The flights out of Rio were all booked so Christilot Boylen spent the day sharing her thoughts with me on the freestyle. Another highly informative afternoon! First off, I asked about her predictions which turned out to be spot on: “Charlotte, Isabell, Kristina, and Dorothee – any could medal depending on day form.”
Herewith, the notes I made from Christilot’s comments on each test:
Steffen Peters & Legolas 92 – Came in and did piaffe and passage, what the horse does best, and went straight to canter. Extended canter to double pirouette and straight to piaffe which has a degree of difficulty. Normal half-pass to passage half-pass also rated as more difficulty. Symmetry on both sides executed well. Stepped back at halt.
Overall a conservative test that was well done to show the horse’s highlights. 79.428% which is not a terribly high score. Adjusted to 79.393%
Overall a conservative test that was well done to show the horse’s highlights. 79.428% which is not a terribly high score. Adjusted to 79.393%
Anna Kasprzak & Donnperignon – One and half pirouettes and one-tempies up the center line and another one and a half pirouette again – showing difficulty and symmetry. Collected walk not totally clear in the rhythm. Good extended walk. Difficult combination of pirouette to the outside, counter-canter from the quarter line, and flying change at C – it’s pretty tight, but he made it look easy. One mistake in the one-tempis. Transition from canter to piaffe and into pirouette which heightens the degree of difficulty.
Nice choreography. He was short in his neck during all his piaffes and not terribly expressive. 76.982% – I don’t get that, I thought she would score higher.
Nice choreography. He was short in his neck during all his piaffes and not terribly expressive. 76.982% – I don’t get that, I thought she would score higher.
Allison Brock & Rosevelt – A nice fresh start with extended trot down center line to acoustic version of Sweet Dreams (Are Made of These). Slight bauble in first piaffe. He looks a little tight and head carriage is a bit tense. Second piaffe is a little better. Nice overstep in walk. Excellent extended walk. A little jog in transition, but that won’t be penalized. Some miscommunications in canter work. Good symmetry in having the same movement at two ends of the ring. A bent line with flying changes which heightens difficulty. Tempi changes on bent line from quarter line to X and back out – again a degree of difficulty. Piaffes more relaxed with quarter turn onto centre line in piaffe.
Well done, but it depends on what they do with the two mistakes. 76.160% – fair. Some mistakes at the beginning. It got better and better, but it all counts.
Well done, but it depends on what they do with the two mistakes. 76.160% – fair. Some mistakes at the beginning. It got better and better, but it all counts.
Fiona Bigwood & Orthilia – Good for her; entrance at passage and nice halt. Did her obligatory piaffe on straight line, well done. Some miscommunication when mare thought she was supposed to canter on instead of half-pass (same thing that happened to Valegro in GPS). Fancy extended trot, but nose line should be out a little more. Beautiful cadence in passage. Symmetry in doing piaffe on both sides. Careful when she did the second half-pass. Collected walk was a little bit tense. She is slightly ahead of her music. Zig-zag in canter. A few mistakes in switching from twos to ones by accident. A third set of double pirouettes. The ones are pretty short, but you are only required to do 5 in sequence. Extended trot to final salute, but the horse cantered off, that’s unfortunate right at the end.
There were a few mistakes that may cost her. 76.018%. Judges are knocking for mistakes. Up to now the only horse that was clean – even if it was simple – was Legolas.
There were a few mistakes that may cost her. 76.018%. Judges are knocking for mistakes. Up to now the only horse that was clean – even if it was simple – was Legolas.
Patrik Kittel & Deja – I love this pair. Piaffe was very well done, we know that the horse has a problem with the piaffe on the spot. He did a quarter turn and the horse was better than the grand prix. Beautiful extension and transition to passage. Transition from passage to a really beautiful walk. One mistake behind and jumped together in the twos. Some risk in a bent line with the two tempis. Wonderful extension in canter to a pirouette – heightened difficulty – with one-and-a-half rotations. He repeated the twos – some of the most difficult things are changes. If you put them on a bent line that’s pretty difficult then you can also put them on a straight line in case something has gone wrong. The judges have to technically credit the good line, as well. It’s a bit of a safety belt. He’s right on with his music to pirouette. Couple of mistakes in one-tempis. The second pass at one-tempis was clear, so the judges have to weigh the mistakes from the first version to the second. Personally I’m not crazy about this heavy canter music for this light mare. Beautiful extended trot. Mistake in quarter turn at piaffe.
