Kikade igår lite på webb-tv sändningarna från Hagen och ett ekipage som gör mig nyfiken är Kristina Sprehe och hingsten Desperados. Undrar vart de är om nåt år när de kommit ihop sig ännu bättre? De ingår redan nu i Tyska "A-truppen" inför OS i London. Vad tror/tycker ni?

"Kristina Sprehe dealt her first blow to the establishment by finishing second in the Grand Prix with a 79.894% from the five judges which all placed her second. The black stallion Desperados (by De Niro x Wolkenstein II) was professionally trained to Grand Prix level by Falk Rosenbauer. Sprehe took over the ride a year ago and had a very successful season in the Under 25 circuit throughout Europe.

Kristina has now moved to the seniors' big league and was immediately submitted to the German A-team as potential Olympic team candidate. Desperados' unlimited potential and talent were already apparent under Rosenbauer. Thanks to her horse's qualities, Sprehe was able to rule the 25 circuit even with unpolished tests. Trained by Jurgen Koschel, Kristina has brushed up her act and in Dortmund was rewarded for her work as well as the potential she might have in store. The tempi changes, pirouettes and extensions were brilliant, but the black stallion needs to improve on the regularity in passage -- especially as the right hind leg is stepping under more than the left one. Also the transitions to and from piaffe need solidification.

"Until now I have mainly been riding the U25," Sprehe told Popp. "This Grand Prix was my first start against such heavy competition and it was very exciting. I never expected to finish second."

After the training seminar in Warendorf for German A-team riders, Ulla Salzgeber decided to give it a go in Dortmund and she showed a high class test which made her slot in third with 78.298%. Salzgeber and her Herzruf's Erbe (by Herzruf) hadn't competed since November 2011.

Sprehe Beats Bechtolsheimer in Grand Prix Special

Kristina Sprehe's glorious weekend continued with a career making victory in the Olympic Grand Prix Special on Saturday in which she beat multiple championship medallist Laura Bechtolsheimer. Earning a score of 81.978%, Sprehe edged out Laura by a fraction of points and added herself to the list of only very few riders able to score 80% internationally.

Both top ranked riders had a mistake in the one tempi's but showed excellence in the piaffe, passage and pirouettes.

"It was my goal to finish in the top eight because I prefer to ride the Special," Sprehe said about her weekend goal. By winning the Special, the 25-year old student also claimed the Meggle Champions' Finals and took home 20,000 euro in prize money. Having proven for the first time that Sprehe has the potential to put huge marks on the scoreboard, she has launched herself as a serious German Olympic contender.
"Of course the Olympics is my dream, but it's still a long road," she said realisticly."

Källa: eurodressage.com