First tournament start for Destacado and Ava Osing

It was only recently announced that Matthias Alexander Rath’s squad horse Destacado has been sold to the young rider Ava Osing. She is no stranger to this. A good year ago, she had already taken on a prominent, highly successful chestnut stallion: the three-time World Championship silver medal winner in dressage and Burg Cup bronze medal winner Vitalos.

She not only took part in the 2025 Preis der Besten with him (silver), but also in the European Championships. Here they contributed significantly to Germany’s title with the second-best result of all participants in the FEI team test. They were unable to build on their performance in the individual test and did not qualify for the freestyle. It was the last competition for the pair, who train with Kristy Oatley.

Now Ava has another Hanoverian chestnut stallion under the saddle, Destacado, who carried Matthias Alexander Rath to fourth place at the 2024 World Cup Final and to the silver medal in the freestyle at the German Championships in Balve last year.

Performance in Balve

Silver was also the color on Destacado’s curb bit today when he and Ava Osing broke off for the second lap of honor at the Preis der Besten inspection in Hagen. With 71.009 percent in the FEI individual test, they were only beaten by Martha Raupach in the saddle of her ten-year-old son of Franklin, Francis Drake OLD. The score here was 72.465 percent.

Yesterday Martha and Francis Drake were also unbeatable in the FEI team competition, here with 72.703 percent.

Ava and Destacado were third with 70.950 percent. In between was Birte Bunte in the saddle on the Oldenburg St. Schufro daughter Fille d’Or (71.216 percent), who were third today (70.570).

Fille d’Or – three times Bundeschampionat and DJM

Anyone familiar with the name Fille d’Or and her pedigree. The black and tan horse bred and owned by Mireille Segatz-Bunte competed three times at the Bundeschampionat under Lisa Marie Koch, was ninth as a five-year-old, 14th as a six-year-old (after winning the qualifier) and took bronze as a seven-year-old.

Last season, Birte then took over the reins and ensured that Fille d’Or lived up to her name. In seven competitions at five tournaments during the season, they remained unbeaten in medium (M**) level and were nominated for the German Youth Championships in Aachen, where they did not win a medal.

Further results from Hagen

The juniors are the only age group in Hagen to have already completed both tests. Yesterday it was the young riders’ turn to compete in their FEI team test (advanced (S*) level dressage test on curb bit). Nele Klaus and her twelve-year-old Belissimo M son Bonfire, a pair from the Berlin-Brandenburg state association, triumphed here. And quite clearly. They scored 72.544 percent compared to 70.921 percent for the following pair.

That was Bianca Nowag student Marie Sohler and her small tour partner Askehavens Beau Sancy. In the end, the 2024 European Junior Champion may still have to decide whether she wants to ride the U25 European Championships with Grand Prix horse Queolito or the U21 Tour with her Danish Don Olymbrio son. In any case, they left Kenya Schwierking in the saddle on the Totilas son Imani behind them in Hagen (70.351) and they are qualified for the Piaff Förderpreis Tour.

Lana Pinou Baumgürtel came fourth on Escalla (70.123) followed by last year’s U21 European Champion, Rose Oatley on her eight-year-old young hope Debutant PS (69.956).

Ponies

Lynn Sophie Soddemann and MuscleBeach, a nine-year-old FS Mr. Right son with whom Lynn won bronze at last year’s Westphalian Championships and has also competed at the DJM, but who has no international experience yet, were the only ones to come through in the pony class. In Hagen, the pair demonstrated with 72.949 percent that they definitely have what it takes.

It’s a different story for the pair in second place, 13-year-old Emma Sophie Dankenbring and 16-year-old Carleo Go. He is a real professor and had carried his previous rider Julie Sofie Schmitz-Heinen to two European Championship team gold medals. He carried Emma to second place in the FEI team test today (71.410).

Third place went to Laurentien Paula Osterhoff and Mr. Handsome (70.855). The pair already took part in last year’s inspection in Hagen and finished 14th and fifth. They were able to go one better today.

Children

Theresa Stöcker and the Sancisco son Saumur were the lone winners in the children up to the age of 14, who take part in a test at dressage rider L level. Theresa received 90 percent for her riding performance. For the technical completion of the task 73.3 percent. This resulted in 81.650 percent, with which the two led the lap of honor.

Second place went to Cecilie Marie Hohl on Saluna W OLD with 76.950 percent (82.5/71.4), followed by Lynn Sophie Soddemann, who demonstrated with Bella Secure that she is also a front runner on large horses. Her 74.350 percent was the result of 78.5 percent for the riding performance and 70.2 percent for the task.

You can find all the results from Hagen here.