Britt Carlsen
Today, Sanneke Rothenberger was again the measure of all things in the Grand Prix, as she won another European Championship-title with her De Niro-son Deveraux OLD and a final score of 75.977%. “I think meanwhile I have been winning more than 17 titles, but I have to check that again,” the 23-year-old rider admitted. She already won her first three team gold medals in the pony division. “My feelings today are impossible to describe – I already won individual and team gold in the junior and young rider division with “Devil” – now also in the age-group 25 and younger, which definitively confirms the quality of this fantastic horse. I was a bit annoyed about myself, the mistake in the one tempo change was my responsibility.” Tomorrow, Rothenberger will show the freestyle she already presented at the 2015 CDIO in Hagen. “Last year I scored a little more than 79%,” Rothenberger made incidentally known to her competitors. Reason enough to be well-prepared….
Silver went to Florine Kienbaum from Lohmar who already won four team gold medals at European Championships as well as one individual bronze medal in 2010. The 23-year-old rider and her 12-year-old Hanoverian Doktor Schiwago were the fifth last starter competing in the dressage stadium at the foot of the Hagen Borgberg, and they were rewarded with 73.116% for their performance. “The whole tournament was that exciting – I am incredibly proud.” “Mini” – that’s how Kienbaum calls her big black horse who sometimes has some problems assessing his own size – “a lot of gross motor skills” – knows anyhow how to present harmonious performances in the arena. “There was a lot of tension during the team competition yesterday, and I chose the safe option – today I wanted to increase our performances.” Said and done – the best 18 riders of the contest today, max. three of each country, will have the chance to even top their performances Sunday noon.
The Spanish rider Juan Matute Guimon is one of the youngest participants of this U25 EC-event with his 18 years, but he confirmed his championship-experiences in the arena – he already participated at four European Junior Rider Championships. The 2015 European Junior Rider Champion relied on his 13-year-old Hanoverian Don Diego Ymas by Don Frederico. A result of 72.558% in the Grand Prix, particularly designed for 16- to 25-year-old riders, brought Matute Guimon the bronze medal at this EC-debut. “I am very proud and grateful – I fully enjoyed the fantastic feeling and atmosphere here in the stadium,” the smart Spanish rider explained. “Tomorrow I will present my freestyle to the music of Michael Jackson – you can count on me.” Remains to be seen whether Jackson will help him to leave the “European Freestyle Championships U25” as “king”.
