Dressage has begun

[wildswan]

[QUOTE=Roan;3440640]
Thank you.

I watched her ride at the Washington International and she and her horse (same horse? Can’t remember) just seem . . . different. . . here. Overall, I mean. Might be the conservativeness some have commented on, dunno. Wish I had more memory of her ride at WIHS.

Eileen[/QUOTE]

Yes, it could have been a completely different horse. I think she has 4 horses currently training at GP level. She has been competing both Idocus, Myth, and Rendezvous at least since last fall/winter, then qualified for the team at the Selection Trials in California on both Idocus and Myth. And here she is with Myth in HK, their first time in front of the “big audience” to quote EuroDressage (although she did compete Myth in Europe last winter at Paderborn, Stuttgart, and Frankfurt but maybe those are considered “little audiences”?:winkgrin:).

Way to go Courtney! Not to put her under too much pressure :D:D but I think in the near future (maybe not this Olympics but soon) she will be the US answer to Anky and Isabell.

[YankeeLawyer]

Courtney at WIHS

Courtney rode Idocus at the Washington International last year.

As for Mythilus, imo, that pair gets better and better every time they go out. They are just amazing together.

[YankeeLawyer]

[QUOTE=wildswan;3441928]

Way to go Courtney! Not to put her under too much pressure :D:D but I think in the near future (maybe not this Olympics but soon) she will be the US answer to Anky and Isabell.[/QUOTE]

Ditto.

[nero]

[QUOTE=egontoast;3439672]
I just find it interesting that people still seem to think that accuracy on the letter and conservative riding must always trump expression with a few mistakes.

It’s not western pleasure. Accurate transitions on the letter without regard to expression is not the ideal. Expression is also rewarded.

That’s what makes it so interesting for some of us. A fine line.

It’s an exciting and wonderful sport.

The most submissive obediant horse is not necessarily the best.[/QUOTE]

I couldn’t agree more. In the context of Dressage-as-a-sport the expression is an important aspect of the ride. Expression and flamboyance shouldn’t come at the expense of correctness BUT the are not mutually exclusive, a horse like Warum Nitch for example has both and is a joy to watch. Bonaparte too. Expression can often be indicative that other aspects of training such as forward and engagement have been sastified.

Want to say LOVED Bonaparte’s test - what a piaffe - but also liked that little Selle Francais horse, he looks like a dream to ride, so soft into the contact. Thought Aussie Hayley did a great job on a super horse that will be awesome once he’s a bit stronger, but did not like Heath Ryan’s test, horse was almost face planting, no forward, no engagement and was practically in a 1st level frame.

Looking forward to the big guns tonight, Go Aussies, Go Dutchies!

[DownYonder]

[QUOTE=hansiska;3441215]
Did anyone else notice that Hindle actually threw BOTH arms up, like a gymnast? [/QUOTE]

Emma Hindle is well known to be a showboat, anyway - she loves to play to the crowd. She had a very nice ride, though, and I have no problem with her score or placing.

I am a bit surprised, though, at Imke’s score. It appears that only the German judge penalized her mare for waving her tongue around. I’m sure the other judges will claim that they also penalized her, but the rest of the test wasn’t good enough to justify her score.

It appears that the judges have pre-determined that the Dutch team WILL finish in the top two, and they sure as heck aren’t going to do anything to jeopardize that. And I say that as someone rooting for the Dutch - I would LOVE to see some other country break Germany’s stranglehold on Team Gold at the Olympics.

[Sannois]

Ditto

[QUOTE=BAC;3439570]
I don’t know what the score was but I do remember reading that it was the highest score ever for an Olympic winner as of that time, or something to that effect.

Love the harmony between Ahlerich and RK, none of this pushing/pulling on the rider’s part that is so prevalent today and the horse is happy. Beautiful transitions, I also loved how Ahlerich’s ears were constantly moving, he was so attentive to his rider. I was fortunate to get to see them do an exhibition at MSG one year. It was a thing of beauty to watch them.

Mike, how about a video of Nicole and Rembrant too?[/QUOTE]

What a gorgeous ride and a harmonious pair.
Ahlerich and his ears say it all. I love when they are softly lopped to the sides. Awesome.

[ridgeback]

[QUOTE=wildswan;3441928]
Yes, it could have been a completely different horse. I think she has 4 horses currently training at GP level. She has been competing both Idocus, Myth, and Rendezvous at least since last fall/winter, then qualified for the team at the Selection Trials in California on both Idocus and Myth. And here she is with Myth in HK, their first time in front of the “big audience” to quote EuroDressage (although she did compete Myth in Europe last winter at Paderborn, Stuttgart, and Frankfurt but maybe those are considered “little audiences”?:winkgrin:).

Way to go Courtney! Not to put her under too much pressure :D:D but I think in the near future (maybe not this Olympics but soon) she will be the US answer to Anky and Isabell.[/QUOTE]

Does she have any horses coming up that she has trained from beginning to Grand Prix?

[ridgeback]

[QUOTE=DownYonder;3441997]
.

It appears that the judges have pre-determined that the Dutch team WILL finish in the top two, and they sure as heck aren’t going to do anything to jeopardize that. And I say that as someone rooting for the Dutch - I would LOVE to see some other country break Germany’s stranglehold on Team Gold at the Olympics.[/QUOTE]

I suppose to break Germany’s stranglehold on Team Gold the other teams need to ride better… Who knows maybe it will be this year;)

[dressagetraks]

Has today’s started yet? Comments?

[reprise]

Today’s has started. Does anyone have a link to the order of go?

[ridgeback]

[QUOTE=dressagetraks;3442046]
Has today’s started yet? Comments?[/QUOTE]

New thread has been started but I don’t know where everyone is…

[RunningwaterWBs]

There’s a link to the order of go on the first page of this thread.

[Forte]

Hooray for Bernadette and Vincent! What a lovely ride.
Did anyone else think that the score for Elvis was a little generous?

[wildswan]

[QUOTE=ridgeback;3442026]
Does she have any horses coming up that she has trained from beginning to Grand Prix?[/QUOTE]

I think she has trained Wyoming herself. And she has a young horse still in Germany that they just bought to bring up the levels.

[bird4416]

What happened with Brentina? I thought she was better than her score reflected.

[Forte]

What a bummer Debbie! Definitely not Brentina’s best day. Does anyone know if this great mare is going to be retired after these Olympics?

[GiGi]

Yes she is retiring B after the Olympics.

[de_echte_critter]

According to the NBC commentary, Brentina will be retired after these games.

[BAC]

@canyonoak;3440174

Look.

Courtney already got her 70+.
Brentina will not get below 70.
Ravel will not get below 70.

:no:

[Coreene]

@GiGi;3442176

Yes she is retiring B after the Olympics.

Should have happened long, long, long ago.