News

Damon Hill very impressive at German Championships

Jun 4, 2012

Helen Langehanenberg and the 12-year-old Westfalian stallion Damon Hill earned an impressive 85.822 in the Grand Prix Special at the German Championships in Balve. That score included several 10s from the judges. Behind the 30-year-old rider in second place was Matthias Rath and Totilas with a score of 83.156. Earlier in the competition, the placings were reversed with Totilas and Rath placing first in the Grand Prix with a score of 83.234 and Damon Hill and Langehanenberg taking second with a score of 81.489.

Third place in both the Grand Prix and in the Special went to Kristina Sprehe and her Hanoverian stallion Desperados. The 25-year-old rider and Desparados scored a 80.383 in the Grand Prix and an 82.311 in the Special.

In the Freestyle Damon Hill was even better and scored 88.40%, a new German record and again a gold medal. Helen and the 12-year-old Westfalen stallion led four combinaions to score above 80 per cent at this national competition with all five judges being Germans and who all had the duo in first place. Matthias and Totilas scored 86.750 per cent for silver with Kristina Sprehe and Desperados in on 86.500 per cent for bronze, though three judges placed Kristina and Desperados second and Matthias and Totilas third.

The German team for the CDIO at the World Equestrian Festival in Aachen a month from now was announced as Anabel Balkenhol and Dablino, Helen Langehanenberg and Damon Hill NRW, Matthias Alexander Rath and Totilas and Kristina Sprehe and Desperados. The team for the London Games will be announced at Aachen.

Sources Worlddressagenews.com and Dressage-news.com