| Julie de Deken,
Runner Up in the Pony Division
The
silver medal in the pony division went to Julie de Deken, a 16-year-old
from Kontich, Belgium. De Deken, who is has had an active pony competition
career from age 11, has ripened into an experienced FEI Pony rider.
She started showing on Watershof Marc, a former Belgian team pony at
various European Pony Championships and then moved onto two other FEI
ponies called Panache, a BWP licensed pony stallion, and Highness. Her
mounts for 2000 and 2001 have been the NRPS bred Alympia (by Aron) and
No Limit (by Baccarat) and it were these two ponies which gave her the
most success.
At
the 2001 Belgian Championships, it was No Limit that proved to be the
most show solid pony of De Deken's equine duo. The chestnut came in
second in the par equipe with 65.60% (being placed first with two judges)
and was third in the individual test with 65.23%. Her 2001 European
Championships' pony Alympia fulfilled his rider's wishes equally. In
the Par Equipe, Alympia put 64.73% on the score board and finished third
and in the individual test he gathered 65.81% and won that class. When
all points were added up, De Deken claimed the silver medal with No
Limit (130.83 points) and unofficially ranked third with Alympia (129.24
points). As each rider can only qualify with one horse for the Championships,
De Deken "only" received the silver medal.
Officially, the
bronze went to Kim Windey on Pavarotti. Although Pavarotti is no real
eye-catcher, Windey has been able to get the most out of him. The bay
gelding is a solid, reliable performer, able to produce steady 64% scores.
Trained by former Young Rider Helen Wielockx, Windey produced 64,53%
and 64,71% at the 2001 Belgian Championship which was good enough for
her first bronze medal.
New
comer Robin Rummens rode the top of the bill pony Fuego to an overall
fourth place. Together a year now, Rummens and Fuego are a pair which
will grow in the future. At the Belgian Championships their scores were
moderate (61,00% and 62,06%) but more is expected from them. Fuego,
who was the 1993 European Dressage Pony Champion and twice the individual
silver medallist at the European Pony Championships (under Veronique
de Baecker) has lost much of his glamour and grandeur but still makes
an excellent schoolmaster for a starting FEI pony rider as Rummens.
Next
page of the 2001 Belgian Dressage Championships' Report
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