There was plenty going on in the international competition scene this weekend: not only were eyes from all over the world on Mannheim, where the Maimarkt Competition featured, amongst other events, a Nations Cup. There was also a Nations Cup on the cards in La Baule (FRA), whilst Badminton (GBR) hosted one of the world’s most demanding eventing competitions – and Holsteiners from all over the world really delivered!
What a performance by the stud association stallion Million Dollar by Plot Blue and Sophie Hinners in Mannheim! The pair competed for Germany in the Nations Cup and impressed across the board: after two clear rounds in the qualifiers, Million Dollar and Sophie Hinners progressed to the all-deciding jump-off, where they were battling it out for first and second place with the Swiss team. And once again, this still very young combination kept their nerve, remained clear and were just a hair’s breadth slower than Switzerland’s Alain Jufer and his horse Dante: Germany secured an outstanding silver medal. The victorious Swiss team included no fewer than three horses with Holsteiner pedigrees: Nanu II by New Time–Corofino I (Dieter Friedrich, Quickborn), line 8810, ridden by Elin Ott; Quincassi by Quintero-Cassini I (Gorch-Hermann Gempf, Stelle-Wittenfurth), line 162, ridden by Niklaus Schurtenberger; and Best of Berlin BS by Berlin-Colman (Karsten Butenschön, Sarzbüttel), line 1223, ridden by Edwin Smits.
Holsteiner Association stallion Million Dollar and Sophie Hinners
The Nations Cup in La Baule (FRA) also provided a stage for Holsteiner successes: the winning Belgian team included two Holsteiners. These were Quel Homme de Hus by Quidam de Revel-Candillo (Dr Andreas Kosicki, Berlin), line 4847, and Jérome Guéry, as well as Cristel by Diamant de Semilly–Cento (Ronald Nowee, NED), line 18A2, and Niels Bruynseels. The second-placed team from Switzerland also included Cordial by Casall–Chicago Z (Hans-Hermann Gempf, Stelle), line 325, and Megane Moissonnier.
Also successful in La Baule were the Uriko son Uricas v/d Kattevennen (MV. Cassini I), bred by Otte Boje Schoof (Hedwigenkoog), line 1916, and Harrie Smolders (NED). They came third in a 1.50-metre course.
The association stallion Zuccero by Zirocco Blue-Caretino (Hanno Köhncke, Badendorf), line 4539, and Rolf-Göran Bengtsson secured a placing over 1.50 metres in Opglabbeek (BEL).
Eventing
At Badminton (GBR), a Holsteiner set a new record: The 2021 Tokyo Olympic champion, London by Landos-Quinar (Ocke Riewerts, Föhr), line 3200, and Laura Collett completed the five-star event with the best result ever achieved there! After a flawless dressage performance, the pair had just 21 penalty points to their name and remained clear on the highly demanding cross-country course. In the final show jumping round, the Olympic champion from the island of Föhr once again proved his class: “He gave it his all,” said an emotional Collett after the jumping, in which she and the bay also remained clear and were only marginally over the time limit. “I couldn’t see the distances at all anymore and he was jumping higher and higher – I’m so lucky.” With a record score of 21.4 points after the show jumping, the pair won the prestigious competition.
Further results for Holsteiners from around the world can be found here:
Photos: Stefan Lafrentz
