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2005 World Championships
for Young Dressage Horses
2005
World Young Horse Championships Kick Off with Scary
Vet Check
June 30, 2005
 The
2005 World Championships for Young Dressage Horses
kicked off today in Verden, Germany, with a scary
vet check. Four horses out of approximately sixty
entered to compete had to do a re-run during the
trot up, as they moved a bit edgy on the hard surface.
Two of them have been held back for reinspection
tomorrow morning.
Even
though Europe crouched under tropical tempatures
the past two weeks -- and was loving it-- the weather
gods had to spoil the party today by raining cats
and dogs the entire afternoon. All horses got soaked
during the jog when they had to prance their healthy
trot on slippery concrete. Two Portuguese horses,
who had to suffer 3 days of transport to get to Germany
looked sore and will be reinspected by the judges
tomorrow.
All
American horses passed the vet check. Susan Dutta
and Currency DC (Clintino x Classiker), Hokan Thorn
and Donegal (Davignport x Grundstein), and Susanne
Hassler and Royal Prince (Rohdiamant x Prince Thatch
xx) passed the first scary test of the 2005 World
Championships and are declared fit for competition.
American
Young Horse Chef d'Equipe on the scene is Tim Dutta,
who stated to be ecstatic to be in Verden. "We're
happy to be here with three very nice horses," Dutta
said. "We hope to go for a medal of course,
and we are all definitely going to do our best."
Dutta's
wife Susan qualified the 5-year old Oldenburg bred
Currency DC for the Championships by winning the
U.S. Eastern League Finals in Raleigh, NC, in June. "It
was only his third show ever in his life and he achieved
the fourth highest qualifying score of all 5-year
olds here in Verden. Klaus [Balkenhol] saw 'Curry'
in Gladstone and told us we had to go to Verden," Dutta
explained.
 Susanne
Hassler of Hilltop Farm is back in Verden for the
second time. Last year she put down a historic performance
by being the highest placed American ever at this
event. With the Hanoverian stallion Royal Prince
she ranked fourth in the 5-year old Finals. This
year, Royal Prince has moved up the levels and has
to show his skill in the flying changes in the 6-year
old division. He's a strong contestant for a top
place and Hassler is eager to get the maximum out
of him. "It's great to be here again. Royal
Prince was quite hot when I rode him yesterday but
he always needs three days to settle in. He was hot
yesterday, hot today and hopefully he'll be just
fine tomorrow," Susanne commented. "I rode
him early this morning so everything would be quiet,
but there were race horses on the track and he just
stared at them."
Royal
Prince's concentration is up and the American team
is craving for the challenge to compete against Europe's
finest young horses. The show starts on Friday July
1, 2005, with the 5 and 6-year old classes that run
throughout the day.
Tune
into Dressagedaily and Eurodressage to read the latest
on the show.
Text
and Photos by Astrid Appels
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