Horse magazine february 2014

FEBRUARY 2014 $7.50

BALANCING THE YOUNG HORSE

4 - The Horse Magazine

FEBRUARY 2014

National Young Rider Leaderboard

Made in Australia - Find the horse of your dreams

Adelinde Cornelissen in New Zealand - Rebecca Ashton reports

Balancing the Young Horse with Michelle Strapp

Summer Showjumping Classic - Suzy Jarratt with the inside story...

Free Rein - Susie Hoevenaars and the state of Australian Dressage

Latest European Stallion Rankings

Rider of the Month - Kelly Slater

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Andrew Hoy - The Changing

World of Eventing

Showjumping Leaderboard

Eventing Leaderboard

A Photographers View of Dressage74

Lakes and Craters - The Pre-Novice Perspective18

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WINNER WINNER

The Horse Magazine - 5

On the Cover: Getting her young horse going, Caroline Price and Finn MVNZ Photo: Roslyn Neave

www.horsemagazine.comEditor: Chris Hector CEO: Roz NeaveAssistant Editor: Ute RaabeDesign: Alexandra MeyerPhone: (+61) 3 9421 3320 Fax: (+61) 3 9421 3375E-mail: [email protected] Address: PO Box 2316 Richmond South 3121

Printed by Print Graphics (Mt. Waverley). Distributed by Gordon and Gotch. All material appearing in The Horse Magazine is copyright. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is not permitted. Produced by Sporthorse International.

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VOLUME 31 No. 2 ISSN 0817-7686.

ABN 33 007 410 960

Training Techniques with Ingrid

KlimkePage 60


SUMMER SHOWJUMPING CLASSIC CSI-WISydney International Equestrian Centre Story by Suzy Jarratt &

Photos by Rachel Smith

It all began in 1979 in Moore Park at the Sydney Showground where, stated the current event programme, John Fahey and Red Cedar were the first World Cup Winners. Then for ten glorious years it was held in Wentworth Park sponsored by Benson and Hedges. These were halcyon days - a great city location, massive media coverage and crowds of spectators.

No World Cup qualifiers were organised between 1990 and 1992 and then the Summer Show moved to various out-of-town locations. For ten years it has been held at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre at Horsley Park and during this time the Olympic arena surface has been improved thus benefiting all equestrian disciplines.

Six hundred horses and 300 riders came from six states and territories to attempt to complete over 3,000 rounds of jumping.

Apart from gale force winds on Thursday afternoon the weather was fine, there were few casualties and events ran like clockwork. Volunteers and organisers laboured tirelessly, Winning Appliances was the major sponsor of the proceedings, as it is on so many of these occasions, and prize money, sashes, rugs and ribbons were evenly distributed among veteran riders and the current wunderkinder.

In fact the only visual difference between these two age groups is when they walk the course. The young stride crisply forward with straight, supple backs, the older riders have a rolling gait as if they have spent many months at sea when, in fact, they have spent many years jarring and snapping their limbs, vertebrae and collar bones.

Young Jamie Kermond finished up all in one piece and now has his sights set on Europe. Even before competing at

this event he knew he had won the FEI World Cup Jumping Australian League and is now looking towards the World Cup Final in Lyon in April (and a new saddle from Bates).

“I’ve been riding pretty well here at SIEC although I made a mistake on Yandoo Oaks Constellation in the Future Stars Classic Final which I really wanted to win. I tried to take out a stride down the line and it did not pay off at all.

“In the World Cup GP I’m on Colthaga. I’ve been riding this mare for quite a long time and she seems to be in good form, and I’ve got Quite Cassini who’s a new ride.”

This is a nine-year-old stallion owned by Scott and Deborah Massey and NZ rider Ross Smith.

“In the first round of the Wentworth Saddles Mini Prix I made some mistakes on Caracas, he’s also a stallion, but he looked after me.”

There are certain similarities between the SIEC grounds and a Duke of Edinburgh Outward Bound Course. Negotiating the terrain can be tiring and hazardous, long distances separate one focal

point from another and much climbing is required to reach significant observation points.

But it’s the only venue Sydney has in which to stage what is Australia’s premier showjumping event.


Owned by Desmond Russell the combination went on to win the Mini Prix Final. Tom McDermott placed second (.08 of a second slower than the winner) and fourth with Laguna Beach and CP Rolex, Ron Easey and Town Man 3rd and fifth place to Chris Chugg and Diamond B Vegas.

Fifty-three-year-old Easey hadn’t been to SIEC since the 2000 Olympics but he’s certainly not been idle.

“He qualified three horses for that mini prix,” observed showjumping

legend Colleen Brook. “Ron does all the Ag shows and he goes to Cairns every year because The Australian High Jump has been an integral part of that show forever.”

(Easey, from Quirindi NSW, recently went to the Atherton Tablelands and broke the Malanda Show’s high jump record by clearing 2.325m (7’7½”) on Easy Would Whatever.)

Kermo will be travelling a little further than Queensland. Early in 2014 the 28-year-old will go to Europe with his horses, prepare for the Lyon final and then concentrate on achieving Australian selection for Normandy.

“I’ve been overseas before and had a campaign in 2006 before WEG. I made that team but I wasn’t so successful. I was on a little Thoroughbred horse and I was only 21 - I was probably a little out of my depth. I also went to America with Colthaga and when we got there the horse had a few problems - I haven’t had the success I wanted. But I’ve been very competitive here all year and have won almost all the things I’ve set out to win so when I go overseas this time I want to prove to myself I can match it with those boys over there.

“’Jim (his partner Jamie Winning) and I will be staying where Julia Hargreaves is based – I don’t know the name of the yard or where it is.”

Julia’s mum would like him to know that it’s Lehnsen Stable near Elmpt in Germany, very close to the Dutch border

and about 40 minutes from Aachen. By now Kermo and Jim would have

their European bearings as the day after these Championships they left to spend a week or so with Julia before Christmas to work with two six-year-olds, one by Holsteiner Cassini II bought on a previous trip.

Kermo’s mother, Sue, was in high spirits in the VIP tent and was excited not only by her son’s achievements for the year and his future prospects but by the fact that she was taking home to

Jamie Kermond on Colthaga, winner of the Australian league of the World Cup

Tom McDermott and SL Limerick, another World Cup win


LAKES AND CRATERSFrom the Pre-Novice Perspective Story by Ute Raabe

Photos by Peter Orr and Ute Raabe

Lakes and craters, cows and sheep, farmers, golfers, cricketers, bowlers and lots of horses in all shapes and sizes– welcome to Camperdown and to the Lakes and Craters horse trials.

I didn’t quite know what to expect when Chris Hector sent me off to cover this event. I knew I would find familiar faces amongst the riders and officials, that there would be steep hills and two lakes - one salty, one fresh water – and that I should not try anything too ‘exotic’ in the local pub.

I encountered all of the above, including a couple of lovely dinners in the Hampden Hotel in the company of a cheerful Ground Jury, plus a well run three-day-event with the support and the spirit of the community behind it. Whilst junior cricket is played on one side of the ‘green shed’, horses are on the other. Three golfers are practising their swings on green number five, eventing from Prelim to CCI 3 Star is performed on the hill. All in perfect harmony, in the Lakes Recreation Park.

This is of course Roycroft country and there is Barry in his element, multi-tasking, from auctioning ‘limited edition’ Lakes and Craters t-shirts, frequently hijacking the microphone, taking over at the water jump when a

rider has a fall, repairing the fence after said-fall then back home to jump on the tractor for a couple of hours on Sunday to bring the hay in.

There is Lyn Roycroft, hosting, judging, decorating cross-country fences and baking a batch of shortbread and a delicious passionfruit cheesecake in between.

We have the hard-working Best family, involved in everything from course building to taking entries, checking entries, central control, jump judging and handling presentations. Troy Best even has a horse entered himself.

Then there’s Rob Leishman, 80 years old, but on duty for cross country and showjumping day. Ian Laurinson, volunteering for ‘15 or so’ years; last

Barry Roycroft - hands on


week he built the barrels in the water jump, today he is taking the times on cross country.

And we have the riders, Will Enzinger on crutches, Wendy Schaeffer on crutches, Amanda Ross with her wrist still in a brace. “Come eventing”, jokes Will, “we are a great advertisement for the sport, aren’t we?”

