.13%

ZZ-Zwaar (Fourth level - top 5 only)

1. Angela Krooswijk - Roman Nature - 71.51% - 68.86% - 76.58% --- 72.32%
2. Raz Nitzani - Hexagons Wellnetta - 65.05% - 65.52% - 68.42% --- 66.33%
3. Teddy Wiedeler - Seigneur - 65.91% - 64.29% - 68.00% --- 66.07%
4. Sylvia Naagen Pigmans - Urban Legend - 63.76% - 63.05% - 69.00% --- 65.27%
5. Kimberly de Jongh - Inspekteur - 63.76% - 64.86% - 65.17% --- 64.60%

Small Tour

1. Madeleine Witte Vrees - Vontango B - 68.95% - 72.54% - 76.08% --- 72.52%
2. Joyce Lenaerts - Beukenvalleis Ubique - 69.04% - 70.35% - 70.92% --- 70.10%
3. Patrick van der Meer - Uzzo - 67.81% - 66.14% - 69.08% --- 67.68%
4. Diederik van Silfhout - Trappel - 66.58% - 65.26% 70.08% --- 67.31%
5. Dominique Filion - Starlight - 68.6% - 65.53% - 67.25% --- 67.13%
6. Christa Laarakkers - Uphill - 66.49% - 64.82% - 69.42% --- 66.91%
7. Seth Boschman - Twister - 66.49% - 65.09% - 68.42% --- 66.66%
8. Sarah van Fessem - Hyperions Tanirma - 66.93% - 63.51% - 68.67% --- 66.37%

Big Tour

1. Jeannette Haazen - Nartan - 70.21% - 75.50% --- 72.86%
2. Hans Peter Minderhoud - Tango - 68.37% - 74.17% --- 71.27%
3. Marlies van Baalen - Ojay - 68.30% - 74.00% --- 71.15%
4. Christa Laarakkers - Ovation - 66.88% - 71.42% --- 69.15%
5. Jenny Schreven - Krawall - 67.23% - 69.67% --- 68.45%
6. Kirsten Beckers - Ohio - 64.04% - 65.75% --- 64.90%
7. Jacqueline van Grunsven - Roemer - 64.40% - 64.58% --- 64.49%
Edward Gal - Sisther de Jeu - 72.27% - ELI (bit on lip)