Glockâs Dream Boy NOP lived up to his name when carrying 2016 champion Hans Peter Minderhoud (45) from The Netherlands to victory at the seventh leg of the FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2018/2019 Western European League in Mechelen, Belgium today.
At just 10 years of age this young stallion is demonstrating colossal potential, and his score of 83.665 pinned 2013 series winner Helen Langehanenberg (36) from Germany and Damsey FRH into second, while the super-exciting Portuguese partnership of Maria Caetano (32) and Coroado strutted their way into third.
The final five all produced stunning performances, Swedenâs Therese Nilshagen (35) finishing fourth with Dante Weltino OLD despite some miscommunications early in their test, and Irelandâs Judy Reynolds (37) making a great come-back with Vancouver K to line up in fifth place.
Mechelen was also making a welcome come-back this week after a few years absence from the FEI Dressage World Cup™ circuit. So just before todayâs prizegiving ceremony was perfect timing for an emotional farewell tribute to Tiamo, the 18-year-old gelding that carried Belgiumâs Jorinde Verwimp to many great moments and who finished eighth on their very last outing together this afternoon.
Minderhoudâs win is another milestone in the rapid progression being made by his still quite inexperienced young horse who won the Grand Prix and finished third in the Freestyle at Olympia, London (GBR) just before Christmas. âHe only did a few Grand Prix competitions before qualifying for Tryon (FEI World Equestrian Games) this year – it was a bit early for him in his career, so after that I gave him a long rest and then restarted at Olympia. That wasnât the most easy show for him to come back to, and I was not so happy with how he feltâ¦he had been going so well at home. But then I bring him to another show here in Mechelen ten days later and he is super – I mean super!â said the delighted Dutchman.
âHere he was much more focused, not like at Olympia where I had to survive it a little! Today I could ride to the point, and he was really trying for me!â Minderhoud said.
Caetano and her adorable grey Lusitano, Coroado, set a whole new standard when posting 80.160 when fifth last to go of the 15 starters. At the fourth leg of the Western European League in Madrid (ESP) last month they scored 77.655 for third place, but things didnât go to plan at Olympia where their mark of 73.900 left them well down the line. Thereâs something really special about this pair who have sprung to prominence recently however, and they both looked radiant after showing the most fabulous passage and piaffe, and a great sense of harmony, during todayâs wonderful performance.
Langehanenberg bettered that when scoring 82.880 despite testing the nerve of Judge at C, Belgiumâs Jacques van Daele, as she powered to a very late halt. And although Reynolds and her 16-year-old gelding didnât challenge for the top spot, their new routine to a wonderful compilation of traditional Irish music had the spectatorsâ toes tapping and put 78.570 on the board.
Nilshagenâs chances were hampered when her horse dropped the contact early in their test, but with a degree of difficulty of 10 and the stallionâs breathtaking extended canter they clawed it back to put 80.090 on the board. So Minderhoud was chasing Langehanenbergâs leading score as he set off, last to go, and Dream Boy didnât let him down. Heâs a horse thatâs growing in confidence all the time, and after winning yesterdayâs Grand Prix he was always the one to beat.
âHeâs a very sweet horse, and because heâs seen all the things that approved stallions see at a young age heâs not really spooky or anything. In the beginning I felt he went into himself a bit in big arenas, but yesterday and today he was much happierâ Minderhoud explained after posting his winning result.
With just three more qualifiers to go in the Western European League, the next port of call is on Minderhoudâs home turf in the Dutch capital city of Amsterdam at the end of January. And having moved up to joint-third on the leaderboard heâs looking forward to getting to the 2019 Final next April in Gothenburg, Sweden, which is where he won the coveted FEI Dressage World Cup™ title two years ago.
Result: 1, Glockâs Dream Boy (Hans Peter Minderhoud) NED 83.665; 2, Damsey FRH (Helen Langehanenberg) GER 82.880; 3, Coroado (Maria Caetano) POR 80.160; 4, Dante Weltino OLD (Therese Nilshagen) 80.090; 5, Vancouver K (Judy Reynolds) IRL 78.570; 6, Cennin (Madeleine Witte-Vrees) NED 76.870.
