With the dark bay gelding Final Dream, the Hanoverian Breeders' Association was able to celebrate its first champion in the dressage arena. In the age group of five-year-olds, Kira Goerens-Ripphoff led the son of Franziskus out of a Weltmeyer dam to victory with a score of 9.2. The Westphalian stallion Macciato (by Morricone-Just Perfect) with Greta Heemsroth placed only close behind in silver with a score of 9.1. A total of 72 horses competed in this age group. The hearts of the spectators flew to him, because Final Dream lived up to his name. The elegant Franziskus son, bred by Karin Storkamp and owned by Anke Dieckell, impressed with a swinging, elastic and sublime trot that is rarely seen.
The judges were also full of praise and awarded him the highest score of 10 - the only one in the entire field of five-year-old dressage horses. The dark bay stallion, masterfully presented by Kira Goerens-Ripphoff, presented himself almost as well in canter. Judge Dr. Dietrich Plewa, who commented on the jury decisions for the audience, emphasised among other things the excellent load-carrying and rhythmic reinforcement: 9.5. If one wanted to criticise something about the new Bundeschampion, it would be the walk, which according to Plewa was "practically" off (8.0). With the 9 for collection and the 9.5 for the perspective as a dressage horse, Final Dream brought it to an overall score of 9.2. His rider Kira Goerens-Ripphoff said overjoyed: "I am speechless." But then she told a few things: Last year she had discovered Final Dream while looking for a young horse. A good friend, Anke Dieckell, made the purchase possible. "Final Dream has always trotted for a 10. It is a pleasure to sit on him and ride him. He is well-behaved and reliable, but also an ambitious athlete," she told us, beaming. Kira Goerens-Ripphoff has already made several appearances at the Bundeschampionat, but now produced a champion for the first time. Together with her husband Mathis Goerens, she runs a training stable in Sandbostel. Now the 31-year-old hopes that she will be able to enjoy Final Dream for a long time and that he will not be sold.
Ingo Pape was happy about the silver medal. His stallion Macciato, son of Morricone, impressed with his enormous permeability (highest score of the day: 9.5). Greta Heemsroth, rider at the Pape station, brought out the energetic trot with a lot of "Go". The group of judges also confirmed that this stallion has great prospects as a dressage horse (9.5, overall score 9.1). The stallion, bred by dressage trainer Norbert van Laak, had already attracted attention as a three-year-old Westphalian Champion and shortly afterwards won the bronze medal at the Bundeschampionat.
Two horses took bronze place with a score of 8.8: Leonie Richter presented the Oldenburg Totilas son Total McLaren, bred by Ralf Knauf and owned by her employer Helgstrand Dressage, Ann-Christin Wienkamp rode the gelding Füchtels Indigo (by Ansgard's Ibiza - Roadster), also bred in Oldenburg. Both horses were awarded a score of 9.0 in canter, permeability and overall impression, only in trot and walk did they swap places: Total McLaren's trot was worth 9 to the judges, but the walk only 8, and with Füchtel's Indigo it was the other way round.
The winner of the qualification, Ferdades, who scored 8.8 with Henriette Hachmeister from the Pape station, was a little below his potential in the final. The Oldenburg son of Frascino (dam's sire Escolar), bred by Christine Campe, finished eleventh with a score of 8.4. Nevertheless, it is a great success for the Ingo Pape station to have qualified two horses for the Bundeschampionat Final.
The Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) once again rewarded particularly fair and equine-friendly riding at the Bundeschampionats with the Animal Welfare Award. This special prize is awarded to riders for the outstanding horse-friendly handling and the particularly horse-friendly test preparation of the horses during the event. In the five-year-old dressage class, the prize went to Catja Thomsen with Rockdale and Henriette Hachmeister with Ferdades. The jury praised both riders for their optimal preparation based on the individuality of each horse, from a classical seat with a light lean and discreet aids.
