2004 Bundeschampionate

Charming and Ideal Tie for Fourth

September 6, 2004

Two horses tied for fourth place in the 6-year old division at the 2004 Bundeschampionate. They were Charming, a Rhinelander stallion by Champus x Lancer II, and Ideal, a Baden Wurttemberger gelding by show jumper Iberio out of a Fierant dam.

Dutch rider Susanne de Klein, who is based in Warendorf and riding for owner Dirk Haese, presented Charming, a stallion who placed third last year under Ingrid Klimke. De Klein ensured that this performance would be repeated and put the horse in fourth place on the score board.

Charming is well muscled and showed much freedom in the shoulder and knee action. His canter was the most appealing gait, naturally uphill and showing four nice flying changes of which the third was cleverly ridden by De Klein (she waited long for the right moment). The judged made one negative remark about the extended trot. "He should move the hindlegs more under the body towards the gravitational point," Hess explained. Their score of 8.5 placed them fourth

In the prize ceremony, Charming had to stand next to the bay gelding Ideal, as both horses tied with an 8.5 mark. Ridden by Dr. Ulf Möller, Ideal is not a flashy horse, but stands out by his solidity in the exercises. Ideal's best gait is without a doubt the canter: very uphill and engaged. The judges remarked that the horse had to be straighter in the body in the extended canter, and this was also to be said of the trot at the beginning of the test. The final transition from canter to trot was a bit hesitant. Nevertheless, Ideal was ridden with much expression and rhythm. 8.5 was a fair score for Möller's classy ride.

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

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