Demi Haerkens: ‘Every day I sit there with a smile’

The KNHS Para Dressage Trophy this morning produced a victory for one of the big favourites: Demi Haerkens with the fantastically moving EHL Daula N.O.P. (by Gribaldi). The combination scored 79.250%. But the rider from Helmond did not get the KNHS Para Dressage Trophy in Amsterdam for free. Frank Hosmar and Alphaville N.O.P. (by Sandreo) were hot on Demi Haerkens’ heels. He rode his top horse to 78.817%. Third place went to Loes Cevaal and Happy Hero II (by Hohenstein). The judges rated their test 77.678%.

Judges Ineke Jansen and Monica Drohm put Demi Haerkens in first place, but judge at C Danielle Joosten saw a fourth-place finish in Haerkens and Daula’s performance. At Joosten, Sanne Voets with Demantur RS2 N.O.P. finished in first place.

‘She went the extra mile’

Demi was pleased with her test. “She ran very well. The freestyle was a bit more fine-tuned now. She walked through the track with a lot of expression. I had a super nice feeling in this entourage. The extended gaits were the highlights. I did think: now I have to stay nicely quiet and balanced, so I don’t get any mistakes. Daula went the extra mile so that’s really nice.”

No expectations

Demi Haerkens continued: “I never start my test with any expectations. I just want to ride really well and be satisfied with the test. Then I hope the points also match my feeling and that was the case today.”

‘Horse of gold’

“Daula is a super fine mare. I am very happy that I get to ride her from EHL Horses. They purchased the mare for me for the Olympics. It is a pleasure to be able to ride her. Every day I get on and get off with a smile. She is a horse of gold.”

Olympics

Demi’s goal is to qualify for the Paralympics. “This is something we are working hard towards. We have tailored our competition schedule accordingly. I hope I can perform well enough so that I can compete.”

‘Riding Freestyle here is a gift’

“It’s super to ride at Jumping Amsterdam. I’ve never won here before, so then it’s extra nice that it worked out today. Then I can add this to the list of victories again. It is always incredibly beautiful here. That is why it is also a very good exercise as preparation for the Olympics. To be able to ride the freestyle here is a gift.”

Written by Eline Korving – In cooperation with Horses.nl

Demi-Haerkens-EHL-Daula-NOP-AMST24L36092

Piaf and passage as von Bredow-Werndl takes over where she left off….

Marieke van der Putten won the highly competitive Prix st Georges class for the Onori Fashion & Gifts Prize on Friday evening. With her Glamourdale son Kuvasz RS2, Van der Putten scored 72.719%, edging Adelinde Cornelissen and Luqiedo (by Aqiedo) into second place (71.275%). Third place went to Dinja van Liere and her Millennium son Lowlands OLD (69.216%).

‘Kuvasz will go through fire for you’

“I never expected to win here,” says Marieke van der Putten after the award ceremony. “It was a really strong field of competitors and again, as the first starter, my score was not so high that you think you are going to win with that. But quite a lot happened, the RAI is a difficult hall for some horses. But that doesn’t bother you at all with Kuvasz RS2. She will go through fire for you.”

First time indoor

Still, poker Kuvasz RS2 found the hall of the RAI quite exciting. “It was the first time indoor for him in such a big entourage. I had some swings and some things that could really be improved. His bridle is a strong point of his. He constantly moves through the test. I can always keep him very nicely in front of me. Every stride in trot and canter is the same. That’s really a plus in him.”

Future horse

Kuvasz RS2 has been out of the running for a while, his last major appearance was at the World Championships in 2022.”He hasn’t been well for a while. He had stomach and intestinal problems. The training with him went very fast, he is a very work willing horse.I deliberately took him out for a year so he could have time to gain strength.He really is a future horse for me.He has a lot of potential for higher work.I think it is very important to give him time.”Stable character

For Marieke van der Putten, the preparation for Jumping Amsterdam was no different than usual.”I rode the selections and I still took him to a clinic.He has a very stable character.”

Grand Prix

“After this I’m going to take the time to work with him towards the Grand Prix.I feel he is really ready for this.I hope to start him Grand Prix at the end of this year.”