However, there are plenty of able riders left. This year there were some 260 entries I have been told, a new record at least for the Prelim and Pre-novice classes. Sadly this doesn’t apply to the Two and Three Star CCI and CIC classes. The CCI 3 Star sees only two entries, young rider, Jamie Stichel from South Australia with Image Blue Ice and Adam Benson from Victoria riding Enthusiast.

Jamie takes the lead in the dressage, both riders play it safe on Michael Creber’s cross country course and take the longer options. Adam and Enthusiast have a hairy moment at the water, not enough to stop them from finishing the course, but it’s enough to make Adam withdraw from Sunday’s showjumping.

This leaves Jamie as the sole contender

in the jumping round. Paul Williams (father of Olympian, Matt) is the course designer, he dutifully changes the course around for each class, adds a fence here, changes a line there. Jamie does the course walk with her coach Megan Jones, who is happy to share her advice with one of her favourite pupils.

Last year Megan predicted that Jamie Stichel “will be one to watch”. That was after then 17-year old Jamie had won the Young Riders event at Two Star level in Adelaide. The CCI 3 Star at Camperdown looked like a good option to get her qualification to ride Four Star next year. Jamie keeps her cool and finishes her round with one rail down, a CCI 3 Star win and the all-important qualification secured.

You and Megan seemed to have a long discussion before the showjumping, what did she say to you?

“She was very hot on keeping me focussed, she knew that I was the only one left in the class and she was worried that I would get a bit side-tracked and not concentrate. I didn’t take it though as if I’d won, but it would have been good to have another person to compete against at the end.”

Tell us about your horse, Image Blue Ice?

“We bought him from a stud in Echunga when he was just broken in. That was all on Megan’s advice. It was quite a big gamble buying him but he had all the breeding and he is related to Kirby Park Irish Jester (Megan’s WEG and Olympic Games medallist). I had a few rides on him, and at the start, and honestly I didn’t like him at all.” Jamie laughs, “He was really heavy in the hand I just didn’t like him.”

“He always had a good personality but he wasn’t great to ride. Megan had seen him free-jump when he was a baby, so we went solely on her word and he

Happy CCI 3 Star winner: Jamie Stichel Image Blue Ice, above and top right


ADELINDE TRAINING OF THE HORSERebecca Ashton finds the Dutch star in New Zealand

Photos by Rebecca Ashton & Trish Dunell

Ever spent time with someone who possesses high energy and super positivity? Know how contagious that can be? Spend some time with Dutch dressage

superstar Adelinde Cornelissen and you’ll know what I mean.

I had the great opportunity to hang out with the London Olympic dressage individual silver medalist in New Zealand where she was a guest presenter at Equidays, the Kiwi equivalent of our Equitana. She gave two masterclasses and some private clinics in the Hamilton area.

Adelinde’s training system is simple but not always easy. Subtle changes and awareness of both the horse and the rider’s own body take great focus and concentration. “If you give your horse your full attention, they will give you their full attention back,” encouraged Adelinde.

Like all good riders, Adelinde has a structure for her sessions. Before each lesson started, she would ask the rider about their goal and plan for the lesson. “You cannot train without a goal”, each student was told, “It doesn’t need to be going to Rio and winning gold. Make a plan, not just long term but everyday. It’s only fair to the horse. It might just be that he starts relaxing with a hack outside. You don’t want to be on for 45

minutes and then think, ‘Oh, I wanted to do piaffe’.” There were some interesting goals from the riders, such as Christine Weal on Ragazzo who just wanted to stay on, causing Adelinde to chuckle.

The Dutch rider’s positive attitude was never far away either. When Gaylene Leonard complained, “We’re never good enough. That’s the problem,” Adelinde replied, “No, it’s not a problem, it’s a good thing. Never be satisfied. But don’t work twice as hard as the horse to get it.”

Once goals were established, it was all about the basics. Nothing new, but all too often riders were more interested in holding their horses together getting straight into collected work. Speed control, balance and rhythm were the

key ingredients. Every single horse started with the same test that all three areas were well under control. “Speed control; you can never forget this for the rest of your life. It is the most important thing!” emphasized Adelinde. If a horse has a problem with a movement, it is never the movement but the speed control, rhythm or balance.

It is only after these basics are firmly established that a rider can move on. “You have to ask yourself: What in the end do we really want from our horses? Why do we train them? I want to shape my horse and make an athlete out of him so when I compete, he can do it as easily as possible,” explained the Dutch rider.

With the young horses, just fitness is necessary at first, then flexibility and only after that power and stamina.

“The fitter the horse is, the easier it is for it to do the work. Then it is also more fun for him. Don’t always train the difficult things. Imagine if you went to work and all day you had to do something you didn’t like or couldn’t do. You would

IF A HORSE HAS A PROBLEM WITH A MOVEMENT, IT IS NEVER THE MOVEMENT BUT THE SPEED CONTROL, RHYTHM OR BALANCE.


hate it. So also train the things the horse finds easy and fun, especially at the end of a session,” Adelinde advised.

A lot of the young horses were not forward enough, and there was more than one lesson where not much more was said than, “Forward! Be convincing. Don’t push with your seat to go forward. Just legs.” Adelinde explained further, “If they’re really back (not forward) at four years of age, then by eight when they do the exercises (more difficult movements), they’ll really start backing off too much.” With the four-year-olds, it was important to first just get their legs moving. It was also necessary to keep them very relaxed and keep things easy for them to build their confidence. Sharpness to the leg was also a major requirement, but not to the degree with more advanced horses.

Then up into the canter and it was OK for transitions at this stage to be less than perfect as long as the horse kept forward, stretching, and there was a bit of steering.

The five-year-olds were expected to be better with the basics, but each lesson started the same way. The long-term goal was established, then the day’s plan and then a check of the speed control, rhythm and balance. One rider received the following feedback when her downward transition from lengthened trot was too abrupt, “They have to always think forward so slow-down gradually. Repeat until you really feel he is paying attention to you. This is a spooky horse, so his speed control is even more important. Don’t always do the same number of strides either. Horses are not stupid and they soon know, and then it’s not your speed control anymore, it’s more his memory you are testing! So don’t always come out of the corner, go forward on the diagonal and slow down at the end.”

The lessons also ended the same way with a relaxed, stretching trot on the long rein without any running or change of rhythm and Adelinde making quite sure that the rider understood everything from the session.

With the slightly older horses, it was then time to introduce some lateral work, beginning with leg yield. Adelinde

explained, “To make an athlete out of your horse, you have to build up the right muscles in the right places, therefore we need to be able to control, isolate and flex every single part of his body.” This began with flexion in the poll without the neck or body changing at all.

Adelinde asked one rider, “Is he forward? Is he giving in the jaw? Is he giving to your inside leg? When you ask with the inside rein, just the head needs to turn to the inside. I don’t want the head to tilt. This is the hardest bit to supple up. There needs to be good co-ordination with your reins. They need to be fine-tuned, another reason you need to be really focused as a rider.”

With the flexion established, it was time for shoulder in. As with all movements, once it was executed correctly, it was necessary to test the speed control

within the movement before trying out the travers. When someone asked how much bending and flexing was required in each movement, Adelinde replied, “ As much as you want. For me in practice, you can ride travers on three or even four or five tracks, but it has to be your decision, not an accident. Don’t always do it like it is in the test. Have 20 different options with it. Then in a test, you can give the judge what they want to see, because then you can do anything.”

YOU CAN RIDE TRAVERS ON THREE OR EVEN FOUR OR FIVE TRACKS, BUT IT HAS TO BE YOUR DECISION, NOT AN ACCIDENT. DON’T ALWAYS DO IT LIKE IT IS IN THE TEST

Britta Pedersen and Upendo working on the flying changes


ANDREW HOY The Changing World of Eventing

Chris Hector interviews Andrew Hoy

Andrew competed in his first World Eventing Championships back in 1978, at the age of nineteen, on Davey, the little Stockhorse he met up with when he was just seventeen years old. They were eliminated on the cross country on a day when the humidity and toughness of the track resulted in 38.29% of the starters being withdrawn / eliminated / retired on the cross country. But Andrew was a fast learner, the following year, Andrew and Davey won Burghley and Andrew has been part of the world’s eventing elite pretty well ever since… If it is a major four star – Badminton, Burghley, Lexington – then Hoy Boy has been there, done that, WON that. At the 2012 Olympic Games in London, he became the first Australian athlete to compete at seven Olympic Games.

