By Jean Llewellyn (press releases)
Photography: © FEI/Leanjo de Koster-Digishots
This year marked the 25th running of the dressage World Breeding Championships for Young Horses, and the seventh time being hosted on Dutch soil since 2016. The event also welcomed a few Olympic contenders.
Although young horse championships may not be their career goals, Dinja van Liere, Charlotte Fry, Emmelie Scholtens, and Nanna Skodborg Merrald were also welcome contestants this year.
Hors concours success for 4yo Proud James
Although the WBCYH is not open to four-year-olds, Ermelo hosted an hors concours class for this youngest age group, which was won by Proud James (KWPN: Jameson RS2 [Blue Hors Zack] - Cyraniek x Johnson TN) and Maxi Kira von Platen won the Sport Pro Horse Prize for four-year-old dressage horses, ahead of Hanoverian stallion So Special 12 (Secret [Sezuan] - Bon Fire x Bon Coeur) and Jessica Lynn Thomas. The latter was an improvement on their fourth place in the qualifier. The podium was completed by Hexagon’s Power Dutch (Glock’s Toto Jr. x Hexagon’s Double Dutch) and Anke van Moer. This KWPN stallion descends from a solid dressage line with Rubinstein I and Danish Warmblood Matador in his third maternal generation.
Patrick van der Meer, the commenting judge, was full of praise after the performance of grey stallion Proud James. “We have seen a lovely test; what an elegant and talented horse”. The KWPN, bred by Y.M.M. Maasacker was awarded an 8.8 for perspective and trot. “A very active trot, a nice balance and overall, a very fluent test.” The total score of the KWPN performance test top scorer was 86.2%.
According to his proud German rider, Maxi Kira, “It felt super today, he was very focused, more so than the first day. Today we got to ride in the main arena, you never know how a young horse, especially a breeding stallion, will react to that.” After the first round the youngster was ready to shine, something Maxi-Kira hopes to more often the coming years. “It would be a dream to compete in the World Breeding Championships next year, Proud James surely has a big future ahead of him.”
Overall, the consensus was that these four-year-olds embraced the arena experience like true pros, with the top 12 all scoring 80%+ scores, and some being awarded nines for canter. Coincidentally, grey horses dominated this four-year-old class, with Hexagon’s Power Dutch, bred and owned by Stal Hexagon, living up to his name with his powerful, active walk that was given a 9.0. The stallion received an overall score of 84.4%... To read the complete article you need to be a subscriber
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