It depends on the scores they give for the technical movements versus artistic. 76.018% – same mark for as Othilia, but for different reasons. Both of them had a bunch of mistakes.
It depends on the scores they give for the technical movements versus artistic. 76.018% – same mark for as Othilia, but for different reasons. Both of them had a bunch of mistakes.
Judy Reynolds & Vancouver K – Degree of difficulty doing passage in the half-pass. I don’t like the half-pass music, it doesn’t fit the canter. Collected walk across centre and extended walk – tossed his head. Piaffe not good. Passage nice in half-pass, but I can’t tell whether her quarters are coming in from this position. Nine one-tempi changes. He changed leads behind during double pirouette left.
Too bad about the mistake right at the end in the pirouette, she was going pretty fast, too, in the pirouette, so maybe he lost his balance. 75.696%
Too bad about the mistake right at the end in the pirouette, she was going pretty fast, too, in the pirouette, so maybe he lost his balance. 75.696%
Hans Peter Minderhoud & Johnson – He must have a good freestyle, he did win the World Cup. Open halt at start, but a lovely passage and lovely piaffe. Bit of loss of rhythm in piaffe in the turn. All of the trot work characterized by the flashy front end, but hind end angles don’t match. This ride is characteristic of Dutch riders with hands way up the neck, holding the horse there. Strange collected walk with jerky knee action. Almost no overstep in extended walk, although he lets the neck fall. Nice flying half-passes in canter. Very expressive extended canter going to double pirouette – degree of difficulty. Nine two-tempis on the diagonal. Extended canter again to double pirouette – nice symmetry. Third extended canter on middle line to passage to a piaffe to half-pirouette. Slightly ahead of music at the end.
Fewer errors in this test. If any test doesn’t mark the walk as seriously, it’s this one so he should move into the lead. 80.571%
Fewer errors in this test. If any test doesn’t mark the walk as seriously, it’s this one so he should move into the lead. 80.571%
Cathrine Dufour & Cassidy – One of the nicest horses. Horse was a little excited during opening pirouette which fell apart. I would tell my students that’s a dangerous thing to do: start with such difficulty right at the beginning when the horse isn’t settled. Confusion during first set of tempi changes. Two-tempis were clean. Couple little blips in extended trot. Beautiful passage. Slight rhythmical nodding in half-pass, so not enough self-carriage. Nice overstep in extended walk, but more tense through the collected and not really definable. Travelling in the pirouette and getting tight and behind the vertical. Very, very good passage. Fan shaped pirouette – high difficulty – first we’ve seen.
There were a lot of mistakes right at the beginning which is too bad. They might have to consider different choreography. His concentration level wasn’t there and he would have been better doing something he knows. There were something like six pirouettes – almost too many, though maybe they are built in in case something happens with the others. 78.143%
There were a lot of mistakes right at the beginning which is too bad. They might have to consider different choreography. His concentration level wasn’t there and he would have been better doing something he knows. There were something like six pirouettes – almost too many, though maybe they are built in in case something happens with the others. 78.143%
Carl Hester & Nip Tuck – Well done opening pirouette. Did full pirouette to piaffe, to canter, then pirouette in canter… all on the first center line. With a quietness and deliberateness that showed no problems. 10 two-tempis up the ring, then zig-zag half pass down in 8 strides. 18 one-tempis on a bent line from M over X and back to F. Good collected walk well shown right in front of judges. Extended walk showing a little tension towards the end but with nice overstep. Not much ground cover in trot extension. Passage in the half passes – degree of difficulty raised. Stepped back a little at the half.
Well done. The most interesting music and very good riding. There was precision from movement to movement and made it easy for the judges to see what he was doing. The choreography was different, the opening sequence on the centre line was pretty unique. Let’s see if they reward it. 82.553% a well-deserved score. It’s also the best we’ve seen this horse go.
Well done. The most interesting music and very good riding. There was precision from movement to movement and made it easy for the judges to see what he was doing. The choreography was different, the opening sequence on the centre line was pretty unique. Let’s see if they reward it. 82.553% a well-deserved score. It’s also the best we’ve seen this horse go.
