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| Competition 15 - Grand Prix Special - Sunday 28th Oct. - Page 3 | |||||||||||||
| Grand Prix Special - The final four ... | |||||||||||||
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GV Stirling Stilton and Heath
Ryan are the big improvers ... in my 'humble' opinion! I was talking to a close
associate of Heath's, who said that he had been working very closely with Harry
Boldt ... and there is certainly a change to his style! Stilton is a truly 'International horse' with the expression and lift in his front leg action that makes dressage exciting, and seems to coax marks from the judges. |
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Stilton's one times changes on
the centre line were forward and balanced - it was a very good exhibition of riding and
training in this demanding part of the test. GV Stirling Stilton is by Salute from Lieica Park. The horse is owned by Peter Bunn (former eventing great) and dad of Olympic short listed event rider, Olivia Bunn. |
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A 'quieter' ride for Heath on GV Stirling Stilton, it produced a softer more flowing test. They finished the 'Special' on 62.74% and 5th placing. | ||||||||||||
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Sue Hearn and her big and
powerfully built Thoroughbred gelding Manhattan, produced a test of high overall quality. I felt that the changes could have flowed more - the horse seemed to hesitate a little into them. The canter pirouette to the right before the changes was sensational, and very well placed - the left pirouette lost one step. |
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Manhattan is a very talented
horse, and has rewarded his hard working and dedicated rider with excellent performances,
which has seen this combination spending some time as the top internationally
ranked Australian combination (BCM) Who said Thoroughbreds could not do it ??? Sue and Manhattan finished in 4th position on 63.26% |
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Snowy River Blackwood and Di
Jenkyn looked just great as they warmed up around the arena. The horse shows such
balance and poise in the Piaffe/Passage, and on a good day is very hard to best! Blackwood is by Stirling Liberty (by Ludendorf) and from a mare with a little Percheron blood. Perhaps the extended trot could have been a little more elastic? A few little problems started to show and Blackwood broke in the extended walk. |
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The canter work began well, but
Blackwood seemed to be a little confused or just unbalanced coming out of the first canter
pirouette, which precedes the 9 one times changes on the centre line. He seemed to lose his straightness and then missed most of the changes that should have happened before the preparation for the second canter pirouette. In a state of unbalance, he was almost up to the short side and needing to turn, and this ruined any attempt at a well placed and balanced canter pirouette. This would have been very costly and a great disappointment for Di and Blackwood. It put them down to 8th placing on 60.70% |
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Yardley Aphrodite and Rachael
Sanna (Downs) have come a long way - the talented mare by Falkland Victory
ll looks much more mature and stronger. It was a very well ridden test, Rachael left nothing to chance. The highlights of the test were the beautifully flowing half passes in both trot and canter. |
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Aphrodite has always struggled
with the Piaffe - but that was better, and Rachael told me earlier that she had been given
quite a few 6's for her previous day's work. With such strength in most of the other work, |
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Aphrodite was calm and
attentive, it was a very pleasing test with high scoring sequences. They finished in
2nd. place with 63.81%
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Rozzie Ryan on Exellent were the
winners of the Gow Gates Grand Prix Special, and here she receives her lovely
woollen rug from the International judge, Dr. Deiter Schüle from Germany. Congratulations Rozzie and Exellent. |
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| Grand Prix Special - Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | |||||||||||||
| 2001 National Dressage Championships - Report Index | |||||||||||||
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