Kjento follows in Glamourdale’s footsteps at Ermelo

Lottie Fry and Kjento have reclaimed Glamourdale’s 2018 World Young Horse title with an outstanding win at the Longines FEI WBFSH Dressage World Breeding Championships for Young Horses, in Ermelo, the Netherlands (08 – 11 September 2022). Sadie Smith and Swanmore Dantina showed their class with a phenomenal top-five place, while Bart Veeze and Denton RMD performed superbly to finish ninth in the Final for six-year-old horses.

British representatives got off to a convincing start in the qualifying rounds, with Lottie Fry and Van Olst Horses’ Kjento (Negro x Jazz) winning the Qualifier for 7YOs on 84.415%, and Sadie Smith with her own Swanmore Dantina (Dante Weltino OLD x Charatan W) achieving fourth place (78.148%) - both combinations securing a place in Sunday’s Final.

Dutchman Bart Veeze with Jan van den Heuvel’s Denton RMD (Glock's Dream Boy N.O.P. x Blue Hors Don Schufro), a British Hanoverian bred by Rosie Moreton-Deakin, also impressed to finish 12th in the Qualifier for 6YOs on a score of 81.600.

In Sunday’s Final for seven-year-old horses, in front of judges Alban Tissot (FRA) at H, Juan Carlos Campo (ESP) at B, Peter Storr (GBR) and Maria Schwennesen (AUS) at C, and Hans Voser (SUI) at E, Kjento once again showed his supremacy. The hugely expressive stallion (pictured above), who was six-year-old World Champion last year, was beautifully presented by Lottie to produce a performance of power, elasticity and suppleness to earn a score total of 85.786% to take the win.

The horse, bred by A.J. van Os and owned by Van Olst Horses, shows fantastic use of his back, and powerful uphill paces, paired with ample adjustability. Plenty of airtime in both the trot and canter, and a great ability to close and collect - as he showed the world when winning his title in 2021 as a six-year-old, he showed again in Ermelo last weekend in his successful quest to secure back-to-back World Young Horse titles.

“What an exciting, beautiful-moving horse,” enthused commentator judge, Maria Schwennesen during her post-test summary. “He’s a really lovely horse. So impressive. Such a pleasure to judge. He works so well for you. With all that power, he’s still remaining in balance – it's very impressive.

“For the trot, we thought he was well engaged all the way through, and in the medium and extended he gained uphill tendency. The super part was the shoulder-in. They were just perfectly ridden and perfectly performed. The trot stayed exactly in the balance we wanted. We were so impressed. He has true collection and a good ability for it. What else could we give but a 10."

In addition to his 10 – the only 10 awarded at the Championships – Kjento earned 8.0 for his walk and 9.2 for his canter, about which Maria Schwennesen said, “We thought he had a fabulous canter – a really uphill, fabulous canter all round, with good differences shown in the medium and extended.

His paces marks, combined with a 9.5 for Submission, 9.8 for Perspective and a Technical score of 78.572%, resulted in a final score of 85.786% to comfortably secure the title ahead of Beatrice Hoffrogge with Destello OLD (Dimaggio x Fuerst Fugger) on 83.957%, and Manuel Dominguez Bernal with Escamillo (Escolar x Rohdiamant) on 83.072%.

“Kjento has the most amazing character; he is almost like a gelding in the stable,” says Lottie about her superstar, back-to-back world young horse title partner. “He is super chill but as soon as you pick up the reins, he is super sharp and ready to go. He is the perfect horse. Today we went for much more power, and he really delivered it."

The duo enjoyed the test despite the pressure of being tipped favourites; "Of course, you feel more pressure coming into it, to prove he is still as amazing as he was, but I don’t have to worry too much about that with him.”

Sadie Smith, competing at her first overseas international, enjoyed a stellar week. With the seven-year-old Swanmore Dantina (pictured above), on the biggest stage of their career so far, they placed fourth in the Qualifier then delivered a tremendous test to land fifth place in the Final, and also the achievement of the highest-placed mare. Winner of the 2021 Shearwater Young Dressage Horse 6YO title, Swanmore Dantina has elegance, power and elasticity in spades.

