Belgian
Dressage News
Belgian Junior Riders didn't enlighten Castle Achleiten
in Austria
Report by chef d'equipe Leo Joosten
The
Belgian Junior Riders' Team consisted of the 18 year
old Diana Smolders with Clark, 18 year old Tom Franckx
with Hopje van Duinoord, 15 year old Simon Missiaen
with Goldstern G and 14 year old Valerie Verellen with
Wiseguy van de Zuuthoeve. Diana Smolders was the only
rider who carried previous Euro-experience in her, while
the other three combinations made their debut at a competition
of such stature. The expectations were not set high,
and only Diana Smolders was expected to qualify for
the individual finals. The other combinations could
have scored between 60 and 64%
Assisted by Belgian chef d'Equipe Leo Joosten the team
arrived properly at Castle Achleiten on the estate of
the Max Theurer family in Kematen, Austria. All horses
easily passed the jog. 64 riders of 15 countries were
represented at the 1999 European Junior Riders' Championships.
The preliminary test was split up in two days and Diana
Smolders was the best Belgian
combination riding the first day. Her clear test lacked
accuracy and the transitions could have been more proper.
With 64.20% she ended 26th. Valerie Verellen couldn't
get Wise Guy through the neck and her test showed resistance
and hardly any schwung. She ended 58th with 58.07%.
Tom Franckx rode a lovely test which earned a 64.27%
(25th place) and the same goes for Simon Missiaen (63.60%
- 31st place). With these results the team hoped for
a nice performance in the team championship test.
Valerie Verellen was the first rider to go in the Team
test. Her chestnut Wise Guy was still tensed and they
set a 59.94% which was a slight improvement. Simon Missiaen
entered the ring as 18th combination but his test showed
small mistakes, slight resistance and lack of consistent
rein-contact. Simon and Goldstern G can do better. Tom
Franckx retained the excellent shape he showed in the
preliminary test and scored 64.63% which placed him
23rd. Even though Diana Smolders and Clark failed in
their second simple change and made a halt in two phases,
the pair danced through the arena with much schwung
and in good balance. Result: 66.71% and a 19th place.
With a 3.320 total, Belgium ended tenth in the team
competition and did not qualify for the individual finals,
yet two combinations were qualified for the consolation
final.
During the consolation finals all sounds hushed when
Diana entered the ring. As she already excelled on previous
championships (reserve champ in consolation finals last
year), everyone paid clear attention to this pair. Clark
didn't stand square in his halt, broke into canter in
his extended trot, the second pirouette in walk was
too hasty and some transitions were not very clear.
64.33% was too low for an honorary place. They ended
11th. Tom Franckx started off excellently but
when he guided Hopje to the right instead of to the
left after a walk pirouette all concentration was lost
and many mistakes slipped into his performance. 58.93%
and an 11th position.
Even though the results were pretty poor, the chef
d'equipe and team members underwent a great experience
which would be valuable for the future. The Belgian
delegation knows that for decent results, more efforts
need to be made.
Complete
scores of the 1999 European Junior Riders' Championships
|