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1999
CDI-W Mechelen
Mechelen, Belgium
27 - 30 December 1999
Outsider Hubertus Schmidt impresses
with Ruben R
 It
has been a while since a Uniform get bloomed and dominated
the international dressage scene. On Sunday evening
26th December 1999 the Dutch Anky van Grunsven presented
her conjointly owned mount Gestion Junior STV for the
first time at an international dressage competition.
Since the 1997 Pavo Cup finals, the highly impressive
Junior STV developed into a well muscled prospect who
easily dominated the FEI Prix St. Georges test at the
1999 Flanders Christmas Horse Show in Mechelen, Belgium.
Van Grunsven presented the dapple grey approved stallion
with much flair and rode to a 70.93 percentage. Second
placed in the PSG test was German outsider Hubertus
Schmidt, who seems to be "braiding" a string of international
successes this year. With the lovely chestnut gelding
Ruben R, Schmidt holds a big moving potential in hands.
Ruben R, a Westphalian Royal Angelo descendant, excels
in his lateral movements which show great shoulder freedom,
impulsion and reach. 68.74% was his score. Schmidt's
student, Willem Jan Schotte, ranked third with Goubergh's
Kasper, a KWPN gelding by Facet. Best placed Belgian
combination was former Belgian Young Dressage Horse
Champion Remy Martin who gathered 64.37% under rider
and owner Stefan van Ingelgem.
 Only
6 combinations started off in the Intermediaire I test.
It was clearly Hubertus Schmidt who left the impression
of having ridden a high quality test. A slight remark
could be made on the tempi's every three strides which
were not straight, and although Ruben R was not entirely
smoothly on the bit, the 7 year old gave a decent performance
with the half pass zig-zag as apex. Former Dutch Olympic
Team rider Tineke Bartels is back in the big time with
the Dutch warmblood gelding Luxaflex. The bold Wellington
son can get tight in the neck when being collected,
but the bay just jumped lovely tempi's and showed one
nice pirouette in canter. The Belgian based Jan Dupont
came in third with the Weinberg offspring Winston. His
Westphalian gelding could show more impulsion from behind
which made his overall performance a "modest" one. 63.90%
was a fair score.
Live images copyrighted by Dirk
Caremans
Anky and Junior by K.
Empereur
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