Team Germany live up to all the expectations
Monday, July 28, 2008
If you thought that Great Britain with their 10 year winning spree (forget 2005) for the European Ponies Jumping title were onto something good – then Germany are on to something truly great having just won their 18th consecutive European Pony Dressage title (note that in 1989, gold went to FRG…).
From the onset, the very experienced team led by chef d’equipe Cornelia Endres were looking like a safe bet when they claimed places 1-4 in the preliminary test. Then, in the team test, held over two days, the German riders individually took the first three positions, leaving the fourth to Dutch Antoinette Riele aboard only six year old Golden Girl. Sönke Rothenberger, the brother of recent FEI European Junior champion Sanneke Rothenberger, was the highest placed German rider aboard the well known pony Deinhard B. Runner up was Katharina Weychert riding the stallion Dornik.
The challenge for the silver and bronze team medals was rather open. In the preliminary test both Belgian ponies as well Danish ponies were impressive, elegant and well ridden.
The Netherlands slotted in nicely after the German team, and were closely followed by Denmark with the Bronze, while the Belgian team had to settle for fourth. Denmark’s bronze coincides with last week’s bronze medal at the FEI European Dressage Championships for Juniors and Young Riders, where they also took bronze in both classes.
A Unique Dressage Final
Despite early predictions and indications of a German whitewash, fates were quick to change and this year marked the first time in the history of the FEI European Pony Dressage Championships that the top five were of five different nationalities. Nonetheless, above and beyond this reality, Germany’s 13 year old Sönke Rothenberger riding Deinhard B proved that Germany could not be left out on the medal count and convincingly took gold. The 2005 European Pony Champion under Anna von Negri had also shown a lot of impulsion, safety and no weaknesses.
A wonderful pony with international qualities is one thing. It was already mentioned that the mental skills for championships as a rider, is another. It was as though a cloud had blown over the early hopefuls as the two German riders Carlotta Hassenbürger and Katharina Weychert that were placed immediately after Rothenberger in the two previous tests were taken by nerves. They were not able to show clear clean tests without mistakes and thus seriously dropped in the scores, and more importantly, out of medal positions. Now the delightful Dornik B, the 2007 European Pony Champion under Louise Luttgen, finished seventh. Dulcia, the 2006 European Pony Champion under Lydia Camp with her elegant, light footed gaits was in sixth.
The last rider to go was Dutch Antoinet te Riele, cousin of Sönke Rothenberger, as the mothers of Sönke and Antoinet are sisters. She did a great job and was in total control of the test and her nerves. After the first small mistake in a half pass, she decided to take even more risks and went for even nicer paces and great extensions. The more unique as her pony Golden Girl, born from the same mother as well know stallion Power and Paint, is only six years old.
Grandparents Adrie and Antoinet Gordijn from the Ijzeren Man Stables must have been very proud grandparents, as they celebrated individual gold and silver with two of their grandchildren, only one week after their eldest granddaughter Sanneke Rothenberger took both the team and individual gold medal at the FEI European Dressage Championships for Juniors and Young Riders in Portugal.
With a very small margin the bronze medal surprisingly was won by Swedish Elin Aspnas aboard Tim, it was a case of solid nerves at the right time. While Belgium’s Julie van Olst was left with the fourth place, all the more unlucky as the Belgian team also missed out on the bronze team medal by the merest of a margins.
It was a matter of details, whose significance can not be underestimated…
Results - TEAM
1. GERMANY 219.58
2. THE NETHERLANDS 210.79
3. DENMARK 209.32
4. BELGIUM 209.05
5. SWEDEN 200.11
6. GREAT BRITAIN 187.74
7. ITALY 196.58
8. FRANCE 187.37
9. SPAIN 186.90
10. POLAND 181.95
Results - INDIVIDUAL
1. GOLD Rothenberger, Sönke, Deinhard B (GER) 75,10%
2. SILVER Te Riele, Antoinette, Golden Girl (NED) 72,35%
3. BRONZE Aspnas, Elin, Tim (SWE) 70,70%
4. Van Olst, Julie, Haasendonck S Sultan (BEL) 70,60%
5. Skodborg, Merrald Nanna, Centrum (DEN) 70,15%
6. Hassenbürger, Carlotta, Dulcia (GER) 69,75%
7. Weychert, Katharina, Dornik B (GER) 69,50%
8. Moller, Christina, Casio (DEN) 69,35%
9. Verwimp, Jorinde, Tonkawa SD (BEL) 68,65%
10. Jansen, Lotte, Oosteind´s Rocco (NED) 68,55%
11. Meulendijks, Anne, Boticelli (NED) 67,60%
12. Goris, Noemie, Alexandre Dumas (BEL) 67,40%
13. Thill Michelle, Virgil (LUX) 66,55%
14. Hougaard, Sofie, Dornick-Son (DEN) 66,25%
15. Mattsson Maria, Champagner W (SWE) 65,75%
