2000 World Championships for Young Dressage Horses

Geert van der Borght and Rosantica

If there was one horse which should have been in the final for the 2000 World Young Dressage Horse Championships, it was the Belgian warmblood mare Rosantica. Steady rider Geert van der Borght had the misfortune to start the chestnut second in the test "twice". Not only were the judges very strict in their judging at the beginning of the first qualifier, but at the end of the field they became more lacks in regard to inferior horses making it unable for Rosantica to move into the top fifteen. "It's not fair that the judges started out judging that strict," Belgian chef d'equipe Freddy Leyman said. "Our horse has been judged unfairly and that's a pithy as Rosantica is such a talented horse," Leyman said rather unpleased.

Rosantica, by Camus out of Saint Philippe xx, is truly dominant in her movement showing super energetic gaits, great engagement and very nice shoulder freedom. The only problem is, besides the fact that Van der Borght missed a flying change in the first test, Rosantica tends to press away her back which gives her the impression of 'running' instead of dancing, especially in the extended trot. The half passes could have showed more tranquillity and balance but for the rest this mare is just awesome.

Scoring 6.9 and a very good, still even underquoted, 7.30 in the second test made Rosantica rank on a 17th spot overall and it made her miss the ticket for the finals. "What a pithy," international young horse judge Christoph Hess would say.

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