Saturday, 09 September 2023
Everyone loves freestyle day to end a championships and, in Riesenbeck, the athletes and horses danced in the warm sunshine to bring the first ever para dressage competition held at Riesenbeck to a close – and, of course, there was the small matter of five sets of medals to award, too. British athletes had a productive final day, with two more medals – a silver for Georgia Wilson and a bronze for Sophie Wells.
Gabriella Blake and Charlotte Cundall finished fourth and fifth in their respective grades, consolidating on their first championships by posting strong scores in competitive classes.
It’s freestyle day for the FEI Para Dressage European Championship 2023 and the action was a fitting finale to celebrate five fantastic days for the sport at Riesenbeck. All four British combinations qualified to come forward to contest medals in the Grade 1, 2 and 5 divisions.
It’s been a week of reinvigoration for Welsh rider Georgia Wilson. At last year’s World Championships in Denmark, Georgia and ‘Suki’ didn’t carry the same form that they’d done in Tokyo the year previously. However, a few changes, including new eyes on the ground in the form of coach Nicky Lickley, plus another year of competitive experience the still only nine-year-old Suki, sees them in better shape than ever.
In their previous two tests this week, they’d impressed with polished tests which were well presented. Today was a chance to consolidate that, but with a bit more freedom to go for it with their personalised floorplan. They started brightly, with the music really lifting the duo, and the test flowed well. It was an intricate floorplan and Georgia seemingly used every inch of the arena to her now familiar classical renditions of ‘Love Me Like You Do’ by Ellie Goulding and BANNERS’ ‘Someone To Tou’.
The rider before, Heidemarie Dresing of Germany, had topped the leaderboard in both previous tests with her ride, Horse24 Dooloop and, with a 80.353% posted for their freestyle, they’d been the ones to beat today. Could Georgia and Suki break the 80% barrier today? Sadly it wasn’t to be, but they did come close – 79.367% for a new personal best. That put them second with one combination still to go. In the saddle was Pepo Puch of Austria, who has dominated the Grade 2 podium for over a decade, so couldn’t be discounted. However, today wasn’t to be their day, so it was a second individual silver for Georgia and Suki – a fitting reward for their determination this week.
“It’s a really good end to the week and, to get 79% at a Europeans – I couldn’t be more proud of everybody who’s helped me this year to get back up to that percentage so, I’m really happy,” said Georgia with her trademark smile. “I think I got 78% at Hartpury, but it’s always different at a championship, so to go one percent higher at a Europeans… I couldn’t ask for anything more.
“I think she [Sakura] liked the crowd – she did get a bit excited as I came round because they all clapped, but I like the clapping. I did have to calm her down at the bottom end, but then I felt her take a breath and we started. The atmosphere was really good today,” Georgia added.
Wolverhampton-based Gabriella ‘Gabby’ Blake has had a first championship to remember – she’s risen to the challenge admirably, with two medals to prove it. Her 15hh grey Strong Beau, who she owns with parents Gavin and Estelle Blake, has won a legion of new fans – with many threatening to load him onto their lorry and take him home. He’s stopped for selfies and cuddles wherever he goes, and it’s safe to say that Beau had enjoyed the trip almost as much as Gabby. Today’s test was one Gabby was looking forward to because it was a chance to showcase her new music – a Beyonce/Destiny’s Child medley.
Drawn last to go, the British supporters had worked out what was needed to claim a medal – something over 78.347%, set by Germany’s Martina Benzinger.
Packed full of technical difficulty, the choreography was set to an upbeat score that featured good variations of tempo to match the changes of direction or movement. The walk steps were rhythmical with a good pace, and the free walk showed plenty of over-track. The final halt was bang-on with the final notes of the music, and a very happy Gabby breathed a sigh of relief.
As she was being checked over by the stewards, the final score was read out. While 78.053% left her agonisingly short of a medal, she’d smashed her personal best by just under 1.5% – what an occasion to do it on!
The win went Italy’s way thanks to long-time competitor Sara Morganti on a score of 81.640%, with Ireland’s Michael Murphy and Cleverboy taking silver on 79.887%.