It was great then to spend some time with Andrew on his recent visit to Australia, to get his thoughts on the way the sport has evolved in the past thirty plus years, refreshing too, to discover that Andrew has lost none of his enthusiasm and drive in the process.

You made your name riding a Stockhorse, and then consolidated your career with a Thoroughbred, but now your two front-liners are German Warmbloods – is this a reflection of how the sport is changing?

“It definitely has changed. When I started there were roads and tracks, and the steeplechase. I didn’t compete when there was Phase E after the cross country, a cooling down period… But I think it has changed for me, not just because of the way the sport has changed, the move from the longer format to the shorter format, but it is also because I am now based in Europe and have access to horses there.”

“There are good horses in every country. In Australia what was available when I started out, was the horses you could get from the racing industry, horses that

weren’t fast enough, or they had had an injury and you looked after that injury. The availability of horses bred for the sport was absolutely minimal, the Thoroughbred was accessible. In Europe there are many horses specifically bred for sport. It is just coincidental that I have ended up with German bred horses, they do have quite a lot of Thoroughbred in their bloodlines, because without doubt you cannot go away from the Thoroughbred or a horse that is predominantly Thoroughbred.”

“The way the sport has changed is that the dressage test has become definitely more technical – and I believe, rightly so – for safety reasons, on the cross country, the fences have become narrower, so the rider cannot force a horse over a fence, it is more accuracy. You end up running past the fence – and that is much safer, than ending up in a great big ditch, or colliding with a huge log. There are still those jumping efforts in the sport that are great big jumping efforts – on the cross country now, one third of the course is a metre thirty five to a metre forty, although our maximum height is one metre, a third of the course is made up of brush fences and they add the height. In today’s sport you need a horse that is a very careful jumper, and if a horse brushes through everything, when it comes to the showjumping, it is just going to roll the poles off. The poles in the showjumping have become lighter, the cups have become shallower, the lines are definitely related, and there are lots of related lines in the showjumping arena, so the technicality is that much greater.”

“You can still buy a Thoroughbred and be very successful – the Thoroughbred that moves very well in the dressage, obviously can gallop easily cross country, and then be very careful in the showjumping – those Thoroughbreds are very hard to find, there are just so few of them. In the Sport Horse industry, there are many horses bred for the job, and that’s why so many riders have

1979 Burghley Horse Trials: 1st Davey

1984: Olympic Games Los Angeles Davey

1986-87: Melbourne 3DE: 1st Kiwi

1992: Olympic Games Barcelona: Team Gold Kiwi

1998: Olympic Games Seoul: Kiwi

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS


gone to the Sport Horse rather than the Thoroughbred, the Sport Horses are so much more accessible.”

Looking at the changes in the sport, has that changed your ‘fittening’ program?

“Good question, I don’t believe it has. I still believe in having my horses as fit as when I was doing the longer format. The jumping efforts are still very big, the courses have become not long, straight out gallops, but more tighter lines, turning on lines: the horse has to be a real athlete, and the athlete has to be fit.”

Are you a scientific counter of reps, and measurer of heart rates?

“I used to work with a heart rate monitor but because I developed a feeling for that, I now don’t use a monitor, but for sure, that is something I believe is valuable for a rider starting out, to use the monitor to get that feeling. It is important that you do repetitions, and don’t mix up on the same day, technical training with fitness training – they are two separate issues, and you should work on them on separate days.”

“My training program is far more structured now than what it used to be when I started. I’m often asked, who has been the greatest horse in my career – and I say, I don’t believe I’ve had the greatest horse, but now I do appreciate the horses that I started with, much more now than when I started, because I had no knowledge when I started, now I can bring the horses through in a much better program.”

Are you a hills man, or do you have one of those famous English gallops?

“I use hills to prepare my horses. It doesn’t matter what you use, as long as you have a feeling for how the horses should respond. Riders have different values – going up a really steep hill, or a longer pull over a great distance, or working on the flat – personally I tend to work on hills.”

What does a week for one of your three-star, or above, horses look like?

“It is all the time moving, but basically, the horse always has one day off a week, then depending on where the horse is in its training program, and what I am specifically needing to work on – be it the dressage or some jumping exercises or cross country schooling, that controls how much I focus on a particular area with that horse. It is also affected by how far off the next competition is. Basically, I’d do two days of aerobic work, and the rest of the days would be technical schooling, dressage, or showjumping.”

You were saying how much your approach to dressage has been influenced by Klaus Balkenhol…

“It really is, but if I go back further than that, I had great respect for Franz Mairinger, and I was very fortunate to come into the sport towards the end of his time as coach, and I had the opportunity to work with him when I was young. Then there was Tina Wommelsdorf, the young riders of today probably have never heard of them. Then I worked with some very classical showjumping riders, like Bill Steinkraus and George Morris. I had always tried to go with people who are very classically correct.”

“When Wayne Roycroft was the coach of the Australian team, that was very good – but then in Europe I had the opportunity to work with Klaus Balkenhol, who I would consider one of the most classically correct men I have ever worked with. Then I worked with Dolf Keller, who was coach of the German Young Riders, his daughter is now riding Grand Prix. Dolf was very good at explaining in a very simple and logical manner, how you needed to ride your horse in particular movements. Now I am working with Laura Tomlinson, nee Bechtolsheimer…”

And her inspiration came from Klaus…

“Yes, she flies Klaus Balkenhol in, twice a week into the UK. If I look back at my career, I have been basically following very similar lines right the way through.”

For your showjumping?

“Obviously there is the Australian coach, Gilbert Böckmann, but I have also been

1996 Olympics: Team Gold Darien Powers

2000 Olympics: Team Gold Darien Powers

2000 Olympics: Individual Silver Swizzle In

2004 Olympic Games Athens: Mr Pracatan


ESTABLISHING THE HALF HALT

The bay is green, very green, and Michelle and Caroline are working on a couple of essentials – acceptance of the bridle, and in the words of the late, great, Franz Mairinger – my pace, and my line. When Caroline asks for a downward transition, the horse tends to resist the bit…

“When you ride a trot/walk transition, and you feel a resistance in the bridle, go forward again. First of all shorten the trot, go forward again…”

But the resistance in front is really a result of what is happening behind:

“If you go to the walk transition, can you feel that when you start to shorten the trot, the hind leg gets slow and falls behind you, and the horse drops its stomach to the ground. Let us start just doing the transition within the trot, until he starts to understand what we are doing. What I want you to do is as soon as you go to shorten, read the hind leg, and when the tempo of the hind leg gets slow, change your mind – change your mind, change your mind… Go to shorten, forward and out of it straight away, as soon as you feel the hind leg get slow – forward, forward, you were too slow.”

“Think less hand, you need very little hand, all you have to do is shorten your

rise, that’s enough, perfect. Now you have him more responsive to your leg – he needs to understand the half halt, we’ve got to give him that understanding so we can re-adjust his balance, and mould the forwardness you have created. Perfect, now forward again.”

BALANCING THE YOUNG HORSEMichelle Strapp Unlocks the Secret... Story by Chris Hector &

Photos by Roz Neave

Since we started The Horse Magazine in 1984, we must have run hundreds of articles on the much discussed and elusive ‘basics’. When the magazine started out, we would have interviews with trainers from Europe and when they told us, ‘your riders don’t have the basics’, we asked for explanations, and we would get elaborate words and descriptions, which many of our readers found incomprehensible and conflicting. ‘I only go to trainer X because he gets my horse going well, trainer Y says something entirely different.’

Even at the top, at the Australian elite squad level, you will still find riders who have not learnt to produce a horse that is balanced and in self carriage, and that alas, includes some of our top ‘dressage’ riders…

Michelle Strapp is a genius at getting to the basics in her analysis and explanations when working with a rider. In this session with Caroline Price and her 5-year-old Warmblood, Finn MVNZ, Michelle talks about developing the rider’s awareness of the hind leg and how that changes the balance of the ridden horse.


“Keep your hands very, very steady, go to shorten, slow your rise, that’s enough, go forward out of it, did you feel him drop away? As you teach him to lengthen and shorten at this stage, your reading of the speed of the hind leg is really important. He can only maintain his balance, if the speed of the hind leg is quick enough to carry his carcass.”

