Premiere with Piaff victory for Semmieke Rothenberger
Semmieke Rothenberger won the 22nd final of the Piaff-Förderpreis at the Schafhof in Kronberg. It was the first time that the U25 double European Champion rode the long Grand Prix and she showed many highlights. With the eleven-year-old KWPN mare Flannel, she demonstrated an almost perfect backward walk, a super dynamic trot tour, great double changes and the pair also completed the very difficult center line with the pirouettes in exemplary fashion. But there is still room for improvement for this exceptional pair: When adjusting from the walk, there was a short misunderstanding and Flannel built in a few canter jumps, in the one changes the pair got confused briefly and the piaffes may mature even more confidently on the spot. "It was already very exciting to ride the first long Grand Prix and that right away in the Piaff-Förderpreis Final," the winner admitted and kept 'the ball very flat': "But I think we mastered it quite well." 'Quite well' and even better, the judges thought, awarding the pair 74.50 percent in their Grand Prix premiere. With this victory Semmieke continues a family tradition. Her sister Sanneke had already won the final in 2015.
Second place went to last year's winner Ann-Kathrin Lindner and her high-legged three-time European Championships partner Sunfire. They were quite close on the heels of the winner with 73.820 percent. "It was really so fun today," cheered the three-time European U25 Champion. "It's really nice that I could ride such a great round again at the end of my U25 time. At no point did I feel that Sunfire was just a little bit off, he was with me 100 percent."
Nearly speechless was Alina Schrader, who finished third in the final. "My horse couldn't have given me a better weekend," beamed the student, who celebrated her 23rd birthday in Kronberg. "The year actually couldn't go any better and third place here in the final - I still have to realize that!" Alina narrowly missed the 70 percent with her long-time partner Paola, in the end it was 69.980 percent.
"The Piaff-Förderpreis is an absolute highlight after the German Championships, our second national highlight of the season," emphasized U25 national coach Sebastian Heinze. "First and second place are not entirely surprising. The two are simply top - not only in Germany, but also in Europe in this age group. They have confirmed their performance here. And Raphael, who was, after all, part of the European Championship team with the other two, brought a young horse with him that simply still has to learn." Heinze spoke from the heart of everyone when he added: "That was a great final, with great conditions, everything set up super nicely - a big thank you to the Linsenhoff-Rath family. For us, it was a wonderful end to a great season."
www.festhallenreitturnier-frankfurt.com
(KiK/pe&pa)
Results December 19, 2021:
16 Prize of the Liselott Schindling Foundation for the Promotion of Dressage Riding.
Piaff Förderpreis Prize / FINALE U25 Grand Prix - nat. dressage test Kl.S***
Flanell 15, Rothenberger,Semmieke 74.500 % GER/Bad Homburger RFV
FBW Sunfire, Lindner,Ann-Kathrin 73.820 % GER/RV Ilsfeld
Paola 239, Schrader,Alina 69.980 % GER/Reitgemeinschaft Hof Barkholz eV
Biedermeier, Scheßl,Anna Magdalena 69.140 % GER/RA München e.V.
Exclusive BB, Netz,Raphael 68.900 % GER/RFV Aubenhausen e.V.
Ein Traum 2, Holzknecht,Paulina 67.480 % GER/RV Gut Jagenberg e.V.
Aida Luna OLD, Breimann,Lisa 67.280 % GER/ZRFV Lützow Selm-Bork-Olfen e. V