“She’s a lovely mare with a beautiful way of going, and she is very calm and willing for you,” said the commentator judge, Maria Schwennesen, after her test. “In the trot, we thought she had great balance. She has a very good hind leg in the medium and extended trot. She was powerful all the way through, she was active and she remained supple over the back.”

A score of 9.0 was awarded for the trot, with 7.5 for the walk, 8.5 for the canter, 8.0 for Submission and 8.8 for Perspective. Combined with a Technical mark of 74.357%, their final score came in at 78.979%. Maria praised the mare’s boldness in the canter, particularly in the medium and extended, a very good first pirouette and good changes. She concluded by saying that she is a great mare, who is very willing and can perform to a really high standard.

"I was so chuffed," enthused Sadie. "I can't believe how well we did. I didn't know what to expect, and if you'd asked me beforehand, it would have been a dream to get to the Final.

"She (Swanmore Dantina) gives such a good feeling, and because she is on side, she will do anything for me," said Sadie, who has produced 'Dia' since a three-year-old with help from Carl Hester and Charlotte Dujardin. "The horses at the Championships are amazing, and mainly big-moving breeding stallions, but I knew that if I could ride a good test, because there's a technical mark, the higher the mark would be.

"She did really trot that day," continued Sadie, referring to the 9 awarded in the Final. "I thought, if I've got to stand a chance, I've got to go for it. We had a mistake in one of the canter pirouettes, when I over rode it, but she was amazing and gave the most incredible feeling."

After a short break, next stop for Dia will be the NEXGEN Final at Hickstead later this month. 

Greg Sims and Waverley Fellini, in the qualifier for seven-year-olds, earned a solid score total of 71.877%. Competing in the Small Final for 7YOs, Greg and the fabulous Fürstenball x Sandro Hit gelding, who he co-owns the Stena Hoerner, rode a super test to earn 73.340% with marks given of 7.8 for Trot, 7.8 for Walk, 7.7 for Canter, 8.2 for Submission and 8.0 for Perspective. The commentator judge, Katrina Wüst, praised the good partnership between horse and rider, saying it was very harmonious ride, a very willing horse who is always in a nice contact, and always working for his rider.

In the six-year-old qualifier, Blue Hors Zackorado, presented by Beth Bainbridge, scored 8.3 for Trot, 7.8 for Walk, 7.9 for Canter, 7.6 for Submission and 8.2 for Perspective, with a score total of 79.600 to put them 22nd. The British Hanoverian Denton RMD was ridden by Bart Veeze into 12th place on a score of 81.600, scoring 7.8 for Trot, 8.6 for Walk, 8.0 for Canter, 8.2 for Submission and 8.2 for Perspective.

In the Small Final for six-year-olds, Beth and Blue Hors Zackorado were awarded 8.0 for Trot, 7.8 for Walk, 7.8 for Canter, 7.0 for Submission and 7.6 for Perspective, with a total mark of 76.400 from judges Juan Carlos Campos (ESP) at E and Maria Schwennesen (AUS) at C. The performance, which put them 15th, showed much promise. A little tension at times was costly; however, Blue Hors ApS's young stallion is brimming with talent. The commentator judge remarked on his exciting paces and power, and good ability with his hind leg. She said there was a little tension shown at times on the day, but that he has much potential for the future.

First down the centre line in the Final for six-year-olds, Dutchman Bart Veeze and the British-bred stallion Denton RMD (pictured above) delivered a super performance in front of judges Thomas Lang (AUS) at E and Katrina Wüst (GER) at C, scoring 83.800 for eventual ninth place. “It’s a very nice combination to start,” remarked the commentator judge at C, Katrina Wüst. “[The horse has] A very nice, elastic trot that is always clear in rhythm and balance. Both the medium and extension really covered the ground, and it was very nice. He kept the same balance and cadence in the lateral movements.

“He showed a totally relaxed walk, with good overtrack and freedom - the walk is very convincing – and he kept the same rhythm in the collected walk. The canter was very clear. He’s definitely a horse that takes the weight behind, and he was convincing in the changes.