“This whole week, he’s [Strong Beau] given his everything,” said a proud Gabby. “For his first championship, he’s like a pro – it’s like he’s done it all his life. He’s taken it so well. Everything from being so chilled in the stable to coming out here. He’s never been in this atmosphere before and he’s normally better when there’s a lot going on, on so he’s taken to this really well.
“I really wasn’t expecting to get my personal best score today, the highest I’ve ever had. To come out and do that – I couldn’t ask for anything more. I just want to say thank you to British Equestrian for all their support this week, I couldn’t have done it without them and also the National Lottery – without them we wouldn’t be here, so thank you,” she concluded.
Yorkshire’s Charlotte Cundall, the other debutante in this talented team, had already fulfilled a dream when she was presented with her Lotus Romeo British team colours jacket and her red pocket flag, but she wouldn’t let herself believe it until she trotted down that first centre line. A corking test in the Grand Prix A, despite a hint of ‘imposter syndrome’, was duly followed by bettering her personal best by over 1.5% in the Grand Prix B. What would today bring?
She’d introduced a new floorplan and music earlier in the year and had had a few opportunities to practice with her dancing partner, FJ Veyron, or ‘Duke’ in the stables. Owned by the Veyron Partnership, Duke came to Charlotte from dressage rider, coach and judge Paul Hayler, who thought he’d suit Charlotte well, and they instantly clicked.
They made a rousing start as they entered to a guitar riff from Queen’s ‘I Want It Now’, but cleverly did so in walk to get that all-important first halt in and then straight into canter – Duke’s showpiece. They showcased clever medium canters to the corner, then into collected canter and a half-pirouette to change the direction. There was a great flow and symmetry to the test, with plenty of difficulty but all well-executed. The recognisable sounds of Toto’s ‘Africa’ and ‘Billie Jean’ by Michael Jackson filled the air as the test went on.
They were living dangerously for the final halt, with Charlotte cantering towards the judge at C until the final beats of her music, she came to a standstill just in time and saluted – their final test of the week completed and a lovely ‘clear round’ at that. The mark was 74.910%, which gave them the early lead with three horses gone.
“It’s just the best one!” exclaimed Charlotte. She went on to explain: “That was new music this year – I just felt I wanted something quite impactful to make an entrance. It was obviously Lottie Fry who was the incentive was behind it – she comes in to ‘Queen’ and I thought that if one Charlotte can do it, I can do it! He’s a big horse and I wanted something to match him. You want to enjoy it, I wanted something to dance with my best dancing partner and I wanted something I could jig away to.”
“The first day I was confident in him and confident in what we could do, but there was a certain amount of going in and thinking, ‘Oh gosh!’. The second day I felt so much more like I belonged in there and then, today, it’s another test and another arena but the most amazing venue. To be here is a dream come true. It’s surpassed all expectations – the team, all of our support team, the facilities, everyone. It’s just been amazing. Absolutely phenomenal, absolutely brilliant!” she concluded.
Even for a seasoned campaigner like Sophie Wells, this has been a week of discovery. With her Tokyo and Herning partner Don Cara M sidelined with a minor injury, the selectors put their faith in the young talent of LJT Egebjerggards Samoa. At just seven, ‘Diana’ has talent to burn, but is an ‘over tryer’ in her extreme desire to please and worries when she feels she isn’t. A nervy first day was well managed by Sophie as she nursed the eye-catching black mare around the arena. Their second trip in the Riesenbeck arena was a more confident affair, but Sophie still had to draw on all her experience to ensure the test was a positive experience – which it proved to be, with a score to help Britain claim the team gold.
However, the freestyle holds great trepidation for the combination because the sensitive Diana often struggles with the music. Sophie had originally chosen a modern soundtrack for her, but it proved too much so, for the championships, she opted for the romantic score from ‘Romeo + Juliet’, which she hoped would created a soothing environment for Diana to show off, while still impressing the judges on the artistic front.
