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| Competition 15 - Grand Prix Special - Sunday 28th Oct. - Page 2 | |||||||||||||
| Grand Prix Special continues ... | |||||||||||||
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Victorian rider Emma Youngman on
her lovely imported stallion Rasputin - were next to go. Rasputin was purchased by Emma
through Kyra Kyrklund in Sweden - and they really work well together. This is a young stallion just 9 years old, he is by Chapman and out of the mare Gypsy. Rasputin only commenced Grand Prix earlier this year, and at this top level he lacked the experience and strength to gain top marks.
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Rasputin shows great talent in
Piaffe/Passage, but rhythm and straighness were not so strong today. In time,
this will be a combination to watch. Congratulations on a great effort Emma. They finished with a score of 55.58% |
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Judy Dierks - wife of the
Australian National Dressage Coach - Clemens Dierks, was next on the powerful gelding HP
Finagin. I saw this horse four years ago, doing much of the Grand Prix work at a
Dressage Judges Clinic. I have not seen him since, and thought that he had gone
'astray'. It was great to see such a talented horse back on the Australian scene! |
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HP (Holstein Park) Finagin
is by the Holstein bred stallion Falkrich and from Lorander. Finagin is also just 9 years old, and he is very well trained. His strength lies in his superb balance in the Piaffe/Passage, the extended trot and canter work was his weakness. Judy rode extremely well and they finished in 3rd position with 63.58%. At the half way mark there was a ten minute break for arena raking etc. |
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First to go after the break was
Rozzie Ryan on Margaret Evans' wonderful horse imported gelding Exellent. He is Dutch bred by Saros and from Riolette. |
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Margaret purchased the horse for
Rozzie to campaign some years ago, and after a 'shaky' start to their career, this
combination have settled to become a driving force in Australian FEI Dressage. Sadly for Rozzie, Margaret would like to 'retire' from horse ownership and have the time (and money!) to enjoy other activities. Exellent will be sold ... and he will make a wonderful teacher for some lucky aspiring rider. |
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Rozzie and Exellenthad very bad luck with their 1999 International campaign which was aimed at securing Olympic. Exellent picked up a nail - in the competition arena !!! - and they had to cut short other scheduled appearances. This bad luck probably cost Rozzie and Exellent a place on the Australian Sydney 2000 team! - A great disappointment for all concerned. | ||||||||||||
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As Rozzie & Exellent warmed
up, there was something special about the horse's carriage and presence. He
seemed more relaxed, and his expressive movement softer, and very regular. As they departed for the first canter shortly into the test, I thought - "If she keeps it up ... they will be hard to beat" And Rozzie kept up this standard throughout. The picture left ... shows wonderful balance and confidence in the 9 x 1 times changes on the centre line, which start and end with canter pirouettes. Rozzie and Exellent's test was 'excellent' and they won the Grand Prix Special with 64.05% |
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Next ... were Olympic
representatives, Limbo and Mary Hanna. Limbo was also imported through Kyra Kyklund, and as I understand it, spent some of his early life showjumping. The talented horse is Danish bred, by Lucky Light from Solo Scarioca - he is also only 10 years old. At this level, the entry and halt must be 'spot on' and - as you can see - the halt was unbalanced and not square behind (the judge's car at B is obscuring the view of front legs, which were square). Limbo lost balance and skipped in the first extended trot. |
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Limbo was not his best today,
and Mary had to work hard to keep them in contention. This horse shows his talent in the canter work and his one times on the centre line were very balanced and correct (from my position). |
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Limbo has tremendous lift in the
Passage, but it sometimes swings - and this would cost marks. The Piaffe was modest
today - and this would also pull down the transition marks! They finished in 6th position on 62.42% Mary is a tenacious rider and competitor, she will work on today's weak areas, and be sure to show her winning style in the future. |
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| Grand Prix Special - Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | |||||||||||||
| 2001 National Dressage Championships - Report Index | |||||||||||||
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