It was an amazing day at the Barcelona Dressage Tour. There were many debuts celebrated: the first CDI ever of this new born Dressage venue and the first Grand Prix with many new exciting horse-rider combinations. Jen Goodmans´ Super Nova (De Niro x Walpurgis x Weltmeyer) honored his name with this great coming out at his first international Grand Prix ever with 70,729%. Spanish José Antonio García Mena was breathing up his neck with Batuta (x Quixote) the wonderful lusitano mare with 70,457%. Lauro Aguiló and his PRE cross breed @Hierro (Ferro x Babieca x Binguero) reached their personal best score with 69,100%. In the Intermediate I Anders Dahl and Selten HW did it again, they won in a class of their own with an amazing 77,763%. The Grand Prix was sponsored by Audi Superwagen Sabadell.
Spencer Wilton and Goodman’s “Super Nova” stayed in the lead and won the Grand Prix. It was only their 3rd GP ever for this 11 year old son of “De Niro” and the British rider Spencer Wilton. It is the amazing balance, rhythm and elegance, plus a wonderful hind leg that shows his outstanding quality. Judges saw him with a 70,729%.
Another rising star, Spanish rider José Antonio García Mena and his lusitano mare “Batuta”, finished in second place. The temperament of the mare made her canter right after the halt and salute, what was an expensive mistake. But her enormous quality and particular lovely trot movements, passage and piaffe lifted them still up to 70.47%.
The third position was for Lauro Aguiló with “@Hierro” (Ferro x Babieca x Binguero) and a 69.100%. It’s with such pleasure that the Spanish rider enjoys this success after complicated times in past seasons. The Spanish crossbreed (CDE) presented a flawless test showing his full potential for passage and piaffe, nice changes and an important level of submission.
In the fourth place there was Juan Matute´s former “Wie Atlántico” (69,014%) and Anders Dahl. This was another success for the Danish rider in the highest class.
Back to the Grand Prix, we saw a very nice ride of the young Portuguese rider Maria Caetano with “Xiripiti” (x Qualificado) her grey lusitano mount. These two are working to get a space on the Portuguese national team for the Normandy WEG 2014 and the perspective looks very good for them, they scored a 68,586%. Lovely trot movements and very good collected passage and piaffe are strong points of this combination.
Another two Spanish combinations started their Grand Prix career at the Barcelona Dressage Tour. Juan Antonio Jimenez and “Sunny Boy” (68,100%). This pair has only had one season competing together so far, very successful at Prix St. George level, and they showed great potential in the passage and piaffe. Jordi Domingo and the KWPN mare “Wonder” did their first international Grand Prix ever with a 67,571%.
Intermediate I “Albany Trustee Company Trophy” – more youngster on the way to Rio
What a breathtaking test of the Danish rider Anders Dahl with his horse “Selten-HW” (Sandro Hit x Sps High Prince x Hohenstein). He won again in this Intermediate I. All the judges were unanimous and saw him on the first spot with 77,763%. His trot work was again incredible,much uphill, flowing through the arena, he showed wide crossing in the half passes and really nice changes.
In second position we find Henriette Andersen with “Flavio” (Florencio x Gazelle x Glueckspilz), with a 71.658%. It was their first CDI ever. They showed wonderful strong trots, really good collected walk and some lovely zigzag changes.
Spencer Wilton brought his Small Tour horse “Dougie” (71.079%) to Barcelona and finished in the third place. With a magnificent entree halt and salute and very active trot movements right from the first moment they gained points. Nice half passes and active changes where the highlight of their test.
Beatriz Ferrer-Salat and “Du Pre” came 4th after these two with 68.526% followed by Tomas Caudet and “Andes” (68.526%).
Youngsters
Promising youngsters celebrated the final test on Friday morning. Annabelle Collins from Barcelona Horses was again in the lead with her KWPN “Dimacho BCN” (Johnson x Saloniki x Sandro Hit) they were in a class of their own with 85,400%. This category was sponsored by JOYERÍA WEYLER. Now the pair achieved the qualification for the World Championships in Verden. Behind them José Antonio García Mena presented a younger Portuguese bred horse “Dragao Figueiras” (83,000%) the combination had been highly successful last season. The national rider José Raga, who has a good taste for young horses, repeated with both of his youngsters in the third position “Dark Jazz” (Jazz x Zon Terra x Future) and an average of 79, 800% and Verena Müller´s “El Dorado” (Sir Donnerhall x Pion) with 72.400%.
This final five-year class was sponsored by MONDEPRA owned by the Moncayola family, passionate about horses. Wilma Wernsen won the prize with her KWPN “Estupendo” (Ziesto x Apretado x Scandic) with 78,800%. Behind them we find Jordi Domingo with the PRE “Intruso de Mile” (73,400%).
The Barcelona Dressage Tour has another week to go with a CDI4* next weekend from the 25th to the 30th. If you can´t join on the venue you won´t miss it - click on www.topiberian.com for continuous live-broadcasting of all the tests with Speakers Bobby Fernández de Bobadilla, former head of Spanish Dressage at the national Federation and Francisco Cancella, international judge and trainer from Portugal. More news at http://www.events-barcelonahorses.com
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