“If the hind leg gets too slow, then he drops down to the floor and that’s when you will hit the resistance in the bridle. You need to do thousands of those, go to shorten, forward again.”

“Because he doesn’t understand, he feels the bridle, and resists against the bridle. You’ve gradually got to get the hind leg quicker which allows him to use his power and carry himself. One of the ultimate goals in suppleness is a horse that bends its joints. You want him to have courage and confidence to go forward to your hand with that amount of power. Your hand is just to receive, you don’t want to use it as a hand brake.”

“Use your cluck, because his hind leg gets slower before you know it, go to shorten, cluck, perfect.”

Michelle is the journalist’s delight, as she works with her pupils, she keeps up a running commentary…

“Caroline is doing a good job to keep the horse’s shoulders straight, at this stage I like to keep the horse’s head in the centre of its chest, no bending, no

rubber necks, this is just longitudinal work. On the left rein, he tends to fall out with his right shoulder, and his left hind leg is in, which puts him on two tracks. At this stage we don’t go inside leg to outside rein at the trot, because he doesn’t understand a half halt, we work on improving longitudinal flexion first. The best way to improve longitudinal balance, is through the transitions.”

“Keep his shoulders straight and the neck in the centre of his chest, and gradually as he has an understanding of half halt, and the longitudinal balance and flexion improves we start lateral flexion , so we will have more influence over the left hind leg.”

“When you shorten him Caroline, you are actually shortening him from the back not the front, that’s what you’ve got to think about. It is the same as what you would do when you wait for a fence, you think about waiting with your body, and wanting the horse’s hind leg to keep active and forward thinking to the fence, you are just containing the spring. So now wait with your body and cluck. That’s where the saying comes that you shorten a horse from the back, and you can only know how much leg to use in a half halt, if you decide on what tempo you want to travel.”

“You decide on the tempo you want the horse’s hind legs to travel on and that’s how you know if you just need a cluck, leg, or you need the dressage whip.”

I commented to Michelle that she was using a technique beloved by one of the more controversial modern dressage trainers - It’s interesting, with your half stop go, you are using one of Sjef Janssen’s techniques. Sjef had a thing that you can’t push a horse into the halt with the leg, but when I asked, how do you stop them dropping their hind ends out in the halt, he said, you have to always have them thinking about coming immediately out of the halt, then they will get their hind legs under them…

“I love half transitions, and I think what it does is teach the rider to read the hind leg. If they are ready to change their mind, the minute the hind leg gets slow, then the rider’s mind is not on the bridle, it is on the hind leg. You can’t have a good halt if the horse is not thinking forward. If you are having to over-use leg to keep the hock under you, the horse is behind your leg in the first place.”

Caroline: “At home I have three canter poles and every time I took my leg off, he went trot – this is going to help…”

Michelle agrees: “It will help him keep his own natural zest of forward thinking. You see riders who are busy, busy, busy, and as soon as the horse does something right, they take all the aids away, and pat it, and let the horse fall in a big heap. You should be able to sit silent, and at that point of silence, the horse should not instantly fall behind you. George Morris said to us, a long time ago, I want you to wait at the vertical with no leg. And everyone said, but the horses will fall into a trot. But if you are pushing into every transition, you are

HE CAN ONLY MAINTAIN HIS BALANCE, IF THE SPEED OF THE HIND LEG IS QUICK ENOUGH TO CARRY HIS CARCASS

THAT’S WHERE THE SAYING COMES THAT YOU SHORTEN A HORSE FROM THE BACK, AND YOU CAN ONLY KNOW HOW MUCH LEG TO USE IN A HALF HALT, IF YOU DECIDE ON WHAT TEMPO YOU WANT TO TRAVEL.


“It is important that you do a variety of things when you are training an eventer, that means you never do two training sessions the same in a row. Maybe you will do two dressage sessions in a row, but then you might start the session by lunging your horse over cavaletti. Once or twice a week you jump – either you do gymnastics or cavaletti work or you do some jumping exercises from the cross-country course, like training over narrow jumps in the arena. Make sure you work always on getting your horse supple and loose.”

“I do a lot of cavaletti work also with my dressage horses because then I can really make them active behind, over the back, stretching into your hand, and really supple in the back.”

“Once a week I go to the hills, every five to seven days, the hills make them fitter.”

Do you think your program for training the horses is very different from your father’s program?

“My father was only riding dressage when I grew up, he had stopped eventing, but he definitely always had his cavaletti alongside his dressage arena, he always had his racetrack (many German trainers have long well-surfaced sand tracks around their working areas) around the dressage arena , and always said, first go on the racetrack and warm up your horse, then come into the dressage arena. We also went for hacks, he would make sure when a horse was tense and with a problem in walk, he would say – first

thing, you go for a hack. You go, one or two hours, just go with your horse, outside and enjoy it. Then the horse would walk because he was relaxed.”

You have just released some new special cavaletti…

“I grew up with cavaletti, the cavaletti were always there, not only for jumping and gymnastics, but to teach the horse more cadence, and strengthen the muscles – you can find muscles with cavaletti that you cannot develop without using them. If you want to improve the quality of the gaits, then cavaletti are the way to reach these muscles.”

“I just released some new ones that don’t have the old fashioned cross,

because with the cross, either wood or metal, the horse can hurt himself, especially when they are young and not used to the cavaletti. What I like is to use is plastic for the stands, but what is important is that the pole is still wood, because the horse should react when it touches the pole, the horse must feel it so it can learn from it.”

Has your training changed very much under the influence of Christopher Bartle?

“Oh yes, definitely, because Christopher is like my father, he is always thinking. He has really helped me, I love to work with him in all the disciplines. He has the same philosophy in them all, he tries to think like a horse, understand the horse, to always find a way that the

Ingrid Klimke has built her philosophy of training her horses on the foundation established by her father, the late Reiner Klimke, who like Ingrid was an international star in both eventing and dressage.

Not surprisingly, it is a ‘horse friendly’ way of training based firmly on the classical principles:

Ingrid Klimke talks about Training...

Story by Chris Hector & Ute Raabe Photos by Julia Rau & Susan Mackenzie


Ingrid is possibly the most versatile of Germany’s top trainers – she is a teacher, dressage rider and coach to Grand Prix level, eventing rider, Olympic gold medalist and World Champion, multiple German champion, book author, you name it. In the German PM-Forum magazine she shares some of her cavaletti training tips:

BASIC RULES

• Get your horse used to cavaletti work gradually, ride over a single cavaletti first, then two, then three and eventually four.

• Don’t use more than four in a row because if your horse gets into trouble or its legs tangled up, it will still be able so save itself with a quick jump out. Otherwise you risk injury or losing your horse’s confidence.

• Know your lines: start with cavaletti set up in a straight line, then arrange them on a curved line for trot and canter work. It will have an increased gymnastic effect.

• Wooden poles are always the preferred option, they have the right weight and don’t clatter when knocked.

• Avoid just placing poles on the ground, they can move when knocked and get between the horse’s feet.

• Train regularly, not just once a month, or your risk overstrain and muscle soreness.

• Include cavaletti work two to four times a week, also once on the lungeing rein.

SPOTLIGHT ON: INGRID’S STABLE

EVENTERS

FRH Escada JS Hanoverian mare, 2004, by Embassy / Lehnsherr. Won individual Silver medal and team Gold medal at the 2013 European Champs.

Hale Bob Aka Bobby, Oldenburger gelding, 2004, by Helikon xx/ Noble Champion. Now qualified at CCI 3 Star level.

Parmenides Trakehner gelding, 2004, by Sir Chamberlain / Habicht. 3 Star eventing and showjumping at medium level.

Pferdesafari Makalali Oldenburger mare, 2008, by Desirao xx / Royal Dance. Qualified for the 2013 Bundeschampionate.

Königssee Trakehner stallion, 2010, by Interconti / Tambour. Just starting out with cavaletti and jumping training.

DRESSAGE

Dresden Mann Westfalian gelding, 2004, by Dresemann / Florestan I. 3rd place in the 2012 Nürnberger Cup final, 2013 debut at Grand Prix level.

Silbermond Stallion, 2007, by Sir Donnerhall I / Ramiro’s Son. Winner of the 19th Northrhine Westfalian Stallion Licensing in 2009, reserve champion 2010 Bundeschampionate, 2nd in the LVM Youngster Championship 2013 and winner of M level competition.

