Carl Hester and Charlotte Dujardin have been again in motion with their best horses within the CDI3* and CDI4* at a rainy and windy Hagen CDI, Germany (24–28 April).
Hagen CDI has been the normal opener of the outside dressage season in Europe for a few years, and even supposing the development was once usurped in that regard by way of the Aachen Competition 4 Dressage (27-31 March) this 12 months, it as soon as once more attracted a stellar box of competition.
The CDI3* noticed the understudies take centre degree, with Charlotte profitable the grand prix (74.84%) and the grand prix particular (74.17%) aboard the 10-year-old emerging famous person Alive And Kicking (All at As soon as x Fürst Piccolo), whilst Carl was once 2nd in each with the preferred reigning nationwide champion En Style (Jazz x Contango).
This was once best Alive And Kicking’s – who Charlotte co-owns with Carl Hester and Ulrike Bachinger – 2nd global grand prix and she or he stuck the attention once more, scoring constant eights for her piaffe and passage, with the transitions between being a spotlight.
In the meantime, this was once En Style’s first look for the reason that Nationwide Championships (17 September 2023) and Carl gave the now 15-year-gelding two delicate rides to ease him again into pageant, with Carl describing the particular (72.17%) as En Style’s “best possible particular thus far”.
Each Alive And Kicking and En Style have now met the minimal eligibility necessities to be decided on for the Paris Olympic Video games with the principles declaring mixtures have between 1 January 2023 and 24 June 2024 to obtain a minimum of 67% from each a degree four-judge of a distinct nationality to the rider and as a mean from all judges at two other licensed CDI3*/CDI4*/CDI5*/CDI-W/CDIO occasions.
Olympic hopefuls in motion at Hagen CDI
Carl and Charlotte’s two favourites for Olympic variety competed within the CDI4*. Charlotte and Eu person bronze medallist Imhotep (Everdale x Vivaldi) gained each the grand prix (77.47%) and the particular (79.06%) whilst Carl and Repute have been 3rd within the grand prix (74.47%) and the particular (75.8%) – simply in the back of German mixture Frederic Wandres and Bluetooth OLD in each categories.
“I’m nonetheless having to stability and gradual him down just a little bit,” defined Charlotte. “Now and again that may have an effect on the body just a little. However I like having a horse this is so willing and prepared. His paintings ethic is 2nd to none and he’s such a lot a laugh.
“I used to be truly proud of my journey”, mentioned Charlotte, who had a small blip within the transition from canter to trot against the top of the particular. “There was once simply the final bit, that straightforward transition — one thing I by no means usually concern about. It simply is going to turn, it will probably catch you out. However my pirouettes and my piaffe have been truly just right. It’s a super begin to the 12 months and coming clear of right here we each discovered so much.”
Carl was once additionally thrilled with Fiona Bigwood’s Repute: “He was once a lot more rideable, a excitement truly! I simply had a mistake with my pirouette, which was once very pricey and my mistake. On the other hand, I used to be truly glad to complete the contest with a journey like that. For us it’s no longer as regards to the issues, however about having the feels and to look the place we’re as much as.”
Two-time Olympian Emma Hindle and her personal and Richard White’s Zippo M.I. have been additionally in motion at Hagen, completing joint eleventh within the CDI3* grand prix (67.73%) and tenth within the particular (66.59%) whilst Eire’s Abi Lyle was once thirteenth within the CDI4* grand prix (66.04%) and 11th within the freestyle (73.08%) aboard Giraldo.
New prizegiving layout trialled
A brand new prizegiving layout was once trialled at Hagen CDI, with each and every horse doing a person lap of honour adopted by way of the highest 3 riders returning to the world on foot for the nationwide anthems and awards.
Carl described the brand new layout as “extra comfy”, including: “From Charlotte’s and my viewpoint, that is the suitable manner. It’s for sure higher for the horses and their welfare. Spectators can nonetheless see the horses on a lap of honour, and it’s just right that this hasn’t been utterly abolished.”
Frederic agreed: “Many because of Ulli Kasselmann, who evolved this concept at the side of Monica [Theodorescu]. We are attempting it out right here in Hagen and I’m hoping that many organisers will practice. That is the suitable step in the suitable path.”
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Credit score: Benjamin Clark
Credit score: Benjamin Clark
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