The biggest names in British dressage are doing battle at the Hartpury Festival of Dressage (9-13 July). The show encorporates the Hartpury Premier League, CDI and para international competitions.
On day one, the huge prix st georges (PSG) was split into two sections, with Michael Eilberg and Woodlander Farouche topping one. Watch highlights from their test below:
“The test felt great and she was lovely to ride,” said Michael of the eight-year-old Furst Heinrich mare. “She felt more composed despite the big atmosphere, and the canter pirouettes had a lot more jump, even though I rode them too big. She jogged a bit in her extended walk, which dropped me a few marks, but she is coming on great and her trot work felt really special.”
Michael also posted a second win on the show’s opening day riding Farouche’s dam Woodlander Dornroschen. The pair scored 70.22% to lead the inter II class. They will also contest the Premier League grand prix today.
“I was really pleased, but she tried to push a dropping out during her test,” added Michael. “I keep telling dad [Ferdi Eilberg] that we can’t let the horses stop to do their business at home because it carries through to the competition arena, but dad hates droppings getting mixed up in the school surface.”
In the other PSG section, Charlotte Dujardin triumphed with her relatively new ride, Barolo. watch Charlotte’s ride below:
Judge Peter Storr said: “Barolo is a very nice horse and the test was really well ridden, as you would expect from a rider like Charlotte. She didn’t give a mark away, except in the collected walk, which wasn’t always in the same rhythm.”
Read Horse & Hound magazine’s full report from Hartpury’s Festival of Dressage, which will be on sale 17 July 2014
Thanks to Hartpury College for providing these videos.
