Archive 2017

We've had a really nice weekend in Munich! I generally like that show, as there always is a big crowd. And I especially like it when the horses are doing well...

The youngsters first: In the first test, Escorial was on rank three, and Toscana on four. As both horses are rather unexperienced, this was a great result. For Toscana this actually was the first test on  S-Level! On Sunday, in the qualifier for the Nurnberger Burg-Pokal, Escorial performed even better, so he got a score of 73,634 per cent and a silver ribbon. His half-passes, walk and canter received the highest scores. Toscana unfortunately made some mistakes in the flying changes, so we ended on rank nine. Considering how little show experience the horse has, I am still very content with the result.

In the CDI***, I had expected slightly better results with Lobenswert. At home, the grey gelding gave me a great feeling, but in both tests he was a bit hot. Both performances were basically good, so we were ranked fifth both times. But especially in the Spécial, the canter was tense. But I really like this Westphalian bred gelding and am glad that his owner regularly sees me for training sessions so this way, I've been following the horse's development over a few years.

Finally, the fice-star-tour: Imperio was just great in the Grand Prix, in my eyes this was one of his best GPs so far. It's not the first time that I think that we could have earned this or that point more, but the 9 can be found several times - for his trot, the trot extensions and the half-passes. In the last piaffe, I obviously wanted a tad too much, so we had a small hiccup. But with 74,2 per cent we were third behind Isabell Werth and Dorothee Schneider, which felt more than ok to me. In the freestyle, the ranking was exactly the same, again Imperio behind Don Johnson and Sammy Davis. With 79,325 per cent we did not pass the famous mark of 80, one mistake in the walk was really expensive. But I am very content with Impi's performance, and it's going to be a very exciting National Championship. There is one spot left on the team for the European Championships - so more to be seen in Balve in two weeks!

It wasn't the ideal start into the outdoor season, but in the end I am content with the results we've achieved at Hagen.

Especially the young horses did really well. Seven-year-old Escorial had his first competitions on S-level, and he was great. He finished on rank 5 in the first competition, and on rank 7 in the qualifier for Nuernberger Burg-Pokal. This even though we showed one rather poor pirouette and had a mistake in the flying changes!

Bonamour proved to be a really cool guy. He too is just seven years old, and hasn't been to a competition for three years. But he behaved exemplary, and wasn't spooky at all. In our first competition, it was me causing the problems - I took a wrong way... So the 65 per cent were all my fault. Much more enjoyable was the faultless Inter I, which was rewarded with rank 2 and 72 per cent.

In the Grand Prix, Imperio and I had a few mistakes and weren't to happy. It's been a while that we've last been to a competition... The freestyle was much more fun, in my view it was one of Imperio's best competitions so far. Especially Piaffe and Passage were very good. We were given 79 per cent and ended up on rank 2, which rounded off our weekend.

As of tomorrow, Fleyenhof will be well presented in Hagen. Ivan, Katharina and me are heading off into the outdoor season. Hopefully, the weather will be a bit better over the weekend...

I will present Escorial in the qualifier for the Nuernberger Burgpokal. Bonamour will compete in the small international tour, and Imperio on four-star-level. Looking forward to it!

Writing this is not an easy thing for me, but I have to cope with it, we all have to: Sammy Deluxe is dead. After (successful) surgery on a splint bone, our big boy fell when trying to get up, broke a leg - and could not be saved.

This great moving, gentle giant was with us for five years, and he was a big pleasure not only in the arena. Ivan started riding him in autumn. Just a few weeks ago, the pair won Grand Prix and Spécial at Zierow, and we were hoping the best for a successful season. It wasn't meant to be - good-bye, Sammy!

So finally we'll turn into competition mode again. I cannot remember ever having passed such a long period without competition in spite of all horses being fit. And Imperio is definitely in good shape. So no wonder that I am looking forward to our annual team training. Spending time with the other top riders, riding with the national coaches watching us, receiving their advice and learning through video-analysis - always a great thing.

And this way, we'll hopefully be well-prepared for the beginning of the outdoor season in Hagen. So soon more at Hagen!

www.horses-and-dreams.de

We are currently looking for a new apprentice, male or female. Candidates should have proven successful in Dressage on "M"-level and be able to start working soon. Alternatively, we could talk about a traineeship for the duration of one year.

Please send inquiries to fleyenhof(a)t-online.de.

Over the last months, our Bereiter Ivan and Sammy Deluxe established a good partnership. So it was their time now to prove themselves in a competition. Their premiere on GP-level worked out really well: At Zierow near Wismar, they took two golden ribbons this weekend, in the Grand Prix as well as in the Special. In the second competition, they reached more than 72 per cent, which we are quite content with.

One of our guests from abroad, Sharon McCusker (USA), performed equally constantly. Aboard Wrigley, she came in fourth in both competitions - congratulations to the two of you, too!

Every now and then I am being asked about Imperio and the withdrawal from the World Cup series. I am convinced that this was (and is) the right decision. The last months of intense training pay off, which Monica Theodorescu confirmed when she came to see us recently. Impi is using his hind legs more energetically, and the flying changes are still more uphill now. The Piaffes and transitions have improved, and are more stable in general.

In early April, the A-cadre will meet at Warendorf for three days. I am looking forward to this nice mixture of advanced traning and exchange. And after that, we are for sure ready to head off into the outdoor season.

In the lasts weeks and months, our "E-stallions" could be seen here and there - competing as well as at stallion presentations.

Since autumn, Danica Duen is competing Estobar NRW. Right at her second show, they won a golden ribbon, their first on level S! No doubt that Danica is a talented rider, but the fact that she is doing so well in her first appearances on this level is certainly based in the quality of the stallion, too.

There's certainly no doubt about Estobar's qualities as a sire. No wonder that he has been invited to several stallion presentations, for example at Wickrath, Muenster or Vechta. As a living proof of his great genes, his son Escorial goes with him, Escolar's full brother. Normally, it is me riding Escorial, but as I am on a vacation, Fabienne Luetkemeier kindly took over. The audience really seems to like the pair!

Escolar is in training since two weeks now, after fice months of walk only. Honestly, I barely noticed the break - he definitely is a mover! The trot is supple and swings, it's a great feeling. After a thorough built-up, he'll be presented in public again.

The Fleyenhof is so much more than just "Hubertus Schmidt" - this fact has recently been underlined by Katharina Hemmer. After her apprenticeship we happily hired her as Bereiter - and now in January at Muenster, I had the pleasure of honouring her for her tenth victory at S-level.

And just this weekend, she had been invited to attend a preparation course and sighting for the Piaff-Foerderpreis, a national series for U25-riders on Grand-Prix-level. Unfortunately, her mount "Don Angelo" was not really fresh, so the two ended up on rank 16. It's a pity, but I am convinced that this talented young rider will make her way.