Beatriz Ferrar-Salat & Delgado – Opening sequence was great and right in time with music for added impact. Half-passes are very well done, but a long line. Excellent walk. Horses tend to be tenser in the freestyle, particularly the indoor venues when the atmosphere is crazy. Two rhythm halts in extended trot. Pirouettes looked a little weird, the relaxation wasn’t there. Well done one-tempis on slight bending line. Full pirouette in piaffe to final halt that included a subtle change in the music to emphasize the piaffe.
Some lovely parts, but particularly the pirouettes didn’t look as soft and balanced. Pretty straightforward choreography. 80.161%
Some lovely parts, but particularly the pirouettes didn’t look as soft and balanced. Pretty straightforward choreography. 80.161%
Diederik van Silfhout & Arlando – He dwarfs the horse. When the feet hang below the belly it’s… difficult. Interesting zig-zag pattern after the initial halt. Exaggerated front legs during the extended trot. Tense collected walk. Extended walk wasn’t great, horse wasn’t tracking over. Missed some tempis during the first set of ones, but did another set of 15 ones so he’s corrected his previous line that had the mistakes.
There were some nice elements in the test and very well-balanced. The walk is going to hurt him a little bit. Very pretty horse. 79.535% – I thought he would almost beat Beatriz, except her horse had a better walk.
There were some nice elements in the test and very well-balanced. The walk is going to hurt him a little bit. Very pretty horse. 79.535% – I thought he would almost beat Beatriz, except her horse had a better walk.
Tinna Wilhelmsson Silfven & Don Auriello – Did not halt at entrance. Extended trot did not match front and back – exaggerated in front with little in behind. Second extended trot better than the first but still doesn’t match. He’s not extravagant behind, but he is in front. Excellent walk shown on a light serpentine line over the center line. Two-tempis on a half-circle line – high difficulty and the first time we’ve seen it. 16 one-tempis on curved line to a second single pirouette. One-handed pirouette. He tripped during extended trot into fan piaffe.
Well choreographed. Nice light music. Highlights were the walk, the pirouette with one hand. A certain lightness to the whole thing. 81.553%
Well choreographed. Nice light music. Highlights were the walk, the pirouette with one hand. A certain lightness to the whole thing. 81.553%
On the score placing Carl ahead of Tinna – Both had interesting music and choreography. Carl is the only one that rode a clean test that looked like it was what he wanted it to be.
My own aside – My favourite parts of Tina’s test were the twos on the half circle and the one-handed pirouette. Interestingly, Christilot tells me that Megan Lane does ones and twos on the circle in her freestyle, and Belinda does two sets of one-handed pirouettes.
Kristina Broring-Sprehe & Desperado FRH – Nice music changes with different elements. Nice music cuts in and out with movement. Good symmetry and the music is right on and emphasizing the pirouette. Travelling a little bit in pirouette. Beautiful extension in trot. Well done quarter pirouette with no loss of rhythm. Stepped back at halt.
Very fluent, very elegant pair. Highlights in the pirouettes and piaffes and a very good walk. A clean test, a bit more extravagant, but clean, which is only the second clean test we’ve seen. 87.142% – I thought they would have been around 85.
Very fluent, very elegant pair. Highlights in the pirouettes and piaffes and a very good walk. A clean test, a bit more extravagant, but clean, which is only the second clean test we’ve seen. 87.142% – I thought they would have been around 85.
Charlotte Dujardin & Valegro – Nice entrance in passage to good halt. Very well done extended trot. Perfect symmetry in movements. Very clear collected walk. A good extended walk with some over track, but not quite as big as Desperado’s. Extended canter down centre line to double pirouette done extremely smooth. Almost all the others have done this on diagonal. A little fall out just before the piaffe, walked a step or two. Fan in piaffe.
He seems to be able to turn right and left at will during the piaffe and never lose a beat – definitely the highlight. 93.857%
He seems to be able to turn right and left at will during the piaffe and never lose a beat – definitely the highlight. 93.857%
Dorothee Schneider & Showtime FRH – Entrance to “The Show Must Go On,” a theme for the whole test. Couldn’t tell transition from passage to trot well. Extended trot is good and matches – like they are on gliders. A little irregular in the first few steps of piaffe. This horse shows so much elasticity in the passage. This piaffe is excellent. Every joint articulates. Some light tension in collected walk, so she patted him. Extended walk from V to F – a nice line that proves you went 20m. Lost canter from pirouette to half-pass. He changed leads again, he did two one-tempis during two-tempis. Mistake behind during one-tempis. Trying to do the fan, but not quite successful. Little messy at the end.
