Polinyà (Barcelona), 29 de marzo de 2015.- The British King of Dressage and the Spanish Olympic rider Beatriz had a close first match ball on this second week of the Barcelona Dressage Tour. Carl Hester and NIP TUCK (Don Ruto x Irena) were the winners of the Grand Prix for the Freestyle on Thursday and then in the Freestyle night under the lights they did it again: they also won the Freestyle! With wonderful music and another very correct test, full of highlights they reached a 78,125%. Spanish Beatriz Ferrer – Salat and SIR RADJAH (Sir Donnerhall x Romina) became two times second. In the Freestyle they came very close, breathing up the winners neck with a 77,775%. No doubt two of the most expected couples at this show, but there were others as interesting combinations.Beatriz seems to be well prepared for this season, not only one but two astonishing Grand Prix Horses does she have in the backyard of her beautiful VILLA EQUUS. She had a winning comeback with DELGADO (De Niro x Wildrose), winner with a 75,540%) we will still talk about the Grand Prix for Special on another day, there was Fiona Bigwood and the wonderful ATTERUPGAARDS ORTHILIA (2nd placed 74,660%) again and another Spanish combination Claudio Castilla and ALCAIDE (69,900%) not too far away from Michael Eilberg and MARAKOV (70,480%).
On the 25th the second week at the BCN Dressage Tour had started and until Sunday 29th of March we saw realy interesting sport. Maybe the scores were not that spectacular, but we saw very good riding and interesting combinations at this show. Stephan Clarke, international 5* Judge on the ground for the second week commented on the good level and riding he had seen.
Carl Hester was on the scene, one of the most important international Dressage riders of the moment. He is a real ambassador for our discipline, a pleasure to have him and his pupils at this second edition of the show again.
After a first week with interesting competition: Farouche, Dornroeschen, Royal Concert and the Eilberg taking it all, it was still exiting to watch this second ‘round’.BCN Dressage Tour ‘against all odds’All was ready and set up for the second week, when difficulties, produced a situation that seemed to threaten the whole event and made the venue tumble even before the start. What had happened? One of the competition arenas was closed on last Monday, due to licensee and political problems with two town halls of the region, where the facilities belong. To make a long story short the positive side of a threatening situation was the overwhelming support offered by the whole dressage crowd present at the event.
Riders of course in the first place were the most affected and had to accept the situation, they almost approved unanimously! It was the dressage community ‘against all odds’, judges, officials, riders and their teams, offered an amazing support to the show. Everybody squeezed into the new schedules, no complaints and a smooth flow of the show were the result of the decision. Beautiful weather, sunshine and nice temperatures helped to make up until the end of the event.
ALBANY TRUSTEE CDI4* Grand Prix
Also at this second edition the show was supported by the financing office from the Guernsey Islands, Albany Trustee sponsored the whole Grand Prix Class at the CDI4*. The company does have a big heart for horses; Albany Trustee is a financing..
What happened in the competition arena. Aboard his ‘big boy’ NIP TUCK (75,840%). Carl Hester took the Grand Prix for music, once again he was an example for steady and correct work and it´s ‘side effects’. NIP TUCK is doubtless a big mover though he might not have the most blessed body when it comes to morphology of the ideal Dressage horse.
But his half passes were wide and floating, in excellent balance! Points rose to 8,5 in the trot tour. With the exception of a little mistake in the last transition piaffe – passage, most of the transitions were very fluent, the piaffe showed good rhythm and was on the spot. In the canter tour the combination presented wonderful two tempi and flying changes, they came very easy and were a joy to watch, but the absolute highlight was then still to come: flawless zic – zac’s. The easy going and the wide strides in the half passes were really pleasant to watch, the changes were big and again in perfect balance, scores a
Even the owner Jane De La Mare was on the spot she flew to Barcelona to see her horse and Carl. Carl was very happy with this outdoor season opener ‘NIP TUCK behaved very well, I am so pleased, because he can become quite hot. It was his first time ever under the night-lights and we reached our personal record, the highest score ever,’ stated the British rider after his test. Behind the scene we could follow Carl and Alan Davies, this team of three is a winning team and no doubt Alan takes care of NIP TUCK, he became another star.
It was a real pleasure to have him back in Spain after many years since the sunshine tour, this was the second time, he didn´t want to miss Infinitive patience’s he stood his life as a and it was a real treat to watch. Carl has created a huge impact on Dressage, not only in Britain but worldwide. We saw some of the best of the world on that Friday night in the Barcelona Dressage Tour. At 19.00 am the Grand Prix for freestyle kicked of until 22.00 pm although it was only Thursday night spectators gathered around the Polinya Arena to see their stars live.
And there she came Beatriz Ferrer Salat and her SIR RADJAH, some had been waiting for her not only with SIR RADJAH (Sir Donnerhall x Romina), with a total of 73,980% they became second with a lovely test, fresh and energetic, with much spring they entered the ring, he had always had this little bit of extra go but now he carries himself, one could see SIR RADJAH was in magnificent shape. Also for Beatriz and SIR RADJAH it was a the first outdoor show this season, after DOHA we didn´t know what to expect and here they excelled with a top test, their personal best score.
They showed the widest strides in the half passes, very fluent and their extended trot was amazing with such good balance, regular passage, rhythm in the piaffe and super transitions and again flying changes extraordinary wide and uphill, with a big jump he seemed to literally take of. Beatriz couldn´t be happier with her test and the show, all at half an hour from her home VILLA EQUUS.
The third position was again for anther British combination, WARLOCKS CHARM (Jazz x Marjola) he has JAZZ written on his forehead there is no doubt. Henriette Andersen showed her Grand Prix horse for the first time at an international show abroad and the pair achieved a 70,340% another personal record during the night of the Grand Prix for Freestyle. No doubt these two build another ‘charming combination’, WARLOCK has a lot of quality although he is still quite green at this level one could see their potential. He is an elegant mover and showed wonderful flying changes.
Morgan Barbançon and her mare VITANA V (Donnerhall x Hemmingway) stepped up on the podium in the Freestyle, floating to a beautiful choreography the two rose up to the third place with 72,375%. |