The dressage-news.com nomination for the bravest performance at the European Championships goes to Anna Kasprzak, the 25-year-old rider of Donnperignon. Already recovering from a fall earlier this year that put her in the hospital and a complicated eye operation on the 16-year-old Finnish Warmblood gelding Anna suffered a kick to the chest that fractured her breast bone after the veterinary check Tuesday. Instead of asking for a medical certificate to excuse her from competition, she rode as the anchor of four members of the Danish team. At 72.986 per cent, the score was not up to their usual level and Denmark did not qualify a team through these championships for the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro next year. But for perseverance and stoicism–only those who have sustained a similar injury can imagine that pain–Anna deserves recognition. © 2015 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com
Italy’s top scoring partnership at these European Championships was Leonardo Tiozzo and Randon, not enough to make the country a factor in the European stratosphere of high performance dressage but enough to celebrate a partnership of a 21-year-old rider who acquired the aging and abused Polish-bred gelding now 18 years old but trying his heart out for a rider who cares. © 2015 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com
Valegro, seen here with his groom. Alan Davies, never fails to amaze with his inquisitive personality. What’s going on there? he seems to ask, as rider Charlotte Dujardin receive a silver medal as one of the British team combinations–and the highest scoring individual pair as, no dount, Valegro would expect. © 2015 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com
As the major championships for Europe, a serious demeanor is the order of the day. Not for Edward Gal on Glock’s Undercover who clearly is enjoying every stride of their final centerline that clinched the gold medal for the Netherlands in… of all places, Germany. © 2015 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com
Patrik Kittel of Swedem on Deja, a combination making their championship debut but likely to be a fixture on the international circuit for the next several years. The Swedish Warmblood mare and Patrik began their Grand Prix career a couple of years ago but their 74.571 per cent helped Sweden to get 2016 Olympic team qualification. © 2015 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com
Victoria Max-Theurer, with three Olympics on her resume though still under 30 years of age, is looking to qualify Blind Date for Rio de Janeiro in 2016. Her main mount, Augustin OLD, has major dietary issues that preneted the stallion from being Vici’s competition mount at the 2919 World Games in Kentucky and would do so In Rio. So she is seeking to qualify Blind Date and finished in the top group with 75.200 per cent in the European Championships. © 2015 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.con
Painted Black, an oldie at 18 years of age, ridden by Morgan Barbancon Mestre produced yet another result that helped to qualify Spain for the 2016 Olympics in Rio. This comes seven years after Anky van Grunsven, the Queen of the Freestyle, competed “Painted” in a World Cup Final. © 2015 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com
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