Jewel’s Sir Weihbach Oldenburger gelding, 2009, by Sir Donnerhall / Don Schufro. Staying with Ingrid for dressage training.

PENSIONERS

FRH Butts Abraxxas Hanoverian gelding, 1997, by Heraldik xx/ Kronenkranich xx. Olympic Gold in 2008 and 2012, retired in 2013.

RECENT ADDITIONS

Franziskus and Geraldine

horse can understand you. Everything he does is in a horsemanship way, it is understanding and trusting your partner the horse. It is totally fair, and always intelligent. He is always finding intelligent solutions to problems, and he is always flexible enough to say, let’s try this, let’s try that, but he never loses the classical way.”

It must be very different riding your mare, Escada, from riding Abraxxas? They are such different styles of horses…

“Totally different, absolutely – you have to really change your approach. If you have ten horses, you have ten different horses, every rider has to think and be flexible and first of all understand the personality of the horse. What is the best way to approach this horse’s mind? The mind is the most important thing. If the horse is working with you, with an open mind and trying to give its all, then you have the chance to really improve the way that horse goes – but if you don’t find the clue to the horse’s mind,

then the horse will never give its all for you in the partnership.”

What is the key to Escada?

“The key to Escada is to learn to be very patient, to patiently repeat, and make sure that she stays with you. She is very determined, she is very strong willed, she knows she is full of scope and can do everything – she is a typical mare. I know it, and I want to do it my way: If I want to start my change, I start my change. You can go with me or forget it. I had to explain to her, if we are partners, we both have to listen. I can’t only listen to her, because we can’t only do it her way. The clue was patience and repetition. Again and again and again, Take her to another dressage arena, and ride another M dressage test – not very exciting – boring for me, and finally, boring for her too, but she had to accept, we go into the dressage arena, we do our test and then very confidently and quietly, we go home. Next day, we start it again, and then go home… finally she agreed.”


Let’s start with the German FN breeding values, headed once again by Don Schufro on a score of 170. Fair enough, the stallion is nicely bred (Donnerhall / Pik Bube) and was an adequate competitor at Grand Prix level, and he has produced a number of international competitors, none of them stars. He has a breeding value of 169 with a reliability of 91%, but let us compare him with the stallion that heads the WBFSH dressage stallion rankings – De Niro (Donnerhall / Akzent II).

De Niro, who does not even make it onto the FN’s top one percent list, was again an adequate Grand Prix performer rather than a star, but he is a prodigious sire of genuine stars. His total of 27,247 points is the product of points from 25 international competitors, but the top three have all been members of the German dressage team – Desperados (dam sire – Wolkenstein II), Dablino FRH (Wanderbursch II) and D’Agostino (Shogun xx), joined by Belgian team

member, Donnerfee (Rosenkavalier). De Niro has three representatives with over 2000 points for the season, and 13 with over 1000 points.

Things start to become whackier when we look at the stallion in 2nd place on the FN list – Rock Forever (Rockwell / Landstreicher). Here is another of those stallions whose career peaks in young horse classes, and even the bloodlines (Ramiro, Landgraf) suggest, if anything, a jumping rather than a dressage career. Progeny? Well even the publicity guff on the net doesn’t seem to have anything to boast about, but there he is with a breeding index of 168, which just happens to be one point higher than one of the most brilliant dressage performers of modern times, Damon Hill (Donnerhall / Rubinstein), who has also produced some very flash progeny in his brief breeding career.

In second and third place on the WBFSH list we have two Dutch based horses, Gribaldi (Kostolany / Ibikus), in 2nd, was imported to Holland as a youngster, and the local hero, Jazz (Cocktail / Ulster).

With the departure of Totilas from

LIES, DAMN LIES AND STATISTICSChristopher Hector looks at the stallion rankings and breeding values

The annual publication of the German FN Breeding Values and WBFSH Stallion Rankings always brings its share of anomalies and whacko results, but this year seems to set new standards of absurdity.

Place Sire Points Place Sire Points Place Sire Points1 HERALDIK XX 2014 34 SEDUCER XX 228 68 MINERS LAMP 1642 MASTER IMP 1033 36 CORLAND 223 70 BALDA BEAU 1633 RICARDO Z 749 37 LUX Z 221 70 LANDOS 1634 JUMBO 664 38 CLERKENWELL 210 72 QUATAR DE PLAPE 1615 CRUISING 582 38 LUSO 210 72 TOUCHDOWN 1616 FINES 482 40 QUITE EASY 208 74 KARANDASJ 1607 LIMMERICK 448 41 GUIDAM 205 75 BRILLANT INVADER 1598 YARLANDS SUMMER SONG 433 42 ESTEBAN XX 203 75 RINGWOULD LEGALITY 1599 GHAREEB 429 42 VIGO D'ARSOUILLES 203 75 SAMOS 159

10 FLEETWATER OPPOSITION 385 44 COURAGE II 201 78 LEGAL LEGEND XX 15811 KANNAN 381 44 INDOCTRO 201 79 REGARDEZ MOI 15412 CULT HERO 366 46 CARDINO 199 80 ANSHAN 15313 RUBIN-ROYAL 356 46 HARLEQUIN DU CAREL 199 80 LUPICOR 15314 PUISSANCE 343 48 ESCUDO I 198 80 QUEENS SOLDIER 15315 JAGUAR MAIL 335 48 RABINO 198 80 SOFIX 15316 CONTENDRO 331 50 SHOGOUN II 197 84 ALDATUS Z 15217 ENGAGEMENT 328 51 ARD VDL DOUGLAS 195 84 HAND IN GLOVE 15218 CEVIN Z 319 52 OBERON DU MOULIN 193 84 PIK L. 15219 EMBASSY I 300 53 KRUNCH DE BREVE 191 87 CORONEA EAGLE 15120 OBOS QUALITY 290 54 RIVERMAN (HOLST) 190 88 CHICO'S BOY 14921 PHANTOMIC 269 55 LACROS 188 88 DESIR DU CHATEAU 14922 COEVERS DIAMOND BOY 266 56 CAVALIER ROYALE 186 88 MAJIM G 968 14923 GRAND CRU 263 56 STAN THE MAN XX 186 88 WOODBOROUGH 14924 HELIKON XX 255 58 DON PRIMERO 185 92 FRÜHLING 14824 HIGHLAND KING 255 58 SUNLIGHT XX 185 92 SARASTRO 14826 FLIPPER D'ELLE 254 60 ITUANGO XX 176 94 METALL 14727 AZZAAM 252 60 WALLENDA 176 94 URGENT REQUEST 14727 STACCATO 252 62 L'ARC DE TRIOMPHE 172 96 CANDILLO 14529 GROSVENOR 250 63 CORTUS 169 96 CLINTON 14530 MILL LAW 242 64 PACIFIC 168 96 KOYUNA MAJESTIC SUPREME 14531 RODERO 239 64 VECHTA 168 96 PIONEER NZ 14532 DALEY K 232 66 NEWMARKET VENTURE 167 100 PISTOLET BLEU 14333 RAMIRO B 229 67 LANCER III 16634 OLYMPIC LUX 228 68 IRCO MENA 164

WBFSH - SIRE RANKING 2013 - EVENTINGTop 100 ranked stallions

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Place Sire Points Place Sire Points Place Sire Points1 HERALDIK XX 2014 34 SEDUCER XX 228 68 MINERS LAMP 1642 MASTER IMP 1033 36 CORLAND 223 70 BALDA BEAU 1633 RICARDO Z 749 37 LUX Z 221 70 LANDOS 1634 JUMBO 664 38 CLERKENWELL 210 72 QUATAR DE PLAPE 1615 CRUISING 582 38 LUSO 210 72 TOUCHDOWN 1616 FINES 482 40 QUITE EASY 208 74 KARANDASJ 1607 LIMMERICK 448 41 GUIDAM 205 75 BRILLANT INVADER 1598 YARLANDS SUMMER SONG 433 42 ESTEBAN XX 203 75 RINGWOULD LEGALITY 1599 GHAREEB 429 42 VIGO D'ARSOUILLES 203 75 SAMOS 159

