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CHIO
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Fabenfroh Almost Perfect in
Special
Grand Prix Special,
Saturday, July 15, 2000
Fabenfroh was almost perfect in this Grand Prix Special. He entered with stallion presence even though he is a gelding and just took your breath away as he floated across the diagonal in extended trot. Four 8s on his first halt merely hinted at the 9s he would earn. "There was so much more" compared to the international quality horses before him. Three 9's and 2 8's on the extended trot --- WOW. Nadine prepared for the transition from passage to extended trot with a subtle half halt, he collected, and then she seemed to merely release him like a spring and he smoothly lengthened with his haunches lowered, powered by the hind quarters, his front legs seeming to not even touch the ground. He reaches. Nadine just goes forward with her hands and he literally floats right out into the extended trot. Then just as smoothly and subtly, she dropped him into a really good, four beat, straight, active, walk: 1,2,3,4, MARCH. Many top horses lose the beautiful walk, but Fabenfroh has kept his. A minor mistake in the transition from walk to piaffe resulted in only 3 7's and 2 8's. The expert commentor for the radio head sets behind us commented on his passage: Very nice, very good, sehr gut. This is an international top class horse aspiring to medal at the Olympics. No mistakes in the changes across the diagonal and he needed every bit of length of the diagonal to get in the required 15 tempis.
His presence in the extended canter: look at me, look at me, don't get in my way. Fabenfroh went from such a high state of collection to a high state of extension showing such a difference that even a novice could see it.
Iindividual judge's marks for each movement were on our press screen only during the test. We jotted down the ones we could. Collective marks for Fabenfroh: 8978, 8888, 9888, 8888, 9979.
Collective Marks:
1. Gaits - freedom and regularity.
2. Impulsion - desire to move forward, elasticity of steps, suppleness of back, and engagement of the hind quarters.
3. Submission - attention and confidence, harmony, lightness and ease of the movements, acceptance of the bridle and lightness of the forehand.
4. Rider's position and seat, correctness and effect of the aids.
AWESOME. Fabenfroh won the GPS with 77.96%.
Isabell Werth and Gigolo finished third with a 76.56%. Gigolo's extended trot is regular, retaining smooth rhythm -- watch his hind quarters work so beautifully. He is the definition of international top class, very correct, very accurate. Isabell is a concentrated, thinking rider, every transition is EXACTLY where it is supposed to be. The extended trot to passage is as smooth as silk, there is no tension. Gigolo's walk is very straight, good four beat rhythm. A good transition walk to piaffe to passage -- same rhythm. Gigolo's tempis appear so effortless it seems he could do these in his sleep. A few mistakes resulted in even a 4 when he changed behind after the extended canter, missed the second canter pirouette and was a bit irregular in the piaffe. For a master like Gigolo, these minor errors for any lesser horse, seemed out of character for a picture perfect ride. The minor errors reduced his score to ONLY 77.96%.
Collective marks for Gigolo: 8878, 7878, 8979, 8878, 8889.
Ulla Salzgeber and Rusty finished fourth with a 75.53%. Lovely half pass, expressive, accurate, with a seamless transition. A brief spook at H was quickly controlled by Ulla with a nice transition passage to walk. His walk is absolutely straight although he does not have the longest stride nor overstep. A mistake at X in the 8th change -- he didn't jump through behind -- on the 1s resulted in a 5, two 6's and two 7's. A very nice piaffe earned 79889. Rusty's collective marks: 8778, 7988, 8878, 7978, 7879.
Guizo, a handsome, bay Lusitano stallion, with presence is much more compact in frame, goes deeper into the corners. He excels at the freestyle where he can show his best movements. His transition to extended trot exploded instead of being a smooth release of energy like Fabenfroh. His natural movement is more up and down instead of forward. The stallion was unflappable, attentive and obedient when first one and then two stray dogs chased a rabbit from under the stands into the shrubbery around the judges stands at C. Guizo and his rider simply ignored the rabbit chase commotion right under their nose.
To be continued....
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