Thunder and lightning provided challenging conditions during the first day of the team competition at the European Para Dressage Championships – as Great Britain sits in the silver medal position overnight.
Three Brits were in action in the grand prix B test today (5 September); Jemima Green and Fantabulous (grade II) and grade I riders Gabby Blake (Strong Beau) and Mari Durward-Akhurst (Athene Lindebjerg).
Coming into the Europeans all eyes had been on home nation the Netherlands as gold-medal contenders; Denmark, Italy and Germany fighting it out for places on the podium. But today proved the deal is far from done.
The day opened with the grade IIIs and bright skies, but by lunchtime the weather took a dramatic turn. A sudden thundery downpour 10 minutes before the start of the grade II resulted in a delay to competition.
Germany’s grade II combination Heidemarie Dresing and Poesie 143 were first into the arena in this section, and if their interrupted warm-up had affected them, they didn’t show it, as they soared their way to a score of 77.53% – one judge, Belgium’s Marc Urban at H, awarded them 79.50%.
“It felt amazing, she’s a wonderful horse, but it was a little bit difficult because of the storm. She was a little bit tense, and I tried to calm her down,” said Heidemarie, who was happy with her score.
“She’s new to this environment and I’m very proud. There were little mistakes, but we learn more at every event, every week, every month.”
Jemima Green gets Britain’s medal hopes under way
Second to go in the grade II was Jemima Green and Fantabulous, who were sent back to their stable during the delay. The pair got off to a tricky start when seven-year-old “Fanta” had an unfortunate stumble on the centre line, but regained their composure and visibly grew with confidence as the test progressed. They finished on 72.10%.
“It was certainly a new experience for us,” said Jemima. “We got me on in the rain, but I was very relieved when they said ‘Everybody back to the stables’. But then it’s trying to work out the new plan.”
When the competition got the go-ahead to restart, Jemima’s trainer and rider Georgie Nicholls had time to warm up Fanta again before Jemima got back on.
“He felt very good, but a little bit on edge. Then he got a little bit disturbed in the 10-minute box by the applause for the first rider. He reacted, then took a breath,” said Jemima.
“I’m really pleased, we didn’t have what we would say is an ideal warm-up or prep. We then tripped on entry, which is just one of those things. I found out our score started quite low, but he tried so hard in there for me.
“After our test the other day, I felt like I gave us a little bit more time and used the arena a bit more. It really just helped us gain that little bit of ‘Ok, breathe, and let’s think about that movement’ – and I think he really needed that from me today.”
Jemima said she was “thrilled” with her score – a solid first on the board for Britain. A country’s top three scores across the grades will count towards the final team scores and decide the team medals.
“Considering how it could have potentially gone; he’s never experienced weather like that, he’s never had thunder. He was really well behaved, but to begin with he wasn’t sure and swinging everywhere,” she said.
“I thought ‘Oh God, am I going to get him back and supple?’ So I’m very pleased he allowed me to ride him, he listened to my aids on the leg yields, he stayed with me in the transitions, and he didn’t get really tight, which is what I was expecting.”
The day’s events have given Fanta valuable mileage.
“We’ve come out going ‘That’s another box ticked’,” said Jemima. “At these things you never know what you’re going to get, and you can’t prepare for these conditions. You’ve just got to try and work with it and get your head back in the game.”
The grade II grand prix section B concluded with the same standings as Wednesday’s grand prix A; Germany’s Heidemarie Dresing and Poesie 143 on top, Denmark’s Katrine Kristensen and Goerlingtgaards Quater in second, and Jemima and Fanta in third. There are no individual medals awarded for the grand prix B, only team medals.
Thunder and lightning halts proceedings during grade I
The drama wasn’t over for the day, as thunder and lightning then halted the grade I as Britain’s Gabby Blake and Strong Beau were in the 10-minute box. Latvia’s Rihards Snikus and King of the Dance were already at the top of the leaderboard on 78.38%, and it was going to take a lot to better them.
Gabby and Strong Beau took to the arena, around an hour later than planned, and looked in great form. “Beau” spooked during one of the early medium walks, but it didn’t throw them off and they finished strongly, posting a brilliant 74%.
“I’m very pleased with that,” said a beaming Gabby. “Having that gap, then to come back like he did was unbelievable. It’s the first time I’ve had to deal with that, and he coped really well.
“I had to laugh at his spook, it was at the grass, and I thought ‘Do you really have to do that?’. He came back from it, and it didn’t bother me, whereas I’d have previously held it all the way round, so I’m pretty proud of myself.”