10 FLEETWATER OPPOSITION 385 44 COURAGE II 201 78 LEGAL LEGEND XX 15811 KANNAN 381 44 INDOCTRO 201 79 REGARDEZ MOI 15412 CULT HERO 366 46 CARDINO 199 80 ANSHAN 15313 RUBIN-ROYAL 356 46 HARLEQUIN DU CAREL 199 80 LUPICOR 15314 PUISSANCE 343 48 ESCUDO I 198 80 QUEENS SOLDIER 15315 JAGUAR MAIL 335 48 RABINO 198 80 SOFIX 15316 CONTENDRO 331 50 SHOGOUN II 197 84 ALDATUS Z 15217 ENGAGEMENT 328 51 ARD VDL DOUGLAS 195 84 HAND IN GLOVE 15218 CEVIN Z 319 52 OBERON DU MOULIN 193 84 PIK L. 15219 EMBASSY I 300 53 KRUNCH DE BREVE 191 87 CORONEA EAGLE 15120 OBOS QUALITY 290 54 RIVERMAN (HOLST) 190 88 CHICO'S BOY 14921 PHANTOMIC 269 55 LACROS 188 88 DESIR DU CHATEAU 14922 COEVERS DIAMOND BOY 266 56 CAVALIER ROYALE 186 88 MAJIM G 968 14923 GRAND CRU 263 56 STAN THE MAN XX 186 88 WOODBOROUGH 14924 HELIKON XX 255 58 DON PRIMERO 185 92 FRÜHLING 14824 HIGHLAND KING 255 58 SUNLIGHT XX 185 92 SARASTRO 14826 FLIPPER D'ELLE 254 60 ITUANGO XX 176 94 METALL 14727 AZZAAM 252 60 WALLENDA 176 94 URGENT REQUEST 14727 STACCATO 252 62 L'ARC DE TRIOMPHE 172 96 CANDILLO 14529 GROSVENOR 250 63 CORTUS 169 96 CLINTON 14530 MILL LAW 242 64 PACIFIC 168 96 KOYUNA MAJESTIC SUPREME 14531 RODERO 239 64 VECHTA 168 96 PIONEER NZ 14532 DALEY K 232 66 NEWMARKET VENTURE 167 100 PISTOLET BLEU 14333 RAMIRO B 229 67 LANCER III 16634 OLYMPIC LUX 228 68 IRCO MENA 164

WBFSH - SIRE RANKING 2013 - EVENTINGTop 100 ranked stallions

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Place Sire Points Place Sire Points Place Sire Points1 DE NIRO 27247 35 ESPRI 2496 69 RAVALLO 16862 GRIBALDI 22385 36 KRACK C 2468 70 MEDICI 16853 JAZZ 20680 37 DIMAGGIO 2463 71 DON CARDINALE 16804 FLORESTAN I 15428 38 WIE WELTMEYER 2438 72 CASTRO 16795 DONNERHALL 11648 39 LAURENTIANER 2407 73 LEANDRO 16696 DON SCHUFRO 8195 40 ROUSSEAU 2370 74 VAN DEYK 16677 MICHELLINO 8134 41 QUATTRO B 2368 75 GINUS 16638 SANDRO HIT 7755 42 CASARETTO 2344 76 BRENTANO II 16319 COME BACK II 7690 43 EHRENTUSCH 2306 77 RAGAZZO 1619

10 NEGRO 6772 44 HAVIDOFF 2280 78 DAMOCLES 159711 WELT HIT II 6412 45 RIVERO II 2158 79 NUMERO UNO 159112 FERRO 6284 46 ABANOS 2106 80 WALT DISNEY I 158913 AKINOS 5684 46 LAOMEDON 2106 81 CAPRIMOND 158414 WOLKENSTEIN II 5506 48 JETSET-D 2050 82 BURGGRAAF 156115 ROHDIAMANT 5255 49 AUGUST DER STARKE 2042 83 D-DAY 155816 BREITLING W 5196 50 FLEMMINGH 2041 84 ROMANTIC STAR 154717 DIAMOND HIT 4828 51 GROSSO Z 2026 85 ANAMOUR 153518 FIDERMARK I 4565 52 CORIANDER 1998 86 RELEVANT 153019 LORENTIN I 4483 53 WELTMEYER 1913 87 KENNEDY 152320 BRIAR 4376 54 DONNERSCHWEE 1910 88 DON GREGORY 152221 RUBINSTEIN I 4319 55 ADELANTE 1899 89 CORTEZ 152022 LANCET 4287 56 DEPARDIEU 1877 90 QUALIFICADO 151623 SOLOS LANDTINUS 3849 57 MASTER 1847 91 SIXTUS 151024 METALL 3729 58 HOHENSTEIN 1831 92 RUBINSTERN NOIR 150525 DON FEDERICO 3559 59 ARGENTINIUS 1760 93 SILVANO N 149926 FABRIANO 3482 60 WEINBERG 1754 94 ALABASTER 149527 OBELISK 3436 61 DI VERSACE 1737 95 LIBERTINO I 149428 DONNERSCHLAG 3179 62 HERALDIK XX 1728 96 DEL GADO 149329 SOLOS CAREX 3130 63 POLANSKY 1722 97 LA POCO 148630 RUBIN ROYAL 2819 64 BATIAL 1721 98 WELTBOGEN 148431 ROYAL DIAMOND 2665 65 MISSISSIPI 1711 99 RUFS 147632 DORMELLO 2633 66 ROCKWELL 1701 100 KHODAR 147433 DON DAVIDOFF 2559 67 CHREVI'S LAVALLO 169134 LORD SINCLAIR I 2507 68 HEXAGON'S LOUISVILLE 1690

WBFSH - SIRE RANKING 2013 - DRESSAGETop 100 ranked stallions

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Place Sire Points Place Sire Points Place Sire Points1 BALOUBET DU ROUET 11659 35 CHIN CHIN 2825 69 LANDOR S 14142 KANNAN 11208 36 CALVADOS 2747 70 LUPICOR 14063 QUICK STAR 7952 37 ACORADO I 2628 71 QUASIMODO VD MOLENDREEF 13934 HEARTBREAKER 7863 38 BALOU DU ROUET 2479 72 LANDO 13615 DIAMANT DE SEMILLY 7663 39 CHELLANO Z 2464 73 KIGALI 13436 CORNET OBOLENSKY 6713 40 LE TOT DE SEMILLY 2380 74 CALVARO Z 13417 DARCO 6232 41 CORRADO I 2355 75 ARPEGGIO 13368 MR. BLUE 5366 42 COLMAN 2334 76 BURGGRAAF 13359 NUMERO UNO 4966 43 LORDANOS 2270 77 ROSIRE 1318

10 CONTENDRO 4882 44 ZANDOR Z 2161 78 QUITE EASY 130111 CLINTON 4811 45 HORS LA LOI II 1975 79 QUERLYBET HERO 128512 FOR PLEASURE 4805 46 CASH AND CARRY 1967 80 LIFESTYLE 128213 INDOCTRO 4804 47 CRUISING 1952 81 L'ARC DE TRIOMPHE 127814 NABAB DE REVE 4794 48 CHAMBERTIN 1873 82 GALOUBET A 126515 CARETINO 4624 49 ARGENTINUS 1861 83 GOLDFEVER I 123816 CASALL 4365 50 ARTOS Z 1840 84 STAKKATO 123517 QUIDAM DE REVEL 4302 51 ROYAL FEU 1825 85 LUIDAM 121618 CASSINI I 4187 52 QUANTUM 1716 86 MALOUBET DE PLEVILLE 121519 KASHMIR VAN SCHUTTERHOF 4117 53 CELANO 1675 87 VECHTA 118320 GUIDAM 4078 54 QUIDAM'S RUBIN 1668 88 PAVAROTTI VD HELLE 116021 THUNDER VAN DE ZUUTHOEVE 3975 55 CONCORDE 1645 89 MANHATTAN 115722 CARTHAGO Z 3928 56 VOLTAIRE 1637 90 TANGELO VAN DE ZUUTHOEVE 115523 CONTENDER 3923 57 ORLANDO 1635 91 RANDEL Z 115024 DOLLAR DU MURIER 3868 58 LIMBUS 1621 92 ARMITAGE 114625 CUMANO 3539 59 CALIDO I 1599 93 OKLUND 113126 NONSTOP 3392 59 PADINUS 1599 94 DOLLAR DELA PIERRE 112526 VIGO D'ARSOUILLES 3392 61 CANTOS 1548 94 LORD PEZI 112528 CARDENTO 3368 61 EMILION 1548 96 QUINAR 111829 ANDIAMO Z 3346 63 CORIANO 1502 97 CASCAVELLE 111230 CENTO 3342 64 NAMELUS R 1495 98 CANABIS Z 111031 LUX 3306 65 AHORN 1490 99 LANDLORD 110332 CORLAND 3101 66 COULEUR RUBIN 1460 100 ESCUDO I 108433 SKIPPY II 3028 67 SCHERIF D'ELLE 145334 TOULON 2914 68 LANDJUNGE 1433

