Tag Archives: Morgan Barbançon

*Featured/Spotlights, Dressage

Barbançon Scores a Double to Close Out Her First AGDF Season in Style

Morgan Barbançon & Habana Libre V. Photo © SusanJStickle.com

It was an epic and unforgettable day for 30-year-old French rider Morgan Barbançon, who capped a sensational first Wellington season of her career with wins in both the Dutta Corp CDI4* Grand Prix Special and the Beatrice Marienau Dressage CDI3* Grand Prix Special. They were the two showcase classes of the penultimate day of week 11 during the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF). The wins took Barbançon’s tally of victories to three in under 24 hours — all on different horses.

On Saturday, she led the four-star class on the 11-year-old Habana Libre A (by Zizi Top x United), pulling out a unanimous win on 71.702% from final draw, despite a mistake in the one-time changes on the diagonal. American ladies filled the remaining two podium steps, with Katie Duerrhammer and Paxton sealing second on 69.234% and Alice Tarjan third riding Candescent to 68.596%.

In the three-star ranks, 12-year-old Deodoro (by Damon Hill x Lauries Crusador) stepped up to earn Barbançon yet another winner’s rug for her burgeoning collection, putting down an untouchable 71.596% despite the three riders placed behind her all posting personal best scores. Emily Miles (USA) and Java Dulce — winners of the qualifying grand prix class — had to settle for second this time with 70.872%. The final competitor in the class, America’s Kevin Kohmann, picked up third with a 69.043% ride on Dünensee.

“I’m on cloud nine right now,” enthused Barbançon, who will be back in Europe first thing on Monday morning and straight back to riding in the cold. “I’m exhausted and I gave the last bit of myself in that last test today, but it’s such a good tired.”

For more information and results, visit www.globaldressagefestival.com.

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Dressage

Barbançon and Helgstrand Are Untouchable in Week 5 of AGDF

Morgan Barbançon & Habana Libre A. Photo ©SusanJStickle.com.

France’s Morgan Barbançon and Habana Libre A claimed the winner’s blanket in the day’s headline class, the CDI3* Grand Prix Special, sponsored by MTICA Farm. Barbançon’s 71.66% on her own 11-year-old gelding — by Zizi Top out of a United dam — is their second highest score ever in this test.

Of the 15 starters, the trio of riders on the podium remained unchanged from Friday’s qualifying Grand Prix, but the 22-year-old German sensation Felicitas Hendricks climbed a place to net second. She rode her own 12-year-old gelding Drombusch 2 (Destano x Dimaggio) to 70.362% in the pair’s debut senior international show at the level. Her compatriot Anna-Christina Abbelen, 26, piloted her 16-year-old Samarant gelding Sam Donnerhall to 69.723% and third place.

“I’m extremely happy and it was great to win,” enthused the 30-year-old Barbançon, who is spending her first season in Wellington. “Habana was a wee bit tired today but still tried. The whole passage/trot part was nice, and I was really happy with the walk. The piaffes were a little bit less [powerful] than two weeks ago, but it was cooler then and really warm today.

“I don’t normally get affected by the heat, but yesterday I already had to use a new frack [tailcoat] because it was drenched. This is the second one going to the dry cleaners. But I prefer that to the frostbite I get at home.”

Alexander Yde Helgstrand and Belantis Top Intermediate I CDI1*

Andreas Helgstrand’s 19-year-old son Alexander Yde Helgstrand and Belantis — formerly ridden by Isabell Werth — made it two wins from two starts in AGDF 5, topping Saturday’s hotly contested Intermediate I CDI1*, presented by Centerline Stables. They also won Thursday’s Prix St. Georges class. Helgstrand was also competing his mother’s horse Super Mario in the under-25s, and two wins in that division — at Intermediate II and Grand Prix — brought his tally of CDI blue ribbons for the week to four.

“Today the high points were the two-tempis and the extended trot and canter,” said Helgstrand, who is another rider spending his first season in Wellington. “Belantis is super talented and I really love working with him. He had some more power and energy today, but it was still controlled.”

For more information and results, visit www.globaldressagefestival.com.

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Dressage

Barbançon Claims Grand Prix Special Victory with New Personal Best Score in AGDF Week 3

Morgan Barbançon & Habana Libre A. Photo © SusanJStickle.com.

Week 3 of the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) continued this weekend, with a victory for France’s Morgan Barbançon and her own Habana Libre A in the FEI Grand Prix Special CDI4*, presented by Palm Beach Equine Clinic.

Barbançon’s 74.404% performance aboard the Dutch Warmblood gelding by Zizi Top marked the pair’s highest Grand Prix Special score to date. At 11 years old, Habana Libre A was the youngest horse in the class. The pair finished more than three percentage points clear of second-placed Anna-Christina Abbelen (GER), who rode her own and Silke Abbelen-Mooren’s Sam Donnerhall to 71.234%. Spain’s Pablo Gómez Molina claimed third on the 13-year-old PRE gelding Ulises De Ymas with 69.915%.

“I’m super happy,” said the 30-year-old Barbançon, who is competing at AGDF for the first time. “I’m on cloud nine. Honestly, I thought we would get a 72% or maybe 73%, and I would have been super happy with that. Today, I had such a floaty, fluid ride, and I didn’t push.”

Tarjan Claims Ticket to Lövsta Future Challenge Final

The second qualifiers in the Lövsta Future Challenge Young Horse Grand Prix Series and the Future Challenge Young Horse Prix St. Georges Series sent two more combinations through to the Grand Final (which takes place in AGDF 11) from each class. These classes aim to identify and nurture talented, up-and-coming young FEI horses.

In the Lövsta Future Challenge FEI Intermediate II Qualifier, Alice Tarjan rode her own Summersby II (by Sezuan x Sandro Hit) to 70.833%. Ali Potasky rode Inxs into second place with 69.558%, claiming the second qualifying slot.

“It’s a great division,” enthused Tarjan, who rides as an amateur. “I’ve been here the last three years and it’s a super way to get the greener horses into the CDI stadium and in front of the CDI judges without the pressure of a CDI.

“Summersby is a really great horse, and only eight years old. I’m just happy that she stayed with me through the whole test. The horse has to get stronger in the work, but she’s really honest and the atmosphere didn’t seem to affect her at all.”

Pape Posts Second Win of the Week

In the CDI3* FEI Grand Prix Special, presented by ProElite®, Great Britain’s Susan Pape and Harmony’s Eclectisch notched up another victory, adding a 70.021% win to their blue ribbon in the qualifying Grand Prix class.

“Our ride felt nice and powerful today,” said Pape. “Unfortunately, I had a mistake in the twos and the ones on the centerline. But other than that, it was very good. The passage on the left lead was very good for him and expressive. In the canter work, the ones were beautiful, and so was the extended canter.”

Pape and the 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood stallion by Zenon, owned by Pape and Harmony Amateur Sports Foundation, have been partnered for a few years, and she reflected on what taking the ride over on the well-trained horse has been like.

For more information and results, visit www.globaldressagefestival.com.