Barcelo OLD is built for the big arena—not just (though certainly partly) because of his height. This tall Oldenburg gelding by Bon Coeur is practically made for a 20 x 60 arena. And the gelding has proven more than once under Dorothee Schneider that he feels right at home there. Case in point: his victory in the final of the 2024 Nuremberg Burg-Pokal. And just yesterday, the bay had already secured a victory with Dorothee Schneider in Görlitz.

He can do anything

In Görlitz, too, he demonstrated just how comfortable he is on the big stage during the S***-level competition, part of the “Derby Stars of Tomorrow” series. The pair began with a lively and supple trot sequence, both forward and sideways. In the first piaffe, one might have wished for slightly more even engagement of the hind legs in a few of the steps.

That passage—and the powerful step that followed—made it clear: here is a couple with real ambition. The swing: a smooth step back from a steady hold—another highlight.

Textbook-perfect pirouettes

The pair began in the canter, immediately executing a truly excellent left pirouette, and the right pirouette was of equally high quality—scores up to 8.5. Another highlight of the test: the flying canter jumps in pairs. The single changes were, in principle, of similarly high quality. However, the Danish-born Oldenburg horse took one change slightly shorter.

The horse’s passage was, overall, very polished, clearly defined, and even. The transition into the final piaffe was then completely even and fluid, and from this energetically executed piaffe, the horse moved with a gliding transition into the concluding passage leading up to the final salute.

75+ for Dorothee Schneider in Görlitz

The judges agreed that this was by far the best ride in this competition. Olympic champion Heike Kemmer, who was commentating for ClipMyHorse, called it a “fantastic performance” and raved about the pirouettes, describing them as “graceful, well-executed, and precise on the center line.” It was the pair’s fifth victory in their sixth start of 2026. Dorothee Schneider’s take: “Absolutely happy.”

The score underscored that impression: 75.316 percent—five percent more than the runner-up. “He’s always so motivated; it’s a pleasure to ride this horse,” Dorothee Schneider told EQUI PAGES. Despite his size, everything comes easily to him, “and that’s not something to be taken for granted given his size.”

Second Place for Carina Scholz and Fideleo

The supple, eleven-year-old Hanoverian gelding Fideleo by Finest already showed confidence and maturity in the passage. Carina Scholz executed the piaffe with a slight forward impulsion, which benefited the transitions. Confident movement in a strong walk with a distinct overreach; unfortunately, there was a slight lack of rhythm at the beginning of the collected walk.

At a gallop, the left pirouette was still quite large, while the one to the right was noticeably smaller, both in the preparation and the entry. A bit more balance would have been desirable in the flying changes from jump to jump. On the final center line, the pair was then able to score in the 70s again (70.316) with their passage and, above all, a more lively piaffe than the first one in the test.

“Vaderland” with Several Memorable Moments

Working through lessons at home is one thing. Presenting them in sequence during a test is another. Anyone who has ever trained a dressage horse knows this. The test by Bernadette Brune and Vaderland OLD showed how a horse must develop as it progresses toward more challenging tasks.

Not everything went smoothly by any means, but there were moments here and there that really caught my attention—and in a wide variety of lessons. For example, there was a passage that was, at times, very expressive. The brown horse showed a lot of “airtime”—in other words, the moment it held the position was quite pronounced at times.

During the first piaffe, there were some balance issues, and the rhythm wasn’t quite right either. However, the rider applied subtle aids and gave the still-young horse the opportunity to develop, which it ultimately succeeded in doing by the end of that piaffe. This also benefited the transition into the subsequent passage.

Still building strength

Vaderland OLD was sidelined for a long time due to an infection, so the rider is still in the process of regaining the strength she once had. That takes time. The pair’s performance is clearly on the rise right now.

The pair from Ammerland, north of Oldenburg, are already executing their pirouettes with good balance; the one to the right is already working really well.

While the flying changes over two jumps were executed evenly, straight, and with good elevation, the son of Vitalis stumbled in the single changes—which, however, had started out with the same quality as the double changes. Third place with just under 70 percent.

Results: Derby Stars of Tomorrow, Görlitz 2026 S***

Outstanding: Valerie B and Dorothee Schneider in Görlitz

In the qualifying round for tomorrow’s final qualifier for the 2026 Nuremberg Burg-Pokal, there was a ride straight out of a picture book—almost as if it were from another world. Dorothee Schneider made her debut with the Danish mare Valerie B. The daughter of Revolution, who was born to Karin and Peer Guldbrandsen, is no stranger to the scene. Now eight years old, this highly elegant mare won the first class at the World Championships for Young Dressage Horses at both five and six years of age. And both times, she finished fourth in the final. At that time, she was still ridden by Anne-Mette Strandby Hansen for Helgstrand Dressage.

This mare has everything you could want in a dressage horse: drive, light-footedness, charm, and elegance. The new pair mastered all the technical requirements of the St. Georges Special with confidence. The backing up on the center line followed by a medium trot could have been a bit more natural. But there’s still some time left before the finals in Frankfurt. The judges awarded a score of 74.073 percent—Schneider’s second victory of the day.

The mare arrived at Dorothee Schneider’s in November 2025, at that time still in Framersheim, where the Schneider family lives. Then, in February, she moved to the Famos Stud, owned by entrepreneur Maik Kanitzky (“Maxi Kraft”—which is also the first name of Barcelo OLD). Dorothee Schneider says the mare has “everything a horse needs.” This mare, too, falls into the XXL category in terms of height. But she’s just as impressive in terms of talent. “She’s a horse that makes my heart beat faster as a trainer,” says Schneider.

Valerie B and “Doro” Schneider’s First Joint Exam

Her heart rate went up a few beats after their first start together. “It’s always a question of how well the horses listen to you in the arena. I’m really thrilled with how she handled it. That’s not something to be taken for granted.” Tomorrow is the actual qualifying round for the Nuremberg Burg Cup. And at the Frankfurt Festhalle, the Olympic team champion has a permanent spot in the competition anyway…

Lena Haßmann Takes Second Place with Bacchabundus OLD

Bacchabundus OLD—the name alone suggests a special horse. And that’s exactly what this chestnut is. His sire, Baron, was stabled at the Danish Blue Hors stud farm; his career began at the Westfalenhof stud farm.

Lena Haßmann presented the Oldenburg horse with great verve, always driving it forward. This freshness was refreshing, and its suppleness was exemplary.

During the trot sequence, the gelding showed good balance. In the flying changes, however, Lena Haßmann had to give clear aids from the saddle. The gelding responded confidently to these aids but was not yet able to stay straight. A score of 72.756 percent earned them second place.

Third place went to Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, who scored well in the transitions with Feliciana by Follow Him’s Schönweide. The Hanoverian mare, who is just seven years old and has excellent movement, competed in her second S-level dressage test. Last year, she placed in the final of the Bundeschampionat under the saddle of Adrian Muñoz Jurado, who was still riding for the Werndl family at the time. She scored 72.293 percent and took third place.

Results from Görlitz