Patrik Kittel and J'Adore Dior H qualify for the Nürnberger Burg-Pokal von Hagen

Having already come out on top in the qualifier for the final, Patrik Kittel and the seven-year-old daughter of Jovian went into the actual Burg-Pokal stage in Hagen today as the favorites. They fully lived up to their role.

The Swede and the elegant bay, who in many ways looks like a more feminine version of her sire, were the first pair of the test. While the mare was still a little nervous and environment-oriented yesterday, she seemed to have arrived in the dressage arena today. She presented herself sublime, full of impulsion, secure in the contact and in a stable contact with a suitable frame.

In addition, at the age of seven, she already proved to be very confident in the difficult Prix St. Georges special task for the Burg Cup, whether in the pirouettes in walk and canter, the series changes or in the whole parade from canter with backing up and starting in the center trot on the last center line. The pair did everything well today – especially in comparison to the rest of the field, some of whom had considerable problems with the difficult sequence of exercises on the last line.

The judges were also impressed and gave J’Adore Dior H 75.512 percent. Only Heinz-Holger Lammers at B would have liked to see a different pair at the top.

Wandres in second place

Lammers gave preference to the hosts’ representative Frederic Wandres on the Foundation son Fänomen de Malleret. In the end, it was second place for the eight-year-old Oldenburg stallion, who is to find new owners in the long term, as Bianca Kasselmann confirmed when asked. But at least for this season, Frederic Wandres has set his sights on the final of the Nuremberg Burg Cup, as he said after the warm-up test. With a round of 74.463 percent and second place, he has certainly come a little closer to his goal, as the four runners-up with the highest scores from the eight stages now also qualify for the big show at the Frankfurt Festhalle tournament.

The stallion presented a calling card in the first strong trot with maximum power and a suitable frame extension. The traversals also went very well, as did the walk tour. The canter tour was not quite optimal. The stallion jumped two-legged once in the first, right-hand pirouette, but not all the judges seemed to have noticed this. The introduction to the left pirouette turned out travers-like, but Wandres was still able to save the lesson. The series changes were faultless this time, but Wandres still had to put in some effort in the saddle. Fänomen stepped back once in the whole parade before the backwards. The middle trot at the end was another exclamation mark.

Third place to Marianne Helgstrand and Valerio

At first it looked as if Marianne Ade Helgstrand and the likeable Hanoverian gelding Valerio would not make it to the center line for the salute. The rider wanted to enter from the left. But Valerio found the corner at K particularly intimidating. But he was eventually persuaded. At the start of the test, you got the impression that they wanted to get it over with quickly. There was a lack of calmness and composure and the gelding remained very high and close together. However, the walk tour went well and when Vitalis came back in canter and flexed his big joints, it became clear what he is capable of. The changes in the series were safe and easily jumped far forward. The entire parade before the backward walk was out, but the pair gave their all once again in the center trot towards the judges. The judges awarded 72.146 percent for the performance.

Fourth and fifth place

Katharina Hemmer and her self-trained Escanciador, who came third in the warm-up test, finished fifth today. Escolar’s son had just turned three when he came to her. His reference: his big brother Etro was already preparing to become a promising Grand Prix horse. And Escanciador, stable name “Emil”, is also very promising. The gelding has a lot of rubber and, above all, the right attitude for dressage, even if he could work a little more actively from behind and push off the bit better in the long term. He showed that he can do this once he has strength and routine in the pirouettes, which were among the highlights of the test today, as were the series changes. In the end, the pair received 71.317 percent today and finished fifth behind Nicole Wego-Engelmeyer and the supple and powerful trotting Foundation daughter Front Girl, who one would have wished for more collection, especially in canter. They scored 71.463 percent.

Style award for fine riding

The harmonious pair Franziska Haase/Alissimo had already made a positive impression in the warm-up test. Today they even won a prize for this – even though they lost a possible 70 percent score when reversing. Franziska was only able to persuade her Asgard’s Ibiza son to do this with great difficulty today. But the rest of the task was so successful that Haase was able to accept the style prize for equestrian riding from the audience, a helmet from uvex.

All results of the Nuremberg Burg Cup qualifier can be found here.