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NEWSSunday Dressage at 2006 Munich Indoors By guest writer Uwe Schwanz
The Munich Indoors is a very high profile show but unfortunately dressage is still not in the forefront of the organizer’s mind and the main emphasis on this big international show, which is being organized by Paul Schockemoehle, is on show-jumping. It is little surprise, therefore, that many of the German top riders, as well as several high-profile international riders usually found at the big German shows, chose to stay away. Ulla Salzgeber, for instance, came to the show, but only in her capacity as trainer to Australian rider Kelly Layne. Nonetheless, Sunday was a day for dressage enthusiasts as well. Isabell Werth had decided to compete, as always loyal to her fans and to the Munich Indoors venue, and so the local riders and the international riders present got a welcome chance to measure themselves against one of Germany’s best. The day started off with the Grand Prix Special of the morning and first starter, at 8.50 a.m., was Kelly Layne, who could be observed in the warm-up ring taking instructions from Ulla Salzgeber, a very involved and capable trainer who has a very good eye for even the slightest areas requires finest improvements. Kelly looked great in the warm-up ring, riding with the likes of European Junior Champion Jessica Werndl and reigning Bavarian dressage champion Ludwig Zierer. Her test was fluent, and with a total of 63.080% she placed 5th overall with her horse Neversfelde Feuer, which is one place before Swiss Olympic rider Patricia Bottani on Radission Diamond. The competition was won by Ludwig Zierer, the reigning Bavarian dressage champion who had saddled his top horse Weltino. Weltino, a 10-year old stallion by Welt Hit II, out of a Sion dam, has great charisma and impressed with his trot extensions. His flying changes were even and straight to the book, the horse also had a wonderful large canter stride that comes even from the shoulder and allows him to react to finest aids in the changes, down to those at every stride. The Sion blood on the dam side makes for ambitious, bordering on over-ambitious, horses, which provides the desired electric charge for the dressage mount. Thus was the interest in his horse, which helped him make it into the national B-squad, that Zierer had it publicly announced over the speakers that his horse is not for sale. After a short break, the tight program called for the Grand Prix Freestyle to Music, which is always a great crowd favorite. With a sensational 79.1%, this was won by Isabell Werth, riding a fine test to music that had originally been selected for her mount Satchmo, but fit Apache just as well. Personally, on the music side, I preferred the music of Benjamin Werndl, which was pompous with plenty of strong beat, ideally suited to filling a large hall like the Munich Olympia stadion that also serves as venue for the large rock concerts. Werndl is a fine rider with plenty of youthful spunk, and placed 2nd overall with a total of 75.7%. His horse was especially remarkable in the trot tour, and further impressed with piaff-passage nearing perfection. In 3rd place was a woman who has established herself as somewhat of a freestyle to music specialist, Anja Ploenzke. Riding Tannenhof’s Solero, her top mount, she oozed charisma and elegance during her ride, and was rewarded by enthusiastic cheers from the audience. Ploenzke was still the talk of the show, because a few months ago, at the Thann Horse show in August, she had won the Grand Prix Freestyle to Music and, with this, not only the prize money but additionally a voucher for a tandem parachute jump. Fans and riders wanted to know whether she is really going to jump, and the answer of the adventurous young lady who is always up for a challenge, was a clear yes. Photo: Anja Ploenzke riding at the Munich Indoors 2006 |
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