By Claartje van Andel
Photography: Hippofoto/Dirk Caremans
For the second year in a row the WBFSH World Breeding Championships for Young Horses took place in Ermelo. Unfortunately, on this occasion torrential rain drenched the competitors and spectators alike, but didn’t bother the winners: Quinn G (5yo), My Toto (6yo) and Danciero (7yo).
What can we write about the WBFSH World Championships, for which harmony, happy horses, and character are essentials. However there was one champion who scoffed at all the laws of dressage – My Toto – who deserves first mention.
My Toto (Glock’s Toto Jr - Erlanda prok sport ster x Voice, bred and owned by Aad and Lida Both), co-owned by Edward Gal/Peter Minderhoud, was not destined to appear in the six-year-old final, but he progressed by winning the consolation final. In the concluding test, the pair started first – certainly not a favourable position. However, My Toto remained completely unperturbed by a huge deluge of rain and, thereafter, no other pair could improve upon their score. If that’s not mocking the laws of dressage I don’t know what is! It even reminded e a little of his grandfather, Totilas, the subsequently unsurpassed wonder horse. What was his first ranking at the World Championships again?
To summarize: My Toto’s trip to gold was rather unexpected after placing 17th in the preliminary test (8.1), then winning the consolation round (8.76), then besting everyone in the final (8.86).
His rider Hans Peter Minderhoud says he always had faith in his World Cup debutant, as did his breeder and part owner Aad de Both and his wife. “My Toto is a clever horse who can cope so well with demanding conditions,” Hans Peter explained. The black powerhouse gave a convincing performance which earned him a 9.5 for canter and a 9.0 for perspective... And then the waiting-game began. According to Aad, who has just retired as chairman of the organizing committee; “I was looking forward to a relaxing Sunday, but I assure you this is even more nerve-racking than my organizing role ever was,” he laughed.
Continuing with the 6yo final...
Vitalos FRH (Vitalis - Darlina x De Niro, breeder: Josef Bramlage) shown by Leonie Richter sashayed to the silver medal position, the same as last year in the five-year-old final. According to Bramlage; “Vitalos already displayed his natural abilities as a foal. It was unreal. When we sold him as a foal, we already thought he is a future champion in the making.” He concluded by saying; “We still have his full sister for breeding and she will not be sold for any price.”
The bronze medal was won by approved stallion Zuperman OLD (Galleria’s Vincent Maranello x Destano, breeder: Stefan Tietje) ridden by Beatrice Hoffrogge who scored 87.2%. Zuperman also competed at the well-known Bundeschampionate where was a winner... To read the complete article you need to be a subscriber
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