Isabell Werth and DSP Quantaz. © Roger Fitzhardinge
Roger Fitzhardinge reports from Day 1 at the FEI World Championships
By Roger Fitzhardinge
The Australian horses looked a picture as they each presented for the ground jury at the FEI World Championships at Herning on a fresh and sunny (at times) morning. An amazing venue but for sure you need be fit to walk around as it is vast and the distances between the arenas are quite a distance to say the least!
It was on to the final arena familiarisation and all four horses presented for the twenty minutes in the arena. All of them looked very fit and well.
Jayden Brown and WillingaPark Sky Diamond © Roger Fitzhardinge
WillingaPark Sky Diamond looked a treat and was a very seasoned looking campaigner and with some very serious improvement since leaving Australia, especially in the piaffe and the passage and the transitions. The pirouettes looked super well controlled and very uphill and as always a great ability to show the extended and collected walk with relaxed and huge strides with a good degree of collection. A line of one tempi changes on the quarter line showed good ground cover and quite straight. There were plenty of pats for ‘Beans’.
Lyndal Oatley and Eros. © Roger Fitzhardinge
Eros for Lyndal Oatley looked absolutely wonderful as this wonderful looking dappled grey worked with precision and ease. The changes were big and expressive and the pirouettes small and uphill with great energy. The piaffe and passage showed supreme regularity and the mechanics here were seriously correct. Good transitions and the extended trot showing better ground cover and more uphill. Eros is a charmer and demands attention. He looked great and it looks like a very solid test for them; look forward to seeing them tomorrow! Lyndal looked very happy with husband Patrik there to help.
Mary Hanna and Calanta. © Roger Fitzhardinge
Mary Hanna and Calanta showing a good attitude to all the work and working on the passage and the extended trot, improving the balance and reach. A few moments of lack of balance, but I am sure pleasing as the most noticeable improvement was in Calanta’s attitude today being way more at ease. Yesterday with loud music in the arena she was a little on the toe making it hard for Mary to get the mare in the way she wanted and in the frame, but today was way better with a higher frame and some very good tempi changes. Perhaps a little tension over the back in the passage and sometimes a little keen, but for sure by tomorrow with a better relaxed day today it will be all good. Looking forward to seeing her in the arena tomorrow and the more the mare gets exposure the better she will be and today a pleasing programme for them. That positive tension can really help at these competitions, as it gives that ‘look at me’ appeal and they have that.
Simone Pearce and Fiderdance. © Roger Fitzhardinge
Simone Pearce and the elegant chestnut Fiderdance was out there for a relaxing time and Simone just working on the basics and not so much on the test movements. The pirouettes looked good and the stallion looked very much at ease in the environment. Simone was certainly not out there to blow the world apart and cruised around with consummate ease and gave the impression that all was well with all the movements in place, and she was saving all the best for tomorrow in the test.
It was a super showing for the Australian horses and all were truly beautiful presented and the grooms all need a shout out for their professionalism and way these horses were presented.
The team jumpers looked great, and a sneak peek at the tails they will all wear tomorrow is really looking on the top way!
We can’t wait for competition to start and bring it on and all riders looking super organised in all things. It looks a great team and great friendship amongst them and plenty of happy riders and horses. The surfaces are great and the purple hues are quite eye catching. IT’S HUGE HERE in every way!
Competition commences today, Saturday 6 August.
You can find out more about the upcoming competition schedule here.
Read more about the Aussie dressage team in the August issue of Equestrian Life here.
You can watch all the action from the FEI World Championships in Herning via Clip My Horse TV.
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