WBFSH - SIRE RANKING 2013 - SHOW JUMPINGTop 100 ranked stallions

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D’Agostino took Fabienne Lütkemeier into the German senior team


the scene, Gribaldi’s best representative is Schianto (Schwadroneur), a consistent performer on the Danish dressage scene. The horse was retired from competition in 2013 after injury. None of the other horses on the list are household names, although Gribaldi can boast a dozen horses that earned more than 1000 points in the year. It is a bit of a problem that horses can gain points more easily on the weaker competition circuits…

Jazz has been the dominating sire of Dutch dressage for a decade, and his list is headed by a genuine superstar, Parzival (Ulft), who topped the 2000 points mark for the season. His next best performer is the stallion Tango (Contango), who still hovers on the edges of the Dutch team. Jazz has yet to produce a breeding stallion to carry on his line…

Next, both the FN and the WBFSH lists then turn to the ‘F’ line, although it is the progenitor, Florestan I (Fidelio / Rheingold), who is fourth on the WBFSH standings, while his grandson, Fürstenball (Fürst Heinrich / Donnerhall), is fourth with the FN. There are solid performers rather than stars on Florestan’s list, while we have to take Fürstenball on trust for the while, although he has produced some top foals and interesting young stallions – like the crowd favorite at

the 2013 Hanoverian Stallion licensing, Finest (out of a Wie Weltmeyer mare). He has no FEI level performers yet, and his career seems to have finished after his young horse success, which is the pattern for stallions standing at Paul Schockemöhle’s stud. Fürstenball is by Fürst Heinrich (Florestan / Donnerhall), who won a world young dressage horse title before his untimely death, and out of Maradonna (Donnerhall / Classiker), one of the stars of the exceptional broodmare band of Oldenburg breeder, Georg Sieverding.

Even though he died seven years ago, Donnerhall (Donnerwetter / Markus) takes 5th place on the WBFSH rankings,

with Damon Hill NRW (Rubinstein) contributing 2848 points but admirably supported by two members of the Danish team, Donnperignon (Mozart) and Digby (Sandro), both with 2K+. What a stallion! He would still be a valuable member of the German team today, and has decisively won the battle of the initials – once it was D v R v W in the stallion stakes, but while Donnerhall has gone on to sire top sons, and grandsons and even great-grandsons, neither Rubinstein or Weltmeyer have been able to establish a successful stallion line. To prove the point, Don Schufro follows up his No 1 on the FN rankings with 6th spot on the WBFSH list.

The FN breeding values differ from the results based WBFSH standings in that they take into account the performances of the stallion’s relatives, and the FN defenders suggest that they have the ability to predict stallions that will go on to be very good sires, while the results system only recognizes stallions that have had time to be proven sires. The trouble is, the predictions never seem to come true.

A few years back, the FN came up with the surprising result that the somewhat obscure stallion, Real Diamond, was in fact the stallion with the highest breeding value in the country – 173

Lebensnummer Name Sire Dressage HLP HLP HLP HLP

BV Reliability (%) ZW Sicherheit (%) ZW Sicherheit (%) ZW Sicherheit (%) ZW Sicherheit (%)DE 333332243993 Don Schufro Donnerhall 169 96 167 91 158 95 148 95 168 91DE 441411431503 Rock Forever I Rockwell 168 93 156 84 160 93 158 94 169 82DE 441410557400 Damon Hill Donnerhall 167 92 161 83 161 92 159 92 156 83DE 433330843106 Fürstenball Fürst Heinrich 167 82 163 82 153 81 161 70 160 63NLD003199106398 Jazz Cocktail 166 88 159 79 160 82 148 86 167 81DE 331316108791 Breitling W Bismarck 165 90 155 80 148 85 157 90 175 82DE 431319870905 Fürst Nymphenburg Florencio I 164 89 160 87 157 90 153 79 157 67DE 431319869605 Lissaro Lissabon 164 79 155 72 156 82 163 70 155 60DE 431319758303 Burlington Breitling W 163 84 156 82 148 82 152 75 166 64DE 441410402101 Dancing Dynamite Don Bedo I 162 92 158 81 153 91 150 93 157 85DE 333330117697 Welt Hit VI Weltmeyer 161 77 159 70 153 75 148 73 153 66DE 431316886802 Damsey Dressage Royal 160 85 155 75 154 84 146 82 157 69DE 431314617802 Londontime Londonderry 160 94 164 88 156 94 145 92 142 75DE 431310119001 Real Diamond Rohdiamant 160 87 159 78 150 85 153 84 150 74DE 433330319806 Sir Donnerhall II Sandro Hit 160 81 160 81 153 79 154 68 144 60DE 431319685704 Beltoni Belissimo M 157 85 150 77 153 86 153 81 146 63DE 433331650604 Fürst Romancier Fürst Heinrich 157 92 157 88 147 94 154 84 142 66DE 433330038601 Sir Donnerhall I Sandro Hit 157 98 157 94 153 99 151 98 138 94DE 443430353705 For Romadour Fürst Heinrich 156 72 152 66 148 74 150 67 147 56DE 409090126001 Karolinger I Latimer 156 78 159 70 146 78 146 72 145 63DE 433330504201 Sancisco Sandro Hit 156 93 154 88 148 92 151 89 144 79DE 441411080605 Basic Belissimo M 155 81 150 80 152 76 151 76 141 60DE 443430475404 Flatley Fürst Piccolo 155 85 151 76 145 85 146 82 154 67DE 431319809504 Hampton His Highness 155 83 152 81 148 79 148 73 145 64DE 343432171099 Lord Loxley I Lord Sinclair I 155 96 154 89 147 96 144 96 149 89DE 309090122895 Münchhausen Hohenstein 155 96 154 90 148 95 143 95 147 91DE 341412346197 Dollmann Davignon II 154 87 151 77 149 85 145 83 146 77DE 431310347404 Rosandro Rosario 154 77 149 69 148 79 153 72 142 55DE 373731031395 Dr.Jackson D Dream of Glory 153 93 149 87 144 90 146 92 151 85DE 433330676600 Dream Catcher Day Dream 153 72 150 65 145 73 144 67 147 55DE 441410801604 Estobar Ehrentusch 153 88 152 84 147 83 140 85 148 70DE 461612001701 Lucky Dance Lucky Lionell 153 79 146 70 152 77 147 76 142 66DE 431319757306 Royal Classic Royal Highness 153 77 150 71 148 82 144 66 145 54DE 433330284904 Royal Doruto Royal Hit 153 80 150 71 146 80 148 76 143 62DE 431310016605 Sarkozy Sandro Hit 153 85 150 78 152 87 142 80 141 65DE 343430476299 Belissimo M Beltain 152 97 147 91 148 98 149 97 141 93DE 431315131304 Benetton Dream Brentano II 151 87 154 79 152 91 127 82 142 67DE 441410778304 Bravissimo Belissimo M 151 72 148 64 146 68 144 75 141 61DE 431310052502 Dancier De Niro 151 97 153 92 139 97 141 95 146 84DE 331316823299 Donautanz De Niro 151 83 152 74 143 82 141 80 141 69DE 433330463305 Floriscount Florencio I 151 84 147 83 147 84 143 71 144 62DE 304040586092 Krack C Flemmingh 151 87 145 78 141 84 158 83 137 76DE 431318344801 Locksley I Londonderry 151 82 151 82 144 77 145 76 138 64DE 441410124705 Schumacher Stedinger 151 78 149 70 150 79 143 76 135 58

