Warendorf played host to 82 young dressage horses contesting Germany’s first selection trial for the FEI WBFSH Dressage World Breeding Championship for Young Horses. The selection committee has invited 42 of them to the second selection round on 30 June, securing their spots on the shortlist of candidates. Preparations for the FEI WBFSH Dressage World Breeding Championship for Young Horses in Verden are already in full swing.
And national coach Monica Theodorescu eagerly anticipated the upcoming World Championships, which will take place in Verden from 5 to 9 August: “Overall, the quality of the horses presented to us in Warendorf was very, very good. In terms of numbers, this was even more evident in the five-year-old class than in the other two age groups, but that is almost always the case. The standard of these young horses is truly fantastic.”
With 30 candidates, the five-year-old class was the largest, alongside 25 six-year-olds and 27 seven-year-olds. Initially, all combinations underwent a short compulsory training session under the watchful eyes of the coaches. The coaching duo on site consisted of the national coach herself and the national coach of the German youth riders, Hans-Heinrich Meyer zu Strohen. On the second day, the World Championship candidates contested the opening qualifier of the World Championships for their respective age groups. They were evaluated by the coaching team alongside judges Reinhard Richenhagen and Pascal Strohbücker. As a result, invitations to the second and final selection trial in Warendorf on 30 June were extended to 17 five-year-olds, twelve six-year-olds, and 13 seven-year-olds. Following this final trial, the definite entries for the World Championship will be nominated.
Who can hope to compete in Verden’s World Championship stadium, the Horse24 Arena? How are they judged? “Naturally, that is determined by the judging rules,” explains Theodorescu. “For the seven-year-olds, in addition to walk, trot, canter, submission and prospects, the technical execution of the Advanced (S-level) test is also evaluated. It is different for the five- and six-year-olds, where the focus is on the basic gaits and then submission or rideability and prospects.”
The national coach was particularly pleased with the manner in which these prospects for the future were presented. “The riding throughout was truly beautiful. The horses were shown in a natural frame, with no sign of tension or being over-asked. We saw content horses, and that is exactly what it is all about.” She noted that over the years, it has become clear that the focus is significantly towards harmony and naturalness of movement. “That is what is rewarded by the judges, and when it is judged that way, that is how people ride.”
August this year is entirely dedicated to World Championships – starting with the young dressage horses in Verden, followed by the “big ones“ in Aachen. How important is the national coach’s focus of the youngsters’ World Championship stage? “For me, the training scale and pathway are what is interesting and important above all,” Theodorescu emphasises. “This implies that the horses are never overburdened at any point in their training; only then does the World Championship provide added value for the horses’ later careers.” Monica Theodorescu adds: “Whether for the FEI WBFSH Dressage World Breeding Championship for Young Horses in Verden or for the World Championships in Aachen – what all horses absolutely need are excellent basic gaits. That is the foundation for everything.”
The 19th edition of the FEI WBFSH Dressage World Breeding Championship for Young Horses in Verden is foreshadowed, and 42 candidates have cleared the first hurdle. Once the second hurdle is cleared at the second selection on 30 June, it will be decided who will compete for medals in Verden’s Horse24 Arena from 5 to 9 August.