Pony Riders |
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Louise Luttgen and Dornik B - 2007 German Pony Champions
In pony dressage, you naturally
see a lot of combinations come and go as the riders reach the age limit
of sixteen. Sometimes, though, it is especially sad to see such a pair
come to the end of its career, and Louisa and Dornik B were such a pair.
Starting with the European Youngster Classics in Bonn this year, these
two really took off and perfected their act into a work of art, showing
what "throughness" really means. They won whenever they competed, their
victories were always undisputed, and even their competitors from all
over Europe kept their fingers crossed when Louisa was on her way to her
first individual European championship in Freudenberg three weeks ago.
For all the bickering that constantly goes on around dressage arenas
everywhere, these two are proved that the much talked-about goal of
harmony is possible after all.
Dornik B
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Sanneke Rothenberger & Konrad, silver medallists
Even though
she's only fourteen, Sanneke will continue in the Junior division next
year -- in Steinfeld, she was the first rider ever to score medals in
both the pony and the Junior camp, and to become double-vice-champion
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Sanneke Rothenberger and her mom Gonnelien Gordijn-Rothenberger |
Carlotta Hassenburger and Dulcia, bronze medallists
The four best ponys in all three tests were Connie Endres' European Championship team
reunited
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Sönke Rothenberger on Deinhard |
Theresa Bausch on Dornik Double |
Nadine Surmann on Deshima |
Verena Leuchten on Don't Thatch W |
Verena Leuchten & Don't Thatch, Nadine Suhrmann & Deshima,
two combinations for whom Steinfeld meant farewell to pony sports ....
... whereas for Stella Schmadl and last year's European Team
Champion Flamenco Star it was only the beginning, as well as for
....
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...Mali de Sainte Fare & Doubtless (above)...and...
Christina Ellendt and Honeur (right) |
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Katharina Weichert on Golden Derano C |
Junior Riders |
Victoria Michalke on Rubioso N wins Gold
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In Steinfeld, Victoria Michalke finally got to show the
freestyle she couldn't ride at the European Championships, and scored 76%! |
Sanneke Rothenberger and Paso Doble win silver |
Fabienne Lutkemeier on Bouton, bronze medallists |
4th place: Louisa Luttgen on Habitus |
very happy campers indeed: Stefanie Meyer-Biss, inseparable from
Dornik's success, Louisa's mother Esther Lüttgen, and her sister
Anna-Katharina, who also coaches her with Habitus |
One of this year's promising new combinations: Friederike Hahn &
Richard Löwenherz |
Thea-Felizitas Müller and Highway (one of three horses by Trakehner
stallion Hohenstein out of Weltmeyer dams in the Junior division, the
others being Louisa Lüttgen's Habitus and Janna Oldekop's Helena,) have
been competing successfully this year even though the horse turned blind
last year |
Karoline Kniha on Loesdau's Loriot |
One of only two boys who competed in the dressage classes in
Steinfeld: Franz Trischberger & Bourbon K |
Young Riders |
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Gold for Christin Schütte & Hohenstaufen |
Christin Schütte's younger sister Lena didn't only carry the
flag for her champion sister.... |
...but made it into the pony finals herself
on Wester Aikema's Adios
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Kristina Sprehe and Royal Flash win silver |
Bronze medallists: Theresa Wahler on Latimer |
Kathleen Keller on Wonder FRH
The pair lost all chances for a medal when the
horse lost his nerve in the freestyle |
Katharina Winkelhues & Weltmelodie showed a fabulous trot tour in
the second test, but then, alas, the mare lost her nerve, and they
didn't make it to the finals |
European Championship German team members Verena van der Linde, Jill de
Ridder and Tom Berg were among those whose horses couldn't compete due
to health problems (or the waiting time after medication), but who
wanted to be in Steinfeld to cheer on their team mates anyway |
Tom Berg |
Middle: Jill de Ridder |
Verena van der Linde |
medal ceremony |
Medal ceremony, here for the ponies |
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