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12 - 14 June
German Championships in Balve

In a brand-new dressage arena Bonaparte and Heike presented themselves in top shape during the championships. In the Grand Prix they rode to 74,08% and came fourth. The Grand Prix Special went equally brilliantly. With a flawless, charming and fluent tour Boni proved his top form and gained another fourth place with 74,75%. With this they just about missed the bronze medal but, modelled on international events, there were two championship titles this year, one after the Special and another one after the Freestyle. Thus Heike had another chance to win a title in the Freestyle.

"In the Freestyle I made a few mistakes unfortunately, my riding was somewhat tired and I didn't quite present Boni to his best form. I take the responsibility. Nonetheless he showed his abilities in the days before so that we managed to achieve our aim, the team nomination for the Nations' Cup in Aachen. That's great" was Heike's commentary after the tests. "Boni has a little break now and then we want to make a fresh start in Aachen as the European Championships are coming up fast"

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22 - 24 May
Placings at Hamburg Derby

Actuado and Quantico headed for Hamburg on Thursday as the Grand Prix was scheduled for 7.30 am on Friday already. And Heike was the third to start with Actuado. Acti did a good job even though it wasn't enough for a placing. "I don't really mind", said Heike after the ride, "he didn't let himself be distracted by the "spooky" arena and was always with me, I always got to ride very well."

Quantico gave a very nice performance and came fifth with Heike which qualified them for the Grand Prix Special on Saturday. Quantico was even better than in the Grand Prix – only that Heike miscounted once during the one-time-changes so that the following pirouette didn't turn out quite so good either. "That was my fault– too bad – I had such a good feeling. But never mind, I take this good feeling with me now and I know that we are absolutely on the right track", Heike commented after the tournament.

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15 - 17 May
Another fine Weekend

In this year's district championships of the District Riding Association Lüneburg our assistant instructor Mayke Liebregts was able to defend her title of last year. Once again she saddled her Hanoverian stallion Fürst Bismarck (Werther/Columbus xx) for these championships and started also in the two M-tests with her other regional championship winning horse, large-framed Hanoverian Coriano (Compliment/ExLibris).

The first M**-test on Saturday was won with great ease by Mayke and Fürst, with Coriano she came third. On Sunday fingers had to be crossed for two tests. Mayke won the M* with Fürst as well and in addition came fifth with Coriano. After these successes Coriano rang in his well-deserved weekend whereas Fürst had to enter the arena once more for the final S3.

Mayke and Fürst
Foto Copyright: Silke Buße

The result: Place 2 behind Ole Köhler and Frederico of the National Stallion Depot Celle. The three test results added up to a convincing victory for Mayke and Fürst.

Mayke achieved another great placing with bay mare "Fein Cera" (Fürst Heinrich/Weltmeyer), owned by Mrs. Sabine Behrens, Soltau. In the M-dressage on Friday they came second

Mayke and Coriano Foto Copyright: Silke Buße

And lastly: Mayke's pupil Nike Bornhuse and her gelding „Remember me“ were runner-up district champions of the Young Riders of BRV Lüneburg. The weekend couldn't have been better.

22 - 26 April
Successful Weekend for the Riders of Amselhof Walle

That weekend the riders of Amselhof Walle were fighting on two fronts. While Heike started with her chestnuts Bonaparte and Actuado in Hagen, Mayke Liebregts and her horses McIntosh and Coriano competed in the local championship in Westercelle.
Bonaparte had already convinced the jury in the Grand Prix that he was in good shape. With 72,42% he and Heike came first before Alexandra Korelova with Balagur and Helen Langehanenberg with Responsible OLD

Boni on his way to the presentation ceremony

Foto Copyright: Ulrike Cooper

Next was the Grand Prix Freestyle which they also won. With 76,25% they took the lead over Alexandra with Balagur and Hubertus Schmidt with Prego. "From the beginning Boni felt very comfortable in the beautiful surroundings of the arena of the Kasselmann family and was easy to work. And on top of this there was the wonderful weather throughout the weekend – I'm completely satisfied, it can't get any better", so Heike after the tests.

"Boni is fit, in good spirits and had a great start here in his 2009 open air debut. Unfortunately it didn't work quite as well with Actuado who let his surroundings distract him a little. And so I didn't really get to ride in the canter tour of the Prix St. George and the Inter I. But I just have to keep on trying and must take him along to tournaments so that he gains more experience. By and by it will improve."

Meanwhile in Westercelle everything went like clockwork. With Coriano, son of Compliment/Ex Libris, Mayke won the L-dressage and was runner-up in the M-test. Both these very good results led to the title of County Dressage Championess 2009. This made the weekend perfect.

Mayke and Coriano
Foto Copyright: Silke Buße

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