2004 Bundeschampionate

Destination Picks up Silver at Warendorf on the Road to Ankum

September 6, 2004

She's a hidden treasure, this mare; bay, stately, and elegant. She looks like a royal lady with manners, one who will only except a proper code of conduct from her rider and care takers. The Oldenburg mare Destination, by Don Gregory x Rubinstein, has the 2004 P.S.I. Auction in December as destination in her life where she will be sold, but she wanted to take a quick stop at Warendorf first to win the reserve champion's title in the 5-year old dressage horse division. It suits a lady well to be multi-talented.

While FS Lord Loxley is the undisputed winner of the 5-year old division, Destination and her rider Dr Ulf Möller have to face more criticism in defense of their second place. The mare is not a rubber "gummi" ball like world champion Florencio, nor a tower of power like the Bundeschampionate winner FS Lord Loxley. It is very easy -- and tricky -- for judges and spectators at the Bundeschampionate (and any other horse show) to be misled by those super active horses with flashy front legs, but who are in fact tense, not really moving from behind and avoiding back usage.

In Destination you see a nicely built horse with three solid basic gaits that are sufficiently uphill. She's not flashy, but she is pure quality and abounds in talent for FEI level competition. Most people don't see that, but fortunately the judges of the 5-year old division did.

Christoph Hess praised Destination for her looseness in the body, showing swing in trot and canter. "The walk is confident but could show a bit more opening of the frame. The trot is well uphill and balanced. Her canter could be a bit more expressive and uphill at times, but the transitions canter-walk were super from behind," Hess said. "She's a highlight to finish this class. End score 9.2."

"It is important the judges also look at the potential the horse has for the future and not only at what she offers at this show right now," Möller stated.

Dr Möller qualified two horses for the 5-year old finals. His World Championship bronze medal winning horse Amidou (Alcatraz x Langata Express xx) got fever right before the Finals on Saturday. He and the owners did not want to take any risk and transported Amidou to the clinic. Of course, he had to be withdrawn from the competition. "His health is much more important than this show," Möller said. Amidou recuperate within days and is fine now.

Text and photos copyrighted Astrid Appels/Eurodressage - No reproduction allowed!

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