Reigning Olympic team silver medallist Spencer Wilton showed his supremacy at Darmstadt-Kranichstein CDI4* in Germany last week (21 – 24 September 2017).
With Jen Goodman's world class gelding Super Nova (De Niro x Weltmeyer), Spencer went into Saturday’s Grand Prix as one of the favourites, and delivered with 73.50% for third. The home nation’s Dorothee Schneider, part of the German team which took gold in Rio, had the edge with her young Grand Prix ride Fohlenhofs Rock’n Rose, a 10-year-old daughter of Rubin-Royal. She scored 74.320%, with Patrik Kittel and Well Done De La Roche CMF for Sweden second (73.78%).
Swedish judge Magnus Ringmark, sitting at B, awarded the British pair 76.60%, the highest individual mark across the whole class.
Drawn second last to go in Sunday’s Grand Prix Special, Spencer rode at the top of his game to earn a score of 76.471% taking the lead and ultimately the class. The sensitive Super Nova, looked confident and secure, with some awesome work. The trot and canter half passes ate up the ground, the transitions in-and-out of passage were textbook and perhaps a momentary loss of composure in the second piaffe, the only obvious flaw.
It’s wonderful to once again see Emma Hindle competing at top level. A mainstay of the British team for many years, she’s taken a break from competing due to business commitments, but is now back on the scene with her exciting young horses. At Darmstadt she had Romy Del Sol, the mare she competed at Hartpury CDI earlier this year. Emma and the 11-year-old brown mare by Romanov Blue Hors achieved a solid 67.70% for their Grand Prix, improving to an exciting 69.92% for seventh in the Special. Emile Faurie was hot on the heels of Emma in eighth with Elena Knyaginicheva’s De Niro-sired stallion, Delatio (69.43%).
Grand Prix
1st Dorothee Schneider with Fohlenhofs Rock’n Rose, 74.320% (GER)
3rd Spencer Wilton with Super Nova II, 73.500% (GBR)
11th Emma Hindle with Romy Del Sol, 67.700% (GBR)
14th Emile Faurie with Delatio, 67.200% (GBR)
Grand Prix Special
1st Spencer Wilton with Super Nova II, 76.471% (GBR)
7th Emma Hindle with Romy, 69.922% (GBR)
8th Emile Faurie with Delatio, 69.431% (GBR)
For full results click here.
Pictured: Spencer Wilton (right) with Patrik Kittel and Jen Goodman.