The European Dressage Championships trot-up has been completed for both the dressage and para dressage horses in Riesenbeck, Germany.
All eight British horses across both teams safely passed the trot-up and are ready for action. However, two dressage horses – including one from the Irish team – were not passed, and will have be re-presented tomorrow ahead of the start of the grand prix.
The British para dressage team of Sophie Wells (LJT Egebjerggards Samoa), Georgia Wilson (Sakura), Gabriella Blake (Strong Beau) and Charlotte Cundall (FJ Veyron) had their horse inspection yesterday (Monday, 4 September), with all four horses sailing through successfully ahead of the individual para dressage competition starting today (Tuesday, 5 September).
This morning, it was the turn of the British dressage quartet. As a stallion, Lottie Fry’s reigning world champion Glamourdale was the first of the British horses to take to the European Dressage Championships trot-up track, presented by Niek Haarlink, who has previously fulfilled this role.
Charlotte Dujardin and Imhotep were the next British combination to present, followed by Carl Hester with Fame and Gareth Hughes and Classic Briolinca. All four horses were passed without incident.
Carl Hester and Fame at the 2023 European Championships trot-up
(Image credit: BENJAMIN CLARK)
Four horses were sent to the holding box; Alejandro Sanchez Del Barco’s ride for Spain, Quincallo De Indalo, and Trude Hestengen’s Norwegian team horse Christianslund Furstino were subsequently passed.
Two of these were not accepted, and will have to be re-presented tomorrow morning before the grand prix. These are the 15-year-old Ultrablue De Massa, the ride of Poland’s Marta Sobierajska, and Turbo, the the 10-year-old Totilas son ridden by Ireland’s Sorrell Klatzko.
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The British dressage team will have arena familiarisation later this afternoon, where they can work their horses in the main Riesenbeck arena. The competition will kick off with the grand prix, taking place on Wednesday and Thursday this week to determine the team medals.
This is followed by the grand prix special on Friday for the top 30 combinations from the grand prix, from which the first set of individual medals will be decided.
The European Dressage Championships concludes with the grand prix freestyle on Sunday, open to the top 15 from the special, and from which the second set of individual medals will be decided.
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