Fiontini Continues Winning Streak in 6-Year Old Preliminary Test at 2016 World Young Horse Championships

Spanish Severo Jurado Lopez and the Danish warmblood mare Fiontini have continued their winning streak at the World Young Horse Championships. After winning the title in the 5-year old division in 2015, nothing seems to be in the way on the duo's path towards a second title and gold medal at the 2016 World Championships for Young Dressage Horses in Ermelo,  The Netherlands.

Jurado and Henrik Hansen's Danish warmblood mare Fiontini (by Fassbender x Romanov) were the judges' flavour in the closing class of Friday 29 July's long day of competition at the KNHS equestrian centre in Ermelo. The 6-year old preliminary test featured 39 combinations with numerous highly promsing FEI horses and the panel consisting of Hess (GER), Colliander (FIN), Fransen-Iacobeaus (SWE) and Sanders-van Gansewinkel (NED) preferred the established winner's pair.

Fiontini is a chunky bay mare who very much takes after her dam sire Romanov. Her trot has much bounce and power, but Jurado rode her slightly below tempo which resulted in a lack of impulsion, especially in the half passes and trot extensions. The energy level had to be a bit higher for more bubble. On the half voltes and in the corners the mare needed more bending. The extended walk had good overtrack and relaxation but also needed to be more active.  The canter work is very established with much balance and self carriage, but the mare built up some tension in the second flying change. The transition from canter to trot was abrupt and it is interesting to see how Jurado interprets the concept of "uberstreichen". It does not mean leaning forward and opening the hand on the withers.  Overall Fiontini was not really chewing and accepting the bit and it would have been nice to see the noseband less tight and her foaming a bit more. Nonetheless, the mare's qualities were apparent and the judges were generous with their marks. She scored 8.9 for walk, 9.2 for trot, 9.5 for canter, 8.5 for submission and 9.0 for general impression to total 90.20%.

Dutch Kirsten Brouwer and the Singapore owned Dutch warmblood stallion Five Star (by Amazing Star x Jazz) landed second place. The muscled chestnut stallion with its big neck is very pleasing to the eye. Five Star has much freedom in the shoulder and is very expressive in front in trot, but he struggled with the left half pass. The walk was ground covering but need a bit more impulsion. The canter is his strongest gait and the horse executed two good flying changes. He was obedient but could also chew more on the bit. He scored 8.7 for walk, 8.4 for trot, 8.9 for canter, 8.7 for submission and 8.8 for perspective to total 87.00%.

German Ann Christin Wienkamp and Vivien Küst's Oldenburg stallion Sir Olli (by Sir Donnerhall I x Florestan) finished third with 86.80%. The pretty bay stallion has a bit of a sunken back and gets slow behind in trot with the hindlegs out, yet he has much bounce and suppleness. The extended trot had huge overtrack, same as in the extended walk which needed to be more active. In canter the horse was elastic and swung though the back but he needs to be quicker off the leg. The flying changes were big and uphill and Sir Olli appeared cool as a cucumber and unphased by his surroundings. He scored 8.7 for walk, 8.4 for trot, 9.0 for canter, 8.6 for submission and 8.7 for perspective.

Finnish Maria Colliander, who was chair of the judges, was happy with the collection of 6-year-olds. “The quality was good overall. The 12 best horses have all scored over 80% and I think that is a good standard. Some interesting horses were quite tense and this lowered their scores a bit, so I hope they can improve this in the final. Five Star we liked especially for his consistent quality and performance, he received good remarks for every aspect. Besides, Kirsten Brouwer presented him in a good frame. In our eyes, the winner Fiontini is a real athlete. Perhaps she was slightly reacting to the surroundings and we thought to see that particularly in her trot. The mare was much more relaxed in her canter and of course her trot was good, but we think she could do better in her trot and hopefully she will show that on Sunday.”

