It was the former champion of the KWPN Stallion Show that was able to wow the judges. Indian Rock (s.Apache) received, ridden by Emmelie Scholtens, 88 points and put the first round of the Anemone Horse Trucks Stallion Competition on his name. The second place was for the sympathetic stallion In Style (s.Eye Catcher), that was ridden to 85 points by Renate van Vliet. The correctly presented Impression (s.Don Schufro) went in third ridden by Diederik van Silfhout.

“Wow, what a canter”, Chair of the judges Mariette Sanders said afterwards. “Very consistent, very concentrated on the rider, every canter jump is right, a 9,5. The trot has lots of expression and is very consistent and concentrated. Sometimes Indian Rock could be a bit quicker, but the easiness and calmness are very striking.” The walk was marked the lowest with an 8, for Harmony and Talent, the son of Apache (out of Crisjena keur IBOP-dres by Vivaldi, breeder J. de Bruin from Schelluinen) got 9’s.

Future horse

“Indian Rock is a lovely horse and I had a really nice ride. I could recognize what the judges said. Indian Rock has a very good walk, but in the test that gait is slightly less in the test due to some tension. Of course the canter is fantastic. His quality lies especially in his well-carried trot. That was what I really wanted to show and I was very pleased how he went. I am very careful with him and don’t want to push him.”

Intelligent Apache’s

“For me it is very special that he is an Apache offspring. We have quite a few Apache’s in our stables, I find them to be very intelligent and nice to ride. You can’t force them, but I think they are super-smart. It is extra special for me that Indian Rock is doing so well”, says the rider that is member of the Olympic Squad wit Apache.

Sympathetic In Style

In Style (Eye Catcher out of Sissy van Lorentin I, breeder Joop van Uytert from Heerewaarden) was a bit tense in walk (8), but according to Sanders he did have enough ground cover and stayed clear enough. “In trot In Style is picture perfect and moves with a lot of expression in his test, a 9. In the first part of the test, his canter was a bit big, but later on he managed to shorten a bit, an 8,5.” The friendly-ridden In Style received an 8,5 for harmony and talent as a dressage horse.

Correctly ridden Impression

The correctly ridden Impression (Don Schufro out of Wicara elite pref IBOP-dres by Ferro, breeder M.J.C. Maat from Doorn) got better during the test. “In the beginning of the test, we found the trot to be a bit economical and flat. That got better over time and the trot he showed during the stretching of the neck made us decide to give it an 8. The canter has good jump, and is confident, although Impression could stay a bit higher in the connection, a 9. With two 8,5’s for Harmony and talent, the total came to 84 points.  

SR/YBF for KWPN

Photo: Jacob Melissen