By Thomas Bach Jensen/DWB
A major focus for many studbooks right now is the FEI/WBFSH’s World Young Horse Championships in dressage, and June has been a busy month of selection trials in many countries. Denmark has been no exception, and has the right to present four horse and rider combinations in each age category.
Out of the 12 Danish Warmbloods, four have competed at the world championships in Ermelo before, while the remainder are newcomers. The seven-year-old breeding stallion Hesselhøj Donkey Boy won a bronze medal as a five-year-old and was also in the finals last year. Among the six-year-olds, three have already been to Ermelo and qualified for the finals last year.
Only nine of the 12 horses have Danish riders. One five-year-old is ridden for Helg-strand Dressage by their German rider Meike Lang, and two of the six-year-olds are also ridden by Ger-mans. They are very special riders, Ann-Christin Wienkamp and Helen Langehan-enberg, who have both previously won world cham-pionships, as well as Danish team member Andreas Helgstrand. For the first time in a number of years, Spain’s Severo Jurado Lopez, who won world championship titles in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018, has not qualified with a Danish Warmblood.
When you take a look at the breeding of the selected horses you will realize how dominant the Danish-owned KWPN stallion Blue Hors Zack is in Danish breeding. He has two offspring in the team and three grandsons: two by his son, Sezuan; and one by his son, Zonik. Additionally, Sezuan is the sire of two reserves, and Blue Hors Zack one reserve.
Five-year-old age group
• Elverhøjs Raccolto (Sezuan x Sandro Hit): Bred by Berith Nielsen/ridden by Meike Lang (GER)
• Queenparks Wendy (Sezuan x BH Soprano): Kurt Gosmer/Andreas Helgstrand (DEN)
• Søgaards Bon Royal (Bon Bravour x De Noir): Stald Søgaard/Camilla Ahlers Pedersen (DEN)
• Skovens Tzarina (BH Zack x BH Don Schufro): Kirsten Bjerregård and Jens L. Pedersen/Betina Jæger (DEN)
1st reserve: Zidan-DN (Sezuan x BH Future Cup): Jørn Damm and Jens Aage Nielsen/Betina Jæger (DEN)
2nd reserve: Tørveslettens Sylvester (Sezuan x Stedinger): Stutteri Tørvesletten/Severo Jurado Lopez (ESP)
Six-year-olds
• Baunehøjens Carpaccio (Charmeur x Kermo’s White Talisman): Pia Gobert/Anette Ejlersgaard (DEN)
• Lindballe's Just Perfect (Johnson x De Niro): Berith Lindballe/Ann-Christin Wienkamp (GER)
• Zhaplin Langholt (Zonik x Stedinger): Bente Graasbøl and Ole Magnus Jensen/Andreas Helgstrand (DEN)
• Straight Horse Ascenzione (BH Zack x BH Don Shufro): Straight Horse Aps/Helen Langehanenberg (GER)
1st reserve: Atterupgaards DeLorean (Bon Bravour x Sandro Hit): Stutteri Atterupgaard/Selina Solberg Vittinghus (DEN)
2nd reserve: Azett Lynghøjgaard (BH Zack x Schwad-roneur): Bente Krowicki Hansen/Kenneth Damgaard (DEN)
Seven-year-olds
• Nikitaro (BH Romanov x BH Don Romantic): Connie Tworek/Ditte Mikkelsen (DEN)
• Hesselhøj Donkey Boy (ERA Dancing Hit x Milan): Dorthe and Hans Jørgen Hoeck/ Jan Møller Christensen (DEN)
• UNO Don Olympic (BH Don Olymbrio x Del Piero): Stutteri UNO/Anna Zibrandtsen (DEN)
• Ryvangs Damon Dione (Damon Hill NRW x Come Back II): Alex Dyrgaard/Julie Dyrgaard (DEN)
1st reserve: Vestervangs Garson (De Noir x Ragazzo): Martin Klavsen/Emma Ahlberg (DEN)
2nd reserve: Feldborgs Lantano (Tailormade Lancelot x Rendevous): Arne F. Johannesen/Adam Olesen (DEN).