Dutch Veronique Roerink was able to celebrate a surprisingly very high finish and generous score of 86.20% on her home bred Dutch mare Flanell (by Apache x Don Schufro). The bay mare is quite limited in trot and was often bent to the left and tight in the neck. Only in the extensions was she able to cover a bit of ground. The walk was good but not impressive. The canter is her best gait, in which she has good balance and uphill spring. Still one flying change was crooked and forced. Flanell's obedience, however, stood out and she was willing to work with her rider. The pair was the fourth to go in the class and when the judges announced their curious scores of 8.5 for trot, 7.9 for walk, 8.9 for canter, 9.0 for submission (highest submission score of the day) and 8.8 for perspective, it resulting in a fourth place in the end.

Marieke van der Putten and KS Horses' Dutch stallion Four Legends (by Wynton x Ferro) completed the top five with an 85.00% score. The pretty black stallion has an elegant trot, which could have been a bit purer in the rhythm. There needed to be more crossing of the legs in the left half pass and the rein back was tense. There was little difference between the medium and extended walk in which the rhythm was good, but the tempo hasty. The stallion sometimes trembles a bit nervously with his lower lip. In canter the horse could have a bit more air time. The first flying change was a bit hurried, the second before the aids and he also threw in an unscripted flying change in the extended canter. Still Four Legends is a very beautiful horse with three quality basic gaits. He scored 8.4 for walk, 9.5 for trot, 8.0 for canter, 7.9 for submission and 8.7 for perspective.

German Heiner Schirgen and Richard Seifert's Westfalian stallion Damon's Classic (by Damon Hill x Lauries Crusador xx) finished sixth. The bay gelding lacks a hindleg that carries in trot. He shuffled in the extensions, but the half passes were nice. The walk had good relaxation and the canter was beautifully uphill and the extended canter had scope. The horse got 8.8 for walk, 7.9 for trot, 8.5 for canter, 8.3 for submission and 8.5 for perspective to finish on 84.00%.

Spanish Nuria Vila Perez qualified Maryam Al Khalifa's Hanoverian stallion Brandon (by Belissimo M x Donnerhall) and exceeded the expectations by finishing 7th with 83.60%. The stallion is quite ponyesque and overall needs to be more open in the throatlatch but he's a very functional mover with three good quality basic gaits. He scored 8.8 for walk, 8.0 for trot, 8.4 for canter, 8.0 for submission and 8.6 for perspective.

Danish born Kristine Moller, who has declared for Luxembourg since 1 January 2016 after living in the country for the past 11 years, impressed on Jens Thorsen's highly refined Trakehner mare Standing O' Vation (by Imperio x Consul). The trot was very elegant and cadenced with a fantastic right half pass. The mare has a slight paddle in the right front leg. The walk was wonderful with a very clear V-moment in the medium and extended walk. In canter she still lacks collection and self carriage, the flying changes were obediently executed but croup high. The contact with the bit was very consistent. The dark bay mare got 8.0 for walk, 8.8 for trot, 7.9 for canter, 8.6 for submission and 8.5 for perspective. She tied with Brandon in 7th place.

Danish professional Sanne Henningsen can truly make a normal horse look great. Klaus Munkedahl's Danish warmblood Wilson Stengsvang (by Wilkins x Don Schufro) is very normal in trot with the hind legs going out instead of under, but Henningsen was able to keep him active, regular and obedient. The walk, however, was superb and could have scored higher. The canter work is the horse's strong suit as he does engage properly from behind. He showed big, sweeping flying changes and scored 8.4 for walk, 7.7 for trot, 8.6 for canter, 8.4 for submission and 8.5 for general impression. They totaled 83.20%.

German Steffen Frahm and Elene Knyagincheva's Oldenburg gelding Bluetooth (by Bordeaux x Riccione) slotted in 10th with 82.80%. The graceful bay gelding has matured well and Frahm presented the horse in a very relaxed, controlled way. The trot work was pretty with a good flow, but there could have been a bit more impulsion overall. The lengthening in walk lacked some activity and ground cover, but the canter work was nicely uphill and ridden with much focus. One flying change was a bit short. The gelding scored 7.6 for walk, 9.0 for trot, 8.3 for canter, 8.0 for submission and 8.5 for perspective.

Text and photos © Astrid Appels - No reproduction allowed

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Eurodressage Coverage of the 2016 World Young Horse Championships