04-08-2018 door Ermelo YH
Today we started with two small finals, those of the six- and seven-year-olds. The last competitor of the six-year-olds just finished its test, so we now know which 3 combinations earned a ticket to the tomorrow’s final. The top 3 all scored above 8: the Oldeburg registered Totilas-son Total Hope moved to the top of the rankings with his Swedisch rider Pernilla Andrè Hokfelt, scoring 8.34. The jury granted the black stallion the following marks: an 8.1 for the trot, an 8.0 for the walk, an 8.8 for the canter, an 8.3 for submission and an 8.5 for perspective. 
The Spanish rider Severo Jurado Lopez steered d’Avie (s.Don Juan de Hus) to a third place yesterday and today he obtained another spot in the final with Atterupgaards Botticelli (Benetton Dream FRH 1301 x Caprimond, DWB). The consistent performance of the chestnut stallion was rewarded with an 8.4 for the walk and the trot, an 8.0 for the canter and submission and an 8.3 for the perspective. Lastly, we will also see the Swedish registered Ampère-daughter Diod (ds.Don Schufro) back with her Finnish rider Yvonne Österholm. After scoring 7.54 yesterday, the pair now achieved an 8.06, good enough for the third place today and the last entrance ticket to the final. 
President of the judges Dietrich Plewa: “I think the top three have a good chance to be placed in the top five if they do well again in the final. These are horses with a good basis quality. Today they were suppler and much more relaxed and also a lot more expressive than yesterday. In my opinion, we as the judges found the right three to add to the final.”
Tomorrow, the final starts at 15.00hrs. It can be followed live via FEI Livestream.