First starter

Van der Putten had to start first. “But I never found that a problem. You have to put down a good test right away. It doesn’t matter to me when I start.”

Dutch party

“I think Jumping Amsterdam is a fantastic competition. It’s always very busy for the horses though. They learn a lot from this, of course. It really is a Dutch party.”

Written by Eline Korving – In cooperation with Horses.nl

Marieke van der Putten (NED) - Kuvasz RS2Jumping Amsterdam 2024© DigiShots

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Piaf and passage as von Bredow-Werndl takes over where she left off….

To the strains of a brand new French-themed musical score embracing Edith Piaf’s “je ne regrette rien”, reigning Olympic, European and World Cup champions Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and the fabulous mare TSF Dalera BB claimed a definitive win at the second leg of the FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2022/2023 Western European League in Lyon, France today.

On the crest of a wave of success, the 36-year-old German rider clinched the 2022 World Cup title at Leipzig (GER) in April before taking a break ahead of the birth of her baby daughter, Ella Marie, in August. And her comeback today was nothing short of sensational.

A score of 90.140 left her ahead of compatriot and five-time World Cup champion Isabell Werth who finished second with Emilio on a mark of 87.945 while Sweden’s Patrik Kittel lined up in third with Touchdown and von Bredow-Werndl’s brother, Benjamin Werndl, finished fourth with Famoso OLD.

Jessica was delighted with the result that stamped her authority back on the sport she has dominated for some time now. And she was relieved this evening too.

“Coming back with a new Freestyle after riding one 90% score after another I knew I was pushing myself. I really wanted to get above 90 to be honest, and that I managed to do it is really cool because it’s what I wished for and prepared for!”

Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (GER)

New lead

There were 13 starters in today’s points-deciding Freestyle and, first to go after the break, The Netherlands’ Thamar Zweistra looked set to forge a new lead with the high-stepping nine-year-old stallion Hexagon’s Ich Weiss who was really fun to watch.

But the pair performed a 2.5 canter pirouette to the left which brought her Degree of Difficulty and Choreography mark to a 5.5 because it is a breach of the rules. So it was the 77.255 posted by the host-nation partnership of Morgan Barbançon and Sir Donnerhall ll OLD that was holding the lead when von Bredow-Werndl entered the ring.

From the moment the German pair set off the crowd were spellbound however, and they burst into applause when the score was posted. The music was captivating, and the floorplan allowed Dalera to show off her pure class. Clearly the golden girl of German dressage had it in the bag.

Coincidence

Asked about her new French-themed Freestyle, von Bredow-Werndl insisted that “it is just a good coincidence that coming up is Paris 2024!

“My mom actually suggested to use this music. It feels like it fits perfectly to Dalera, right from the first time I rode it. And she loves it! It’s a love story between Dalera and me that’s made in France!”

Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (GER)

“The floorplan is perfect for her because we have developed together over the last four and a half years and we’ve been using the previous Freestyle all that time so I think it’s time now to adapt and move on. I spent a lot of time working on the new choreography and it is difficult, but not for Dalera. Today she made it feel effortless, easy and still expressive. I rode this version last week on Wednesday and I just I knew this was it!”, she pointed out.

As best French finisher, having lined up in sixth in the final analysis behind Sweden’s Nanna Merrald Rasmussen and Atterupgaards Orthilia in fifth, Morgan Barbançon attended the post-competition press conference. She was happy with the performance of her great stallion Sir Donnerhall who has bounced back from a scary accident some years ago and who drew gasps of delight from the crowd when setting off in extended canter at the very beginning of his test.

Happy

“I am happy to see that he is still in a very good shape at 16 years old. It makes me happy to see he still wants to go in the ring, and Lyon is really my heart show – the best public is here!” And asked if she might think of changing her own Freestyle ahead of the Olympic Games in two years time she said “yes, and I might make it more French than France!”

The FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2022/2023 Western European League now moves on to von Bredow-Werndl’s home ground in Stuttgart (GER) in two weeks time where she will partner the 13-year-old Ferdinand BB. As defending champion she only needs two appearances during the season to qualify for the 2023 series Final which will take place in Omaha (USA) next April.

And well on his way to qualification is her brother, Benjamin, who goes into the next leg at the top of the WEL league table.