2004 CDIO Aachen

Debbie's Back!

July 21, 2004

Debbie's Back. She was kicking at the door at the 2002 World Equestrian Games, and now she has returned to put the pressure again on the top three Grand Prix dressage riders in the world.

American Debbie McDonald received a by for the American Olympic Selection Trials and was immediately submitted to the American Olympic Team. After the CDI Dortmund in March, McDonald hadn't shown Brentina because of an injury. Their come back in Aachen was because of that one of the main attractions of the show.

In the Grand Prix they placed fourth with 74.167%, in the Special they finished sixth with 74.080% but moved up the ranks again into fourth place in the freestyle with an impressive 79.450%.

"I was extremely happy in the Grand Prix. It was our first time since Dortmund, so I was quite nervous. This is such a big competition and I felt a lot of pressure," McDonald commented. Their little setback in the Special on Saturday was caused by the hot weather. "The heat really hit us by surprise," Debbie said, "We were not at the same power and it was really hard ride in the heat, so we made a couple of mistakes."

But Debbie McDonald fully lived up to the expectations again in the freestyle. Riding their Gershwin kur, Debbie and Brentina (by Brentano II x Lungau) rode a beautifully choreographed freestyle of a very high technical level. The 2x tempi's on a half circle followed by a diagonal of 1x tempi's was beautiful. Brentina also kept on going in the piaffe-passage, not losing balance nor rhythm for one second. "She's like a Ferrari," Debbie said about her mare. "She slips in and out of gear so easily."

Debbie was ecstatic about her freestyle ride and fourth place in the ranking. In preparation for the Olympics, Debbie will not focus on the Grand Prix movements. "You don't need to practice the moves on her. We will definitely be working on the fitness part. Her fitness has to be stronger coming into Athens. I will take the work up some more and take her out for some gallop in the afternoon."

Besides Brentina, McDonald has another horse at home in which she believes very much. Felix, a 7-year old Hanoverian gelding by Fabriano, will be prepared for Prix St Georges, but Debbie did not have to chance to consistently train him this year. "I will be bringing him out next year," Debbie told Eurodressage. "I have been in Germany since January and am looking forward to going home again."

Text and Photos copyrighted: Astrid Appels/Eurodressage - No reproduction allowed