Katharina Hemmer Special Gold wins the Special in Münster

It is a good custom at the Agravis Cup that the highlight on the dressage arena, the Grand Prix Special on Sunday morning, unlike all other dressage competitions, does not take place in the Messehalle Nord, but in the center of the action, the Halle Münsterland.

Katharina Hemmer and the Oldenburg San Amour son Special Gold PCH were the second pair to enter the unfortunately almost empty arena. As mentioned, it was the first Grand Prix Special for Hemmer’s just ten-year-old son of Weihegold. Just a few days ago, they had finished fourth in the final of the Louisdor Prize in Frankfurt. Accordingly, Katharina Hemmer rode very safely and actually managed to complete the difficult task without a single major mistake. It was a well-rounded test from a horse that visibly did its job with confidence in its rider and with a beautiful contact and good lateral movement. It is now a question of strength and time for the black horse to gain expression. But in the piaffe-passage tour on the final line at the latest, it became clear where the journey could take him.

When they lined up to greet the judges for the second time, Hemmer was beaming all over his face and praised and stroked Special Gold extensively. There was no question that this was an all-round successful debut in a test in which, for example, Dorothee Schneider’s Sammy Davis Jr. began his career before becoming team world champion. Scores ranging from 71.373 (Heinrich Plaas-Beisemann with H) to 75.882 percent (Ute von Platen with C) resulted in an average of 74.333 percent. The pair thus took the provisional lead, which they did not relinquish until the end.

Louisdor finalist no. 2 behind Hemmer in Münster

Another pair that competed in Frankfurt in December came up trumps in Münster today: Tobias Nabben with the now eleven-year-old Hanoverian Finest son Forster. In the Louisdor Final, the light-footed, elegant black horse was quite off his game. He and/or his rider. In any case, the two made untypical mistakes due to obvious nervousness. That was much better today. Forster impressed with his elasticity, sure-footedness and lightness, which he was able to demonstrate in the highest collection lessons. The pair came second with 73.725 percent.

Third place went to Dancing Darkness by Dancier-Sandro Hit, finely presented by Evelyn Eger. The black mare was sold as a four-year-old at the PSI auction and is now owned by Connie Kang. Like many other PSI horses, however, she was trained at the Kasselmann stables. After her first S*** competitions in 2023 under Annika Feldhaus, Evelyn Eger took over the reins in 2024 and has already recorded her first victories with the mare. Last year, the pair made their CDI debut in Wellington and then competed internationally once again in Mannheim. Münster was their first show since November and they secured third place with a score of 71.804.

Other winners

Fourth place also went to a “PSI duo”: Alina Röhricht with the twelve-year-old Hanoverian Negro daughter Nonina, also owned by Joseph Chu. They scored 71 percent.

The two Grand Prix winners, Katharina Hemmer and Slaide aka “Junior”, were narrowly beaten into fifth place with 70.883 percent. The nine double changes were the pair’s undoing.

She was followed by last year’s Louisdor finalist and Stars von Morgen winner, the eleven-year-old Westphalian mare Shiva by Sir Heinrich. Sir Heinrich with Nadine Plaster in the saddle. The pair scored 70.510 percent.