The test showed much better relaxation than the previous two, but without any loss in the mare’s stunning paces. The trot in particular showed great activity and cadence – Diana almost floated across the sand. She held a pleasing frame throughout the test, but there were a few moments when Sophie had to just ensure she was focused on the task. The lateral work was well ridden and presented, with the mare showing her scope for the more difficult movements. They halted and Sophie let out an audible sigh – they’d got through the test without a hiccup or disturbance, and the mare had tried ever inch of the way. Their final tally was 76.550% – a new personal best by over 1.7% and into the lead. However, the three strongest challengers in the class were to follow.
Long-time friendly rival Frank Hosmar and the evergreen Alphaville NOP were next in for the Netherlands, and they always conjure a masterful freestyle performance. Today they didn’t disappoint – 79.550% was their score, relegating Sophie and Diana to second. Next were Germany’s Regine Mispelkamp and Highlanders Delight’s, but they fell just short on 76.170% – Sophie was guaranteed a medal! The final combination down the centreline was Michèle George and Best of 8, who have been on dominant form this week – another storming performance yielded 81.275% to convincingly take gold.
So, it was a bronze to add to Sophie’s sizable collection but, importantly, a first for Diana – if the mare continues to fulfil her obvious potential, it’s likely not to be her last. Charlotte and Duke took fifth spot for the third time this week, so showed consistency but with improvements each day – a fitting debut.
“I’m so proud of her. I’m so happy that I finished it, which was not a given!” exclaimed Sophie. “She didn’t react too much to the music, but she was a bit tired today. She’s had a huge week and I ride her twice on competition day because that suits her really well, so she doesn’t get too wound up, but she was just a bit tired in there. However, I couldn’t have dreamt of her going in and behaving and just being okay. I can’t put it across how much I wanted her to have a positive experience and she’s definitely had a positive experience, finishing on today. She was a little bit excited, obviously, in the team yesterday, but I think today, she really got down to it, so I’m so happy,” she continued.
“I think she’ll have really taken loads away from it and I know she will be dying to get back into the field because she absolutely loves going in the field. So, she can go home and chill for a little while now. I’m so excited because the minute she’s confident and the minute she’s balanced enough for me to push, it’s just going to be amazing,” she said with a glint in her eye.
More on her music choice, she explained: “It’s actually Romeo + Juliet, which I used for Jorge [former team ride C Fatal Attraction] when we had to produce music for the team test. We’d done her a Titanium mix for this year, but at Hartpury it was just too much. It was so punchy, which was brilliant – it was amazing to ride to because the floor plan was more complex, but it was just too much in the arena. But because she’s so elegant and she’s so bouncy with it, that I think it then enhances the music. It could be obviously background music, but I think it suits her really well and I love riding to it. I knew one day I needed to make it into a freestyle at some point because I love it. Erin Orford did the music for me – we had to do it quite last minute, so thank you so much Erin!
“Jorge is at the end of his career, but it’s the start of something new and he taught me so much about how to ride a horse like Diana. It’s such a journey, as cheesy as it is – with each and every horse, everything means something different, but it’s amazing to go onto the next one and hopefully see the career like Jorge had,” she said.
With the curtain call completed on the para dressage action at Riesenbeck, the competition was declared a huge success by all involved. The riders have praised the facilities at the showground and have relished being fully integrated into the competition alongside their able-bodied counterparts. Thank you must go to the organising committee for a truly inclusive championship – we hope to come back again. Our quartet head back home with five medals to their credit – a supreme performance by the horses and riders dubbed ‘the green team’ to reflect their raw talent and experience, ably backed up by one of the best support teams around. Everyone involved should be proud of what they brought to the party this week, green can now transition to dream.
Tomorrow brings the climax of the FEI Dressage European Championship, as the top 18 combinations come forward for the Grand Prix Freestyle and one final shot at the podium. Nations may only put forward their three best-placed pairings, so we must sadly say goodbye to Gareth Hughes and Classic Briolinca at this stage. Here’s when the other three will compete…
All the dressage action will be available to stream live with English commentary on FEI.TV via a subscription to ClipMyHorse.TV.
Running orders and results are available from Longines Equestrian Timing.
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