Ann-Cathrin Rieg and Steendiek's Derrick Win the Southern Regional Final of the DERBY Stars of Tomorrow

With plenty of power, momentum, and drive—as steady as a metronome, largely relaxed, and clearly enjoying himself—and with no mistakes but plenty of highlights, the riding pony stallion Steendieks Derrick danced his way to victory in the Southern Final of the DERBY Stars of Tomorrow. He was sensitively ridden by the elegantly seated Ann-Cathrin Rieg from Baden-Württemberg, who presented the twelve-year-old chestnut-fawn stallion—bred by Peter Böge—with exemplary contact. The pair had already been unbeatable in Schäftlarn, and they followed that up with another strong performance in Ising. The judges awarded 74.650 percent for this performance. His rider would have given him 100 percent.

“I always say he has a heart bigger than the universe and the fighting spirit of a lion, and I think he’s proven that to everyone this year—and I’m so grateful for that…” She couldn’t go on, because tears welled up in her eyes. Tears of emotion for this pony, who clearly puts in so much effort and does it with joy. “That’s what riding is all about,” said Christoph Hess, who was serving as a judge and commentator: “Truly having the horse as a friend. And you can tell that about you two. I think you can really feel that as a judge.” And as a spectator.

Louisdor Prize Finalist Takes Second Place

Second place

went to the pair that qualified for this year’s Louisdor Prize final at Gestüt Birkhof: Franz Trischberger riding the 10-year-old Oldenburg mare Henriettenhof’s Kinshasa by Bordeaux. They received 73.840 percent for their performance, during which Christoph Hess would have liked to see just one thing: “a slightly wider angle at the bit.”

Another interesting horse is the third-place finisher, the DSP gelding Iago, owned by Ralf Kornprobst. The bay is a son of the KWPN Olympic stallion Indian Rock, owned by Emelie Scholtens and now Christian Simonson for the U.S. Visually, Iago is a completely different type—plain bay, not a stallion but a gelding. But he possesses top-notch fundamental quality! And this was very clearly demonstrated in terms of the training scale. He still lacks consistency in the piaffe and passage. But he has the potential to become really good. The judges awarded him 71.630 percent.

You can find all the results from Ising here.