Grand Prix

Grand Prix
by Bonnie Rombach

Hans Heinrich Isenbart has been an announcer at the Aachen CHIO for the past 45 years. When I attended my first tournament in 1963, his silvery, deep voice in three languages - German, English, and French, each one clear and easily understood, made the competition that much more enjoyable. In addition he knows whereof he speaks when it comes to dressage. He came to Canada in 1986 to announce for the World Dressage Championships, at which time I was introduced to him. I was sitting right behind him at the Grand Prix yesterday and today and we struck up a conversation. I asked him if he knew the name of Peron’s new owner, and he said that he would try to find out and get back to me. He did know that Peron had been sold to a man from Switzerland who has a breeding farm just over the border from Germany, and that after this season the horse will be retired to stud. Peron’s complete name is now Hofgut Albfuehren’s Peron. Hofgut Albfuehren is the farm name.

Most of Peron’s test today in the Grand Prix with Ann Kathrin Ehlen was correct and pleasant with just a few minor faults such as a bauble in the middle of the 1 tempis, but compared to some of the other top horses, the test was lacking in brilliance. It looked like his piaffe/passage could have been more expressive and his final extension could have been bigger. He earned 1713 points for a score of 68.52% and 10^th place (which would have been enough for the US team). This probably would still have given him a berth on any other team in the world, but not for Germany where 6 other German riders and their horses placed above him.

The first half of the CDIO Dressage Grand Prix took place on Thursday afternoon with 18 rides and the second half on Friday afternoon with 23 rides for a total of 41 in the competition. Of the 41 seven achieved scores in the 70’s with Isabell Werth and Nissan Gigolo FRH reaching an unheard of score of 77.12% and first place by a wide margin from all judges. The judges were at E: Mrs. F. Verbeek-van Rooy from Holland, at H: Mrs. Mariette Withages from Belgium, at C: Ms. Linda Zang from the US, at M: Adalberto Graf Boetti from Italy, and at B: Dr. Volker Moritz from Germany.

Gigolo is a nice enough horse just standing around, a big, 15 year old liver chestnut Hannoverian gelding by Graditz with three white socks and a fourth half way around the coronary band and a long star and a small stripe, but not exactly the type that would win a beauty contest. When Isabell rides him he is GEORGEOUS. He floats from behind, not in a hectic way or in a powerhouse way but totally smooooth. To use the two German terms, absolutely „losgelassen" (relaxed and supple) and totally „durchlaessig" (the energy flows completely through the whole horse) with his muscles rippling and his feet barely touching the ground.

Another super horse is „LRF Walk on Top" ridden by Louise Nathhorst of Sweden. He too is a liver chestnut Hannoverian gelding, 13 years old by Wenzel with one white sock behind and a narrow blaze. He also has that relaxed but expressive way of moving with exact transitions, good canter pirouettes and a great extension in canter. The piaffe was a little weak and he „only" ended up with 1824 points or 72.96%. Three of the five judges had him second and one third.

In third place was Karin Rehbein, the widow of the recently deceased top German trainer, Herbert Rehbein, with the 17 year old Oldenburg stallion, Donnerhall by Donnerwetter (which by the way means „thunderstorm") another liver chestnut, this time with two white socks in front and a star and a snip. I was concentrating so hard on watching their beautifully consistent ride that I didn’t take any notes. His score was 1806 for 72.24%.

Anky van Grunsven from Holland came in fourth on her stunning 11 year old, mahogany bay (even though the program says that he is black), Trakehner stallion by Arogno named Gestion Olympic TCN Partout. He has a huge canter stride and a wonderful passage but his piaffe swings from side to side too much. Their score was 1793 for 71.72%.

In fifth place was another German woman, Ulla Salzgeber on her 10 year old, „liver chestnut gelding," with a star and left hind sock, bred in Russia, by the simple name of Rusty. I loved this horse. (He looks so much like my mare, Lorell, that I did a double take). He concentrates so very hard on his job and pulls it off beautifully. He was the best horse on the first day with very consistent scores from all judges (only 7 points lay between the low score of 353 and the high score of 360) to give him a total of 1787 points or 71.48%.

In place six was the fourth member of the German team, Nadine Capellmann-Biffar on (can you believe it) another chestnut gelding, 13 year old Westphalian by Grundstein named Gracioso 8. Their score was 1768 points for 70.72%

All of the top six riders have quiet, almost motionless seats and are one with their horses. They have quiet, steady hands and their upper bodies are perpendicular to the ground. It is certainly not just the quality of the horses but the fact that each one of these women brings out the best in her mount.

The Grand Prix competition decides the Nations Cup in dressage, which went without question to the German team. Second place is where the fight is and it was between Holland and Sweden with only 20 points dividing the two teams. In the end Holland had a total of 5188 points and Sweden 5168 points.

Tune in tomorrow for the results of the Grand Prix Special.

(P.S. Ky, Nikolaus is owned by the wife of Klaus Balkenhol.)

Email Bonnie Rombach: Lorbas@aol.com

Aachen CHIO | Aachen - A Journey's Worth | Aachen Sunday
Return to Aachen | CHIO Sale

Visit Aachen CHIO website

| Home |

Disclaimer - To our knowledge, all graphics used at this site are public domain or used with the author's permission. If you spot any artwork that is not properly credited, please contact kyrabeth@dressageunltd.com.