This horse is a little green for this, just 10 – compared to Desperados (15 years old) and Valegro (14 years old). He hasn’t been at this level all that long and the horse is just showing a little anxiousness. He’s used to the Grand Prix, but it takes a while to get used to do a routine like that. 82.946%
This horse is a little green for this, just 10 – compared to Desperados (15 years old) and Valegro (14 years old). He hasn’t been at this level all that long and the horse is just showing a little anxiousness. He’s used to the Grand Prix, but it takes a while to get used to do a routine like that. 82.946%
Severo Jesus Jurado Lopez & Lorenzo – A bit of weaving in the piaffe. One of the tighter frames in all the horses we’ve seen. More weaving in second piaffe. Not the clearest collected walk to a decent extended walk. Climbing a little in the first double pirouette, but nicely centred. Half-pass into two tempis on half-circle line. Two-tempis after ones – hard because they are focused on the ones. Pirouette to piaffe and a half-fan and one-handed passage down centre line to the final halt.
A crowd pleaser! No absolute mistakes. He planted a bit one place, unsteady in another, but nothing major. The one thing that they will knock him for are the piaffes. 83.625% – At the beginning he was short in the neck and his piaffes were fanning. He didn’t do any good straight piaffes, which hurt him.
A crowd pleaser! No absolute mistakes. He planted a bit one place, unsteady in another, but nothing major. The one thing that they will knock him for are the piaffes. 83.625% – At the beginning he was short in the neck and his piaffes were fanning. He didn’t do any good straight piaffes, which hurt him.
Laura Graves & Verdades – Slight nodding in extended trot. Slightly behind the vertical. Looks like a very nice piaffe from this angle. Well accentuated half-pass. Collected walk is clear. Ring fencing fell over right next to him, but it didn’t seem to affect him. Nice regular extended walk with some overstep. Well done two-tempis on a half-circle. Onto a diagonal line and into the ones – extremely difficult. Double pirouette left is well done – he has a really good hind leg in the pirouettes. A little bobble on the transition to extended trot. Getting a little short in the neck now and then. Really articulated passage back and front.
Highly improved piaffe from what we’ve seen in the past. They used to stretch out in the piaffe, but they’ve done a good job of improving that. 85.196%
Highly improved piaffe from what we’ve seen in the past. They used to stretch out in the piaffe, but they’ve done a good job of improving that. 85.196%
Isabell Werth & Weihegold OLD – Warmed up outside the ring by patting him to relax. First entrance not quite closed and immediately into the passage on a circle line. Bobble in extended trot – maybe he spooked a little. Some better extended walks, not totally relaxed but no mistakes. Extended canter into a pirouette and into two-tempis right away. One-tempis perfectly timed with the music – very, very good. One of the few riders that rides to her music. Extended trot looked a little careful, but there have been a lot of upsets in the trot. Little fall out in the second piaffe.
It was an exciting freestyle with beautiful choreography. One of the few riders that rides with musical interpretation. This horse is 11 years old and still green in respect to Desperados and Valegro. A three year difference in experience. 89.071%
It was an exciting freestyle with beautiful choreography. One of the few riders that rides with musical interpretation. This horse is 11 years old and still green in respect to Desperados and Valegro. A three year difference in experience. 89.071%
Overall takeaway, the horses with extravagant movement in front and tense walks aren’t getting as far as they thought they would.
One extra thought, in response to a readers comment about the poles not being at the high point: Yes, that’s true, but the judges are also looking for a lightness and gracefulness. The nose is supposed to be in front of the vertical – or an inch in front, but certainly not backwards. There is some allowance for stallions, for example, that have huge necks and it’s very difficult to for them to keep their poll at the highest point. With the warmbloods it should be easier for them to find a nice balance. The important thing is not the inch, it’s how the rider rides. If it’s always backwards, it’s wrong. If the hand is pulling, it’s wrong.
Watching Olympic Dressage Freestyle with two of Canada’s best!
