Never before has the surprise factor in a nation’s cup at a European Dressage Championship been so absent as at the 2001 edition in Verden, Germany. With the retirement of Gestion Bonfire and Olympic Ferro’s injury in the Dutch team, the German team has become the ultimate dominator of dressage on European soil. With Nadine Capellmann (on Farbenfroh), Ulla Salzgeber (on Rusty), Heike Kemmer (on Albano) and Isabel Werth (on Anthony FRH), Germany reigned supreme in the Grand Prix and gathered a total of 5612 points. The Netherlands strolled behind with 5431 points and Denmark moved into team bronze position with 5359 points.

Individually ranked, it was Nadine Capellmann with the brilliant Farbenfroh who took the lead in the Grand Prix. The pair scored 77.24% and left Salzgeber (75.00%) and Arjen Teeuwissen (72.72%) behind them.

Co-inciding with the 2001 European Dressage Championships are the 2001 World Championships for Young Dressage Horses. The first Young Horse Qualifier was ridden on Friday August 10, 2001, and drew a large crowd of enthusiasts to the Verden Equestrian Centre. In the 5-year-old division the Dutch combination Hans Peter Minderhout and Rubels led with 8.4 points. Rubels is partly German bred (Rafurstinsels x Amethist) but NRPS and KWPN registered.

In the 6-year-old class, it was Karin Rehbein who thrilled the judges and the crowd aboard Cherie, a Hanoverian bred Don Primero x Lanthan. Rehbein was the only rider in the Championships who scored exactly 9.0 points.

Text by Astrid Appels of Eurodressage.comImage copyrighted: Escon Marketing (Photo featuring Rehbein with Cherie and the panel of judges)

Eurodressage ScoresQualifier 1 – 5 year oldsQualifier 1 – 6 year oldGrand Prix – Team Championship Test

Horsesdaily Coverage of the European ChampionshipsHorsesDaily coverage of The 2001 North American Young Riders’ Championships