12 May 2024
Superior win for Marijke Hammink in Lähden
Last weekend the international competition was held in Lähden, Germany. The final cones course caused many shifts in the rankings of almost all categories.The tough course was to the advantage of Marijke Hammink, who managed to create a gap of more than 31 penalties between herself and Niels Kneifel (GER), the number two. Marijke was the only one of the four-in-hand ponies who managed to stay double clear in the cones and therefore gave nothing away. Marijke won the dressage and came in second in the marathon, just 0.30 points behind Steffen Brauchle (GER).
25 penalty points difference for Boyd Exell
Boyd Exell, who won the competition in Windsor last week, also managed to maintain a large gap between himself and his competition in Lähden. He finished behind Chester Weber (USA) in the dressage, won the marathon on Saturday and was the only one of the Four-in-Hand horses to remain double clear in the cones. The difference between Exell and Weber, the number two, was ultimately 25 penalty points.
Chester Weber won the dressage in Lähden
Photo: Louisa Beckmann
Marcel Luder wins horse pairs
The differences at the top were smaller among the pair driving ponies and the horse pairs. Marcel Luder (SUI) won the marathon and the cones with one dropped ball. No one managed to stay double clear. With just under eight more penalty points, Stan van Eijk finished in second place, followed by Franck Grimonprez (FRA) and Dennis Schneiders (GER).
Small differences in the pony pairs
Rodinde Rutjens (NED) was in first place before the start of the cones with her dressage score of 52.25 and third place in the marathon. Unfortunately for her, a ball fell on gates five and ten and she was penalized for exceeding time. As a result, the victory went to dressage winner Christof Weihe (GER), who also had two balls in the cones. However, he did not receive time penalties. Second place went to Cas Hendriks (NED) and the Danish Maria Buchwald completes the podium in the pony pairs. The difference between number one and three was just over two penalty points. In the marathon, the top four were completely orange, with winner Sietske Flobbe (NED) in the lead, followed by Dirk Neerincx (NED), Rodinde Rutjens (NED) and Daniel Stronks (NED).
Horse singles
Because the competition in Greven (GER) ultimately turned out not to be an international competition this year, Lähden decided to open up to the single horses. It soon became apparent that there was great interest. The organization therefore decided, instead of limiting the number of participants, to move the dressage of the 3* single horses and 2* pony pair and pony teams to Thursday. They therefore drove the marathon on Friday, after the dressage tests for the other categories. On Sunday everyone drove the final and very tough cones course.
There were 40 single-driving horses present in Lähden. Kelly Bruder (CAN) won the dressage and had to give up her victory in the marathon to Anne Unzeitig due to a dropped ball in obstacle four. Before the start of the cones, she had just under six penalty points ahead of Marie Schiltz (LUX), the number two. In the cones, a ball fell for Kelly on gates one and five, but because a ball fell for Marie on gate 17, she was still safe. When Flip slipped considerably on the slippery surface in obstacle 19, the decisive ball fell for Kelly. The victory in the single driving horses went to Marie Schiltz with Frodo.
Marie Schiltz
Photo: Louisa Beckmann
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