Photo Credit: Roger Fitzhardinge

By Roger Fitzhardinge

The finals for the five-year-old class were decided when Eva Möller rode the three horses that were the top three from the second round.

In third place was Bloomers Simply the Best for Daniella Dierks and then second was Bradgate Park Puccini by Prestige VDL for Michelle Baker. In first place was Donna Elana by Don Schufro (imported at the end of 2014).

The three came in to the arena and worked alone together for a while. Eva then rode each, one after the other and then at the end gave her comments and her marks. This ridability mark was then combined with the marks from the second round. In this way it meant that the ridden mark was not as in the past, 50% of the marks, but 1/6 of the total and the riders for sure liked this.

Simply The Best was a delight, and Eva was very complimentary towards this horse’s way of going but she felt that the canter did not really show the degree nor ability to collect for the five-year-old and this feeling was through the contact and the horses body.

With Bradgate Park Puccini, Eva felt that he was a little too strong in the contact and he was very keen to be forward but feels that he needs to learn to wait a little more. She enjoyed the ride but thought that he still needed to develop self-carriage.

The ride on Donna Elana was obviously one of enjoyment. The brown mare oozed around the arena with ease and fluency and Eva made note of the elasticity in the contact. Her back was swinging and the ride was easy and she commented that she felt like she was riding on a cloud!  Eva did have a serious look on her face when they all came in the arena as the mare was extremely bright and when the crowd applauded a few times she was off in orbit with Maree hanging in there. (Maybe that’s where she drew the cloud reference from :) ) Maree did say that she had wound her up in the warm up arena as she was a little lazy the day before and perhaps that wasn't such a great idea!  She soon calmed down and Eva made a wonderful demonstration of riding these three wonderful horses, so a win to Donna Elana and a delighted Maree. Coming up a place after the rideabilty was Bloomers Simply The Best, and in third, Bradgate Park Puccini.

The six-year-old class took on the same format, with the first to be ridden being Fiona Selby’s leggy and elegant mare, Samba de Janiero. This brown mare was imported by Fiona, and is by the Sandro Hit son, Sarkozy. As Eva dismounted she smiled and commented that she had ridden the mare’s father some five years ago at the World Championships. The mare was a bit tight and green for this class, but showed plenty of natural paces. At times a little backward thinking and not so willing to go forward, but Eva showed some terrific moments and did say that she was not quite up to the demands of the six year old lass.

The next was the impressive black stallion by San Amour for Daniella Dierks who was coming second. During an interview with Roger Fitzhardinge whilst Eva was riding, Daniella said that she had claimed the stallion as hers and that was that. They had found him at PSI and had purchased him six months ago. Daniella adores him and mentioned that his training has been somewhat interrupted as he had colic surgery a few months ago. Eva was very complimentary of the training and the feel this San Amour son gave her over the back and to the bridle. He was a delight.

The final ride was on board the Royal Hit Gelding Saddle Up Romper Stomper.  This 17.3 chestnut horse has such a wonderful uphill front end, and Eva commented that she really had a great feeling of sitting in behind him. She was impressed with the trot work, but made mention that the extended paces were a little unbalanced and as a consequence a few irregular steps. He needs to learn to keep the shoulders up and have a more free front leg from getting stronger over the back with a more sitting hind end. The canter she felt was a little rolling over the front leg. Not in the frame, but more in the fact that the stride didn't really finish the stride well enough. More ground cover and expression with the front leg. She enthused that he was a willing and wonderful horse to ride and reckons he has a big future ahead of him.  A fantastic score for rideablity ensured which made him the placings champion ! Solo Feliz second to Romper Somper and third to Samba De Janiero.

As soon as the Champions were decided it was each age group champion out to work together in front of Wim Ermes, Eva Möller, Susie Hoovenaars and Jane Ventura. The big beautiful Black stallion Solo Feliz was rugged and sashed the winner for Daniella Dierks who was all smiles. And why wouldn't she be?!

All up, a fitting conclusion to the PSI Australian Young Horse Champion of Champions!