2006 World Championships for Young Dressage Horses

So What Went Wrong with Sir Donnerhall?

August 8, 2006

When you looked at the starter's list even before the show had started, you knew that Sir Donnerhall would be the favourite for the gold medal. The gorgeous Oldenburg stallion by Sandro Hit x Donnerhall x Feldherr has been on the path of glory since his licensing in 2003 (he finished third). His foals prove to be outstanding movers, he became Oldenburg regional young horse champion and now the world title was within grabs. Except, something went wrong in the finals.

The movements of the Paul Schockemohle owned Sir Donnerhall are much discussed in the dressage and breeding world. At the Vechta licensing in 2003, licensing committee member Uwe Heckmann said that Sir Donnerhall's trot was one of the best he has seen in the past years. PSI rider Dr. Ulf Möller had much to live up to if he wanted the maintain and develop the reputation of his horse's gaits. Möller announced his retirement from competition last year and would only return unless he had a horse he couldn't say no to. Sir Donnerhall was the one for him.

At the 2003 licensing, Heckmann also added that Sir Donnerhall's "croupe needed to develop" too. This is where Sir Donnerhall's "weakness" lies. His flat croupe partly prevents the hind legs from really stepping under in the trot. Sir Donnerhall's hind legs are active and working and they carry the weight, but they need to move more towards the gravitational point.

Don't get me wrong, Sir Donnerhall has an outstanding trot, but this is the controversy (and bias) the horse had to handle going into the 2006 World Championships for Young Dressage Horse

Text and Photos copyrighted Astrid Appels/Eurodressage - No reproduction allowed without permission

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