Top-class talent at the World Young Horse Championships promises an exciting future
“Older grand prix horses will have to work even harder just to keep up with the standard of young horses coming into competition,” was the verdict of the judges after three days of young dressage horse competition in Verden.
The ever-increasing athleticism and movement bred into the modern Warmblood was evident in the high standard of horsepower on display.
Karin Rehbein led the six-year-old class from the first to final day to win all three tests and the championship for the Hanoverian studbook with the beautiful mare Cherie. The dark bay is by Don Primero, a son of Karin’s grand prix gold medal-winning stallion Donnerhall, out of a mare by Lanthan.
The good-looking Trakehner stallion Munchhausen took second place in the championship, ridden for the Trakehner Verband by the former Danish young rider champion Fie Christine Skarsoe.
Third place went to another Hannoverian; Placido, presented for Germany by previous winner Dr Ulf Moller. The gelding, owned by Dr Wilfried Bechtolsheimer, is a former winner at the Bundeschampionat.
Others in the championship line-up included the Australian-owned Hanoverian stallion Rosemount Quando Quando by Quattro and the graded Dutch Ferro stallion Negro, ridden by Dutch-based Danish international rider Anne Van Olst.
Five-year-old championship
The five-year-old championship saw a win for the Oldernburger graded stallion Rubels, ridden for Holland by Hans Peter Minderhout. The quality grey is by the grand prix stallion Rafurstinels, a Dutch-bred sire by Rubenstein. The dam was by the Dutch stallion Amethist, by Nimmerdor.
The runner-up Wanesco, representing the Bavarian studbook, is by Weltmeyer, while third place went to Rossini Grande, a Hanoverian gelding by Ragazzo, a son of Raphael.
British riders Sarah Pidgely and the impressive Donnerhall stallion, Donnerman, and Peter Storr with last year’s Prevac Pro champion, the good-looking Hanoverian stallion Wild Dancer, by Wolkentanz, could not match the astonishing standard of the winners and finished in 27th and 29th places respectively.
Click here to read full results.
For full report see Horse & Hound magazine issue dated 23 August. Click here to subscribe online at a reduced rate.
