With Royal Rubin and Quantico Heike headed south towards Heroldsberg on Thursday. "Heroldsberg is one of my favourite tournaments – the atmosphere is very original and cosy, and to ride the Freestyle in floodlight on Saturday night is a real highlight. A great audience makes for a wonderful setting", so Heike. Rudi was scheduled for a Grand Prix and a Freestyle in this fine tournament, Quantico for a Grand Prix and a Grand Prix Special.

The results: With Rudi Heike came third in both tests, Quantico won the Grand Prix and came eighth in the Special.

Right after the Aachen tournament Heike went to Hungary to hold a clinic in the holiday resort of Balatonvilágos by Lake Balaton.

"I'd also like to mention the incredible hospitality of the Hungarians. Peter Pulai, the owner of the centre, acquainted me with new places all the time. So I was treated to a wine testing session – combined with a gorgeous view of the lake – and he organized a great dinner for all participants on the Tihany peninsula – that way you get to know the country and its people much better. It was a lot of fun."

Day 1 went very well for Bonaparte and Heike. In the first half of the Grand Prix of the  CDIO-Tour they stayed in front until the end despite little muffs from Heike and entered the second half as "Overnight-Leader". In the end the points sufficed for place 7 behind Anky van Grunsven with Salinero und Matthias Alexander Rath on Sterntaler who both came fifth. For the Germans this meant place 2 in the Nations' Cup behind the strong Dutch team.
Heike's next start was with Royal Rubin in the CDI-Tour. Normally calm, Rudi got slightly distracted by the atmosphere in Aachen and finished his test with many little mistakes but –all in all– a very expressive performance. "In Aachen things are always somewhat different", so Heike after the ride. "The stadium is a bit difficult especially for younger and less experienced horses, mainly because of the noisy background. I'm not trying to talk my way out of my mistakes, of course, they were there, still I'm quite pleased with Rudi."

Much better and more relaxed Rudi presented himself in the Grand Prix Special of the CDI-Tour. Place 8 was the result.

On Saturday Heike and Boni were successful in the CDIO-Grand Prix Special. With the best German result of 73,79% the pair came fourth. In the Freestyle on Sunday they came fifth and achieved another best German placing.

Concentrating on the next aim – the European Championships in Windsor– Bonaparte and Heike will keep on training now to be able to attack and fight in England as well.

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