Friday, 23 January 2015 CSI3* CSI1* CSIYH1* GHPC

Step by step – the young horses’ path to great sport

Equestrian stars in the saddle at the CSI3* in the GLOCK HORSE PERFORMANCE CENTER
The riders are already looking forward eagerly: awaiting the athletes at the GHPC from January 20th till February 1st, 2015 are a total of 235,000 euros. The young horse show jumping events and the ability to coach one’s own students in the CSI1* events make the season opening a particularly interesting event for the stars of the equestrian sports world.

Spotting the champions
There is hardly any other category that attracts specialists to an international show jumping event quite like young horse show jumping. Indeed it’s no surprise, given that riders are presenting potential four-legged superstars here. The challenge here is to spot tomorrow’s champions. But even the biggest talent won’t itself make a master. The magic words being: top-class training.

What is the secret of the training of a good show jumper? And how to make a success of stepping up to higher categories? One might think there is a simple recipe for success. A horse with the ideal anatomy and a good pedigree should, in combination with a good rider, result in a winning duo. But it isn’t that simple. Just as with all sports, so in horses too, there are considerable differences. Some might exhibit curiosity, ambition and a quest for challenges from the very start. Others are more discreet, come across as shy and only with the right support can they realise their full potential.

Strength lies in calmness
Training is a difficult matter. It is an interplay between supporting and challenging, success and failure and requires three principal things: trust, patience and time. A good rider knows how to calm the horses down on the course by means of some calm rounds. He/she won’t push to victory and quick success from the beginning. He/she naturally reacts to those peculiarities and characteristics of a young horse without restricting its juvenile temperament. Because just as with riders, there are also horses with either more or less talent for the course. Each of them has strengths and weaknesses of their own.

To spot and foster them is almost the greatest part of the secret to creating top horses. Tailored lessons in the dressage arena and varied gymnastic exercises, which will animate the horse through entertaining learning, are just one side of training. Outings into the countryside promote agility and other both youngsters and oldies a bit of a change from daily routine. Of course also the training on the course is of paramount importance. However, without the right level of responsiveness and suppleness, not even the strongest jumper amongst the youngsters would end up enjoying equestrian sports.

Usually young horses get to experience international event atmosphere for the first time at the age of six. The courses for the young horse events match the level of training and age of the animals. This gives them the chance to gather first impressions and experiences in event activities without overtaxing them. The four-legged young hopes will be able to grow with the challenges and, every year, the level of difficulty will be put up a little. By the age of eight they conclude their career as young horses and change over to the squad of the ‘big’ ones.

If their riders have done things right in the previous three years and maintained their focus on fun in sports for their horses, they will be able to count on a reliable partner going forward.

So the path to becoming an international top horse is a long one and there are almost as many approaches as there are horses.

But one thing is clear: to train a horse in such a way that it happily participates in great sport is more than just a brief job. It is a job of many years, a challenge and an adventure. However, if training is successful, it is one thing above all: a deep partnership between rider and horse.  

GLOCK’s Entertainment at the Riders Lounge
The motto “Horses and Stars” represents high-class entertainment in GLOCK Style and so the following attractions await guests at the exclusive Riders Lounge:

● Gourmet entertainment
● Wellness lounge (manicure, pedicure, massages)
● Styling lounge with star stylist Eren Bektas and his team
● Kids lounge with creative child care
● Cinema lounge for young film fans