Emma Booth and Furst Deluxe.

© Roger Fitzhardinge

Roger Fitzhardinge reports from the Grade III & V Individual Tests in Herning

By Roger Fitzhardinge

It was onto the Grade III Individual Test for Emma Booth on Saturday at the FEI World Championships in Herning, and what can you say. The admiration for this athlete seems to become more and more positive as the days go by. Her riding skills amaze everyone and her sportsmanship is so positive, win or lose. The way she props every athlete up is creditable.

Furst Deluxe, by Furstenball, carries his father’s amazing rideabilty and temperament; Emma describes him as a Great Dane who actually thinks he is a lap dog.  “His nature on the ground is just so wonderful; everyone wants to love him and he wants to love everyone in return. He takes little warm up, as he is a little on the complacent side and keeping the enthusiasm is important. He is the same at home and in the first or third test. I had the very best feeling with Fursty today and especially on the way around the arena, it was the best feeling I have had on him.”

Emmas’ warm up was brief and to the point… in front of the leg (in Emma’s, case her whips are her legs). Maree was helping her in the warm up, and one steely, determined coach was on to making the most of the short warm up. The weather was very hot to say the least and not in favour of the athletes nor the horses. Of course, with Maree’s care towards perfection , Fursty looked a million Euros! As they entered the arena it was easy to see that they were firing, and the attitude was harmonious and looking better. It was comforting to see that the Australian judge was again on the ground jury as in the first test she had Emma in second overall with over 75%.

The test started with a positive trot, despite Fursty having a good, wary look at the gate keeper who was wobbling the gate as he entered, and was therefore a little off the centreline. A square halt set the scene and the trot was elastic, expressive and in a wonderful rhythm. The mediums were positive and the transitions clear. The walk was more active and with a quicker tempo, especially in the collected, and the pirouettes were active enough and tight, but a little hard work. The extended was clear and great open frame was easy in the contact into the collection. The rein back was better than the Team Test, but still a little slow off the whip aids. The 10-metre circles were well performed, and all in all it was a better test than before and a great applause from the crowd for Emma, with anticipation of better scores as it was evident that the test showed more confidence and activity.

Emma Booth and Furst Deluxe with Maree Tomkinson.

© Roger Fitzhardinge

The previous test the judges were: 68.088%(9th), 69.853% (7th), 70.735% (5th), 75.441% (2nd), and 69.706% (7th). The judge at M was positive for sure on 75% and it was a pretty good test, but today’s test was even better so the scores were: 72.206%, 72.794%, 70.588%, 69.559% and 69.853%. The final percentage was 71%.

The judge who scored 75% and second place on the Team Test awarded 69% and eighth for this Individual Test, a 6% difference. Interestingly, all the other judges actually awarded higher marks for this second test.

View the full results from the Grade III Individual Test here.

Fortunately, Emma is in to the Freestyle after placing sixth of 19. A score of 73.676% was the bronze, so only 2.676% off a medal, which is going to be the goal for the Freestyle! Fingers crossed for her and Fursty.

First place went to Tobias Thorning Joergensen of Denmark with Jolene Hill on 79.265%, and again an outstanding performance full of harmonious, soft riding in good rhythm and ease. Second place went to El Corona Texel and Rebecca Hart of the USA, and a stunning test on this wonderful, energetic brown horse. Third place went to Keystone Dawn Chorus and Natasha Baker for Great Britain on 73.676%.

The medals all very, very well deserved and Emma was very congratulatory to all the others in her class and it was heartfelt and sincere.

That is what the sport is, and sometimes it's simply not possible to work this out but you simply have to get better as you continue, and to see Emma climbing her way up the list will be interesting. What will the Freestyle bring? It will be a class to celebrate the work these riders do and achieve, and everyone will let their hair down and get into it for sure.

The friendship and respect theses riders have was exemplified when Emma said to the USA rider Rebecca Hart: "Congratulations, what a wonderful test.”

Rebecca’s reply to Emma was: “Thank you, but remember it's taken six years!”

After the interviews where the journos were so positive as was Emma, her partner Josh commented: “Emma and Fursty have been together under 3 months and this was their seventh competition test! Of which they have all been international ones.”

What a future, and Emma is demure and knows the sport – and knows the chance she has here to ride such a wonderful horse and is so eternally grateful for the opportunities life gives her, and she takes each one of those opportunities head on.

View the Grade III Freestyle draw here.

Emma will ride at 10.42pm Sunday, AEST.

Lisa Martin and Juicy Wiggle

The Grade V Individual Test was held in the heat of the afternoon, and Lisa seemed as cool as a cucumber. Juicy Wiggle was extremely well-behaved considering being put in at the deep end, but all the same she did a great job in coping with the test that was right up to her level.

Lisa Martin and Juicy Wiggle.

© Roger Fitzhardinge

It was a win to Michèle George of Belgium on 78.405% on the 12-year-old bay mare, Best of 8. They certainly take their job very seriously, to the point that the Chef d'Equipe asked the photographers not to take photos, as the horse was spooky! It makes you wonder really, as it is the World Championships and this horse and rider are seriously competent and successful! It worked, as they gained first place.

In second position was Don Cara M for Sophie Wells of Great Britain. This elegant brown 13-year-old horse is certainly a seasoned campaigner and Sophie looks like she could ride him in Grand Prix. He is uphill with expressive paces, and looks very adjustable, but a few times the mouth was a little unsettled and that was probably the reason he wasn’t in the lead.

Third went to another seasoned campaigner, Alphaville N.O.P. for Frank Hosmar of the Netherlands on 75.786%.

Don Cara M for Sophie Wells of Great Britain.

© Roger Fitzhardinge

It was a bit tough for Lisa Martin and Juicy Wiggle in that they followed Michèle George into the arena. Lisa is a top rider when it comes to putting the test together, and for sure she rode her pants off to get what she got, yet still sits with a very still leg and very quiet aid. Juicy Wiggle is for sure a horse for the future, and this experience will certainly hold them in good stead. As yet the big, leggy mare is green still and only eight years old. Their placing of 14th (65.592%) was no doubt a little disappointing, but on the positive side there were seven horses above her within just three percent! That’s a positive for sure, and there is definitely a big future here for this combination and it’s upwards and onwards from here on in.

It is a grade that is full of riders that compete at FEI or are very capable of this level, and tomorrow we will see the Freestyles and at this grade flying changes are allowable.

I am sure Lisa is disappointed on the one hand that the percentages and placings were not in the top ten, but then they produced two tests with no mistakes, and the mare proved herself to be a solid mental competitor. It has been a good experience for the pair.

Full results from the Grade V Individual Test can be found here.

The Team Championship went to the Netherlands on 230.225 points, and then silver to Denmark under half a mark behind on 229.751, and in bronze was the USA on 225.335! What a seriously strong showing it was, and tightly contested. Australia was 13th of 18, beating Sweden, Canada, Poland, Japan and Spain. It was a shame that Australia was the only team with only three members (Lisa and Emma were joined by Dianne Barnes and Cil Dara Cosmic, who competed in the Grade IV) when you are allowed four, and therefore the opportunity to drop the lesser score of the four.

Team Championships results here.

Anyway, Australia has one through to the Freestyle tomorrow afternoon and that is Emma Booth and Furst Deluxe, and may Emma have a good ride and you never know… she may get into medal contention, and don’t worry Emma is up for that challenge!


 

Read more about the Aussie para dressage team in the August issue of Equestrian Life here.

You can watch all the action from the FEI World Championships in Herning via Clip My Horse TV.

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