In the qualifying round for five-year-old dressage horses at the FEI WBFSH World Championships for Young Dressage Horses, presented by Gestüt Vorwerk, the KWPN stallion Proud James took the lead with 89.60 percentage points. Two Oldenburgian horses followed in second and third place in Verden’s Horse24 Arena: Viva Diamond OLD (87 percent) and Ferdinand de Fontaine (86.80 percent).

Photo – Proud James and Mette Sejbjerg (Sportfoto Lafarentz)

Wow Factor

Tears glistened in Mette Sejbjerg Jensen’s eyes: “‘He is simply fantastic! He is talented, beautiful and, at the moment, the best friend I have. FEI WBFSH Dressage World Breeding Championship for Young Horses”. “He” is the Jameson RS2 son Proud James. This fantastic horse was bred by Dutchman M. van Maasacker out of a Glock’s Johnson dam and is owned by Helgstrand Dressage. The grey stallion had already made a big impression last year, securing victory in the final of the four-year-olds in the show programme of FEI WBFSH Dressage World Breeding Championship for Young Horses. At that time, he was still under the saddle of Maxi-Kira von Platen, but Mette has since taken over his training. “He’s just incredible when you ride him into the arena,” enthuses the 36-year-old Dane. “He just seems to ask, ‘Where do you want to go? Relax, I’ll take you there.’‘

To the Moon

Even when she rode him for the first time, she thought: “Wow!” “He always gives me that wow feeling, the feeling that I could ride him to the moon if I wanted to.” He is always very focused in the test, even today, and he has that certain show factor. “He enters the arena, grows five centimetres and thinks to himself: ‘Hey, look at me!’ He has incredible self-confidence and I love that.” Her conclusion after the first World Championship test in Verden with Proud James: “It was incredible! The weather, the arena and the horse!”

The winner received very consistent high marks in all five individual categories: 9.0 for trot, 8.8 for walk, 9.0 for canter, 8.8 for obedience and 9.2 for prospects. For his behaviour outside the arena, which the judges cannot evaluate, he would probably get a 12 from Mette. “He’s like a puppy. He’s the kind of horse that’s never in a hurry, always relaxed.”

To read more about the FEI WBFSH Dressage World Breeding Championship for Young Horses 5-year-old Qualifier – Click Here

WBFSH Results