Gabby was delighted with her halts.
“I’ve put a lot of work in to get him to stand square, and his bending was a highlight. Everything I’ve put into practice came out today,” she said.
“He really looks after me, besides his little bloop! I think that was him being a little bit fresh and excited, which I like, because he does love what he does. I’ve got a fantastic partnership with him, I absolutely adore him.”
“I’m pleased I’ve got it done”
The Brits weren’t done there, as Mari Akhurst-Durward and Athene Lindebjerg stepped up. Athene looked forward and correct, and the pair were warmly rewarded with +75% from four of the five judges, to finish on a final 75.17%.
“I’m pleased I’ve got it done,” said a relieved Mari, who was also feeling the repercussions of the weather delays.
“I had geared myself up, then we got delayed the first time, and then the second time, and by that point my body said ‘It’s sleep time’. It was quite hard, but Athene is incredible and helped me out so much in that test. She’s a show queen and we’ve got that partnership now, the minute she goes in the boards she knows her job.
“I looked up and around more than on Wednesday, so we had more bend in the circles. I’m really happy, 75% is a good score. We’ve got Nicola to go tomorrow, we’re a new team together and we’re all supporting each other.”
Gabby and Mari both thanked British Equestrian and the National Lottery, stating without them “this wouldn’t be possible”.
In the grade I standings, Rinards and King of the Dance top of the leaderboard for Latvia, followed by Italy’s Sara Morganti on 77.46%. Mari and Athene lie third and Gabby and Beau fourth.
The Netherlands impress in grade III
In the grade III section this morning, first down the centre line was Ireland’s Jessica McKenna and DCI Cerruti, who posted 66.93%. Karla Dyhm-Junge got Denmark’s campaign off to a solid start, finishing on a respectable 71.90%. The Netherlands’ pathfinders Tessa Baaijens-van de Vrie and Happy Grace responded with 73.33%.
Next for the home side was Rixt van der Horst, who took individual gold two days ago with Eisma’s Royal Fonq NOP. The flashy stallion looked fresh and keen, but really settled into his work, trending early at 74%.
A mistake during the turn on the haunches left resulted in a drop in marks – one judge giving a 4 – but they recovered well, saving their best for the latter stages of the test. The serpentine, a coefficient mark, received four 8s and a 9, and their half-volte another round of 8s – resulting in a final score of 75.63% and putting them at the top of the grade III leaderboard.
“I had a really good feeling today, there were some little hiccups, but overall, it was really nice. I tried to be a little bit more on point today and a little bit more forward and flowing,” said Rixt.
“The extended walk was good, he could maybe have put his head down a little bit more, but he felt really relaxed and more so than our test on Wednesday. I had hoped to score a little bit higher, but it will be an exciting and close team competition and that’s the beautiful part of the sport.”
There was one man who could shake things up, Denmark’s multiple medallist Tobias Thorning Joergensen and the experienced 17-year-old Jolene Hill, the final combination in the grade III.
The pair got off to a tentative start, but their marks lifted as they produced the smooth and flowing work they are known for. Although the mid-way halt cost them, they bounced back, receiving two 9s for their serpentine, finishing with 75.33, to slot in behind Rixt on the rankings.
“I think the test was great, but the halts were expensive again. I pushed a bit more and feel like the trot work was good today, and the walk, and overall I’m really happy with the performance,” said Tobias.
“I knew it was going to be incredibly hard to beat Rixt, but I’m really happy to get that close. The team competition is fully open – we normally have Great Britain and the Netherlands sitting on top, and sometimes Germany will be there as well, but this year everything is open so that’s really nice.”
Overnight team standings at the European Para Dressage Championships
Denmark sits in provisional gold on an overnight score of 221.766 after three riders. Great Britain is in silver on 221.267, and the Netherlands in bronze on 220.567. Italy is out of the medals in fourth on 216.624.
Germany is in seventh overnight on 144.733 but only two of their riders have gone so far; Heidemarie Dresing and Melanie Wienand. Grade V riders Isabel Nowak (Siracusa Old) and Regine Mispelkamp go tomorrow and are sure to be big hitters for Germany and shake up proceedings.
The team competition at the European Para Dressage Championships continues tomorrow (6 September) starting with the grade V at 9.00am UK time (10.00am local time) and Sweden’s Lena Malmstorm and Fabulous Fidelie first to go. This will be followed by the grade IV section, in which Britain’s Nicola Naylor will go at 2.06pm UK time (3.06pm local time).
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