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World Equestrian Games
Teams Dressage Page 18
Report & Pictures Berni Saunders (National A Level Dressage Judge)
I would like to acknowledge the very special contribution of my
wonderful helper Melissa Alexander. Without her help, this report
would have taken many weeks to complete.
 Marie-Line Wettstein and her 13yo chestnut Hanoverian gelding Le Primeur riding for Switzerland. This combination put together a lovely flowing test, but they lack the spectacular movement of the top horses but it was pleasant test today for a score of 66.440%  Alexandra Korelova for Russia and the popular 16yo grey stallion Balagur. This horse can really piaffe and the judges awarded some 9's for this part of the test. However, small mistakes in the canter changes pulled down the score. Piaffe is good but passage is irregular behind. 65.280%  For Spain, Invasor and Rafael Soto Andrade the Spanish combination that stole hearts at WEG in 2002 in Jerez where they were the home town favourites. The Spanish horses have come into their own and are now recognised for their talent in the high scoring piaffe and passage elements of the test. It was a pleasing score of 68.840% for today's work in the Grand Prix Special.  First of the British riders was the petite Laura Bechtolsheimer riding Douglas Dorsey, the 17.2 hh 15yo gelding by Donnerhall. The big horse looked very strong and Laura did an extremely commendable job to keep the test together. They are certainly a combination to watch and Laura has a great future in the sport. Douglas was very strong as she left the arena and rode back to the collecting ring. They scored. 67.600%.  A proud moment for Australia as home-based rider Matthew Dowsley starts in the Special on the German bred Cinderella, a 10yo mare by Carbid. I was not able to see the score board but Melissa took notes and said that they did not show all of the scores. Here is a reasonably detailed run down on Matthew's ride. The entrance and halt were a little unbalanced and the judges gave them 6s and 7s. They move into a beautiful floating extended trot and once again 6s and 7s. Across the arena they progress into a sweeping trot half-pass and Matthew is doing a great job - those who know them realise that this movement is a specialty, but Cinderella shows some tension and the judges seem to have their fingers stuck, 6s and 7s again. The passage to extended trot is good but not as sharp as some of the combinations that we have seen over the duration of the competition. Cinderella is swishing her tail in the passage, but the judges are forgiving and award her 7. Her extended walk is relaxed and stretching, all judges agree and it s 7s . It is good to see a Grand Prix Horse with a good walk as we have seen a lot of poor walks here at Aachen. The walk to piaffe is nicely balanced. For the extensions, all judges award 6. The passage is affected by that naughty tail again and this time all judges award 6 (at least they all agree). Into the piaffe and one judge awards them 8, the rest give them 7s. Collected canter 7s and 8s. Canter half-pass 7 from all judges. The two times changes are not so good as the horse gets tight and 'proppy' with her hind legs and we see 4s, 5s and 6s. The one times are also not so good, the horse looks a little tight behind, barely working from the 3/4 lines on each side of the arena. She leaps out of a few and the judges did not like that at all - 3s and 4s are the resulting marks. The pirouette left gains 6s and 7s and the canter pirouette right earns 7s form all. The passage up the centre line is spoiled as that tail swishes again. The extended canter is a highlight as she opens her back up and eats up the ground for 6s and 7s - I thought it would get more. A careful transition into the final halt and a score of 65.240%  Dominique D’esme and her beautiful 14yo bay Selle Francais gelding Roi de Coeur GFD riding for France. This horse has the most beautiful dapples form head to toe, and a perfect white star, a real pin-up boy. He opens the trot work with a flashy extension. This horse is one of the few to show a good quality walk with marching rhythm and big over-track - he is rewarded for his special talented with 8s and 9s. He gets a bit deep in his passage and piaffe, and at times the big horse is a little laboured in his canter work. Today the judges award them 63.680% and I am sure they will learn a great deal from this and tidy up the weaker points in the test.  Jeroen Devroe for Belgium and Paganini, a 12yo gelding by Pavarotti. This horse has the most expressive 'front end' but the activity of the hind legs would not meet the expectations of this panel of judges, who seek to find the best two horses in the world. A huge ground covering extended canter, but Paganini doesn’t really sit and carry weight in his pirouettes. Resistance in the final halt causes the left a leg to swing and he then stepped back. The judges award them 66.640%.  Second of the Brits, Sandy Phillips riding her own Lara 106, a 12 yo brown mare by Lanciano. Capt. Mark Phillips was at WEG supporting his wife Sandy and daughter Zara (the Eventing Champion). At times this horse is behind the vertical line with her nose and it seemed to clearly reveal resistance to the forward aids. There was some irregularity in the passage and Lara became quite hot and failed show any extended trot for scores of 1s and 2s for that movement and the associated transitions. They recover well after this low point in the test and go on to show some good work. The judges reward them suitably 65.280%  For Switzerland Christian Plage and the 14yo Dutch Warmblood gelding Regent. Christian is a man who practises his halt transitions and likes to take his time to allow the judges and spectators to take in his horse's obedience and training. This entry was a stark contrast to many who seemed to believe that the movement calls for 5 'nano-seconds' at X. Anky and Salinero barely slow down for long enough to salute and I wonder how the judges are prepared to overlook this. Christian and Regent pick up 8s for their big extended canter and extended trot.  British rider Wayne Channon and Lorenzo CH, a 13yo black stallion by the Sydney Olympic and WEG 2002 favourite Ferro. Wayne's reins appear a little long and this spoils the look. The test starts well with no real mistakes and yet no highlights to bump up the scores. The extended canter is forward and all the judges give 7's. Lorenzo's collected canter lacks bend and engagement of the hind legs however, the canter changes are correct even if modest in the expression. Wayne started riding as an adult and has progressed to international ranking despite this late start. He is now a full time rider and is based in Europe. 66.440% | 