Hinweise :Datengrundlage:Turniersport (TSP), alle Starts seit 01.01.1995 (TORIS Daten); Aufbauprüfungen (ABP), alle Starts seit 01.01.1995 (TORIS Daten); Zuchtstutenprüfungen (ZSP), ab 01.01.1986; Hengstleistungsprüfungen (HLP), ab 01.01.1986Ausgewiesen sind alle Hengste, die folgende Kriterien erfüllen:Sicherheit Gesamt ZW Dressur oder Springen mind. 70% und insgesamt mindestens 5 Nachkommen; es werden dann alle Teil- und Einzelzuchtwerte ausgewiesen.AbkürzungenHLP - Hengstleistungsprüfung; ZSP/VA - Zuchtstutenprüfung/Veranlagungsprüfung; ABP - Aufbauprüfung; TSP - Turniersportprüfung

Lebensnummer Name Sire Jumping HLP ZSP/VA ABP TSPBV Reliability (%) ZW Sicherheit (%) ZW Sicherheit (%) ZW Sicherheit (%) ZW Sicherheit (%)

DE 421000339405 Diarado Diamant De Semilly 169 90 164 86 156 91 152 86 150 60DE 431312315802 Perigueux Perpignon 169 89 163 82 166 82 144 93 148 77DE 431312318501 Stakkato Gold Stakkato 169 85 162 73 164 76 146 92 149 84DE 331319684593 Stakkato Spartan 168 98 162 95 170 96 144 99 138 97DE 431319101303 Comte Contendro I 166 84 165 78 170 80 138 81 131 63BEL002W00184083 Cornet Obolensky Clinton 166 96 167 90 168 94 131 98 136 96DE 431319726905 Canstakko Canturo 164 81 163 77 167 75 139 80 126 59DE 304040433589 Heartbreaker Nimmerdor 164 79 157 67 141 62 149 90 170 90DE 441411627205 Comme il faut Cornet Obolensky 162 74 157 71 158 67 138 68 144 56DE 304045991294 Montender Contender 161 80 156 70 154 71 146 86 140 77DE 304047475098 Douglas (Rousseau) Darco 159 77 154 73 148 61 144 77 146 65DE 321210021987 Carthago Capitol I 158 97 151 93 146 96 142 99 150 98DE 321210149897 Contendro I Contender 158 98 160 95 158 98 131 99 128 98DE 431312359501 Salito Stakkato 158 88 154 80 164 80 131 92 128 81DE 327271025998 Chacco-Blue Chambertin 157 95 155 88 161 89 130 98 129 94DE 321210214198 Catoki Cambridge 156 93 147 85 145 88 149 96 140 88DE 321210094497 Levisto Leandro 156 95 151 89 143 93 145 97 143 94DE 321210159892 Cardento Capitol I 155 82 148 76 143 69 136 84 158 78DE 333330999594 Cellestial Cantus 155 92 145 83 141 88 148 95 148 89DE 304046129072 Galoubet A Alme 155 74 151 64 148 63 120 80 164 81DE 331317406599 Stolzenberg Stakkato 155 94 154 87 155 90 129 96 135 92DE 321210134095 Chellano Z Contender 154 73 150 59 150 52 132 88 141 84DE 418180984202 Chintan Cento 154 71 151 61 149 63 134 75 138 64DE 321210171892 Concerto II Contender 154 92 151 86 147 86 134 95 143 91DE 321210122293 Cumano Cassini I 154 72 150 68 147 59 133 67 149 67DE 404046061202 Valentino Now Or Never M 154 91 159 84 154 85 131 93 118 75DE 421000307801 Cartano Carthago 153 74 150 69 147 60 138 75 134 65DE 321210021688 Cassini I Capitol I 153 98 152 95 153 98 126 99 135 98DE 321210087698 Chalan Chambertin 153 85 149 74 144 77 141 91 138 83DE 418180274004 Chap Cellestial 153 79 146 74 143 72 145 77 140 58DE 441411785503 Cornado I Cornet Obolensky 153 84 153 77 150 73 129 89 132 70DE 331312322199 Saint Amour Stakkato 153 76 145 73 149 64 138 76 138 62DE 321210242583 Caretino Caletto II 152 98 147 95 143 98 136 99 141 98DE 321210274394 Caspar Cassini I 152 85 151 78 146 73 130 89 141 77DE 421000278903 Clarimo Clearway 152 89 151 79 159 83 128 93 120 78DE 441411636905 Coronas Cornet Obolensky 152 82 149 72 148 75 137 88 130 62BEL002W00001387 Darco Lugano van la Roche 152 87 141 77 134 73 148 96 156 94FRA00191446545F Diamant De Semilly Le Tot de Semilly 152 83 144 72 137 75 138 88 160 79DE 304040651795 Now Or Never M Voltaire 152 90 158 84 150 84 126 92 121 83DE 431311319803 Samorano Stakkato 152 70 147 68 152 61 140 66 126 55DE 431312312702 Stalypso Stakkato 152 92 148 84 153 89 135 96 128 86

Hinweise :Datengrundlage:Turniersport (TSP), alle Starts seit 01.01.1995 (TORIS Daten); Aufbauprüfungen (ABP), alle Starts seit 01.01.1995 (TORIS Daten); Zuchtstutenprüfungen (ZSP), ab 01.01.1986; Hengstleistungsprüfungen (HLP), ab 01.01.1986Ausgewiesen sind alle Hengste, die folgende Kriterien erfüllen:Sicherheit Gesamt ZW Dressur oder Springen mind. 70% und insgesamt mindestens 5 Nachkommen; es werden dann alle Teil- und Einzelzuchtwerte ausgewiesen.AbkürzungenHLP - Hengstleistungsprüfung; ZSP/VA - Zuchtstutenprüfung/Veranlagungsprüfung; ABP - Aufbauprüfung; TSP - Turniersportprüfung

Integrierte Zuchtwertschätzung 2013TOP 1 % - Jumping (stallions with a breeding value of 152 points and more)

Fürstenball - will he produce Grand Prix competitors?


I’ve been photographing the world’s best dressage horses for over 20 years, and right now I feel we are travelling in a good direction, but then again, back when I started looking at top-level competition, there was not a lot to complain about…

A long, long, time ago, in 1990, the first World Equestrian Games were held in Stockholm. The Games were fantastic. The clever Swedes organised, programmed, and conducted them in a way that is yet to be bettered.

The highlights were Rembrandt, the gazelle, with Nicole Uphoff, and Matador, the bouncing black ball, and Kyra Kyrklund. The

new deep-and-low training method had been hot in all the equestrian press and the ‘where have all the classical principles gone debate?’ was, and it still is, hot.

But what was different at that time was the lack of what came to be known as the ‘spectacular.’ Remmy was light and elegant, he danced around the arena, Nicole was invisible. Matador was a power machine and his piaffe was amazing – he bounced from diagonal to diagonal. Watching the two working was so exciting, so beautiful. The deep-and-low work was not a fight, there was no ugly hauling to the chest. I watched both combinations work out the back – yes, access was perfectly free those days.

Story and photos by Roz Neave

EVERY THING THAT IS NEW IS OLD AGAIN

A PHOTOGRAPHER’S VIEW OF DRESSAGE

nicole

uphoff &

rembrandt

The dressage photographer has a privileged position arena-side: right there with the judges – perhaps with a better view at ground level – and the advantage of a lens that lets you see and feel what is going on between horse and rider.


So what are we aiming for?

Article 401 from the FEI

dressage rule book states:

By virtue of a lively impulsion

and suppleness of the joints,

free from the paralysing

effects of resistance, the horse

obeys willingly and without

hesitation and responds to

the various aids calmly and

with precision, displaying

a natural and harmonious

balance both physically and

mentally.

kyra kYrklund &

Matador

Herbert

Rehbein &

PIK BUBE

Before the competition started, I remember running down the hill from the main arena to the working arena with an excited group of journalists to see Kyra and Matador doing this outrageous thing. I found it fascinating and the stallion had an amazing looseness combined with his strength. At her recent clinic in Melbourne Kyra remarked that she has never used rollkur in her training, doesn’t know what it really is and sticks to the classic principles she learnt in her years with Herbert Rehbein.

On a slightly embarrassing note, as Rembrandt came out of the arena, Nicole dropped the reins to put on her jacket – as she did, Remmi started to piaffe. I was so startled I backed away to record the moment, and fell in a heap at the feet of the World Champions. Everyone politely ignored the incident but I missed the pic.

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Horse magazine february 2014