“It’s a very nice combination and we are happy with the way you showed us this horse,” concluded Katrina. The marks given were 8.0 for Trot, 8.8 for Walk, 8.3 for Canter, 8.3 for Submission and 8.5 for Perspective to finish comfortably within the top ten.

A minute's silence was observed to reflect on the life of Queen Elizabeth II, and black armbands worn by British riders who experienced a poignant week following Thursday's deeply sad news of her passing.

Results: top three and British placings
Friday 9 September
FEI Qualifier for 7YO – presented by Helgstrand Dressage
1. Charlotte Fry and Kjento (Negro x Jazz), 84.415% (GBR)
2. Manuel Dominguez Bernal and Escamillo (Escolar x Rohdiamant), 82.965% (ESP)
3. Beatrice Hoffrogge and Destello OLD (Dimaggio x Fuerst Fugger), 80.015% (GER)
4. Sadie Smith and Swanmore Dantina (Dante Weltino OLD x Charatan W), 78.148% (GBR)
23. Greg Sims and Waverley Fellini (Fürstenball x Sandro Hit), 71.877% (GBR)

FEI Qualifier for 6YO – presented by Anemone HorseTrucks
1. Jeanna Hogberg and Hesselhoej Down Town (Hesselhoej Donkey Boy x Blue Hors Zack), 94.800 (SWE)
2. Emmelie Scholtens and Las Vegas (Ferdeaux x Wynton), 94.200 (NED)
3. Eva Möller and Global Player OLD (Grand Galaxy Win T x Blue Hors Don Schufro), 94.000 (GER)
12. Bart Veeze and Denton RMD (Dream Boy x Don Schufro), 81.600 (NED)
22. Beth Bainbridge and Blue Hors Zackorado (Blue Hors Zack x Florencio 2), 79.600 (GBR)

Saturday 10 September
FEI Small Final for 6YO - presented by Province Gelderland
1. Lena Waldmann and Belinda (Bon Coeur 1389 x Royal Blend), 86.000 (GER)
2. Justin Verboomen and Zonik Plus (Zonik x Hohenstein), 84.300 (BEL)
3. Vandela Eriksdotter Rubin and Diploid (Hesselhoej Donkey Boy x Topaasch 1090), 83.600 (SWE)
15. Beth Bainbridge and Blue Hors Zackorado (Blue Hors Zack x Florencio 2), 76.400 (GBR)

FEI Small Final for 7YO
1. Linnea Cöster and Liberace for U (Dante Weltino OLD x Underworld XX), 76.386% (SWE)
2. Kira Laura Soddemann and Jetset (Johnson TN x Beltoni), 75.538% (GER)
3. Lone Bang Zindorff and Poseidon Majlund (Tailormade Temptation x Solos Landtinus), 75.245% (DEN)
12. Greg Sims and Waverley Fellini (Fürstenball x Sandro Hit), 73.340% (GBR)

Sunday 11 September
Longines FEI Final for 7YO
1. Charlotte Fry and Kjento (Negro x Jazz), 85.786% (GBR)
2. Beatrice Hoffrogge and Destello OLD (Dimaggio x Fuerst Fugger), 83.957% (GER)
3. Manuel Dominguez Bernal and Escamillo (Escolar x Rohdiamant), 83.072% (ESP)
5. Sadie Smith and Swanmore Dantina (Dante Weltino OLD x Charatan W), 78.979% (GBR)

Longines FEI Final for 6YO
1. Eva Möller and Global Player OLD (Grand Galaxy Win T x Blue Hors Don Schufro), 97.600 (GER)
2. Jeanna Hogberg and Hesselhoej Down Town (Donkey Boy x Blue Hors Zack), 93.800 (SWE)
3. Jill Bogers and Lennox U.S. (Grand Galaxy Win x Rousseau), 89.000 (NED)
9. Bart Veeze and Denton RMD (Dream Boy x Don Schufro), 83.800 (NED)

FULL RESULTS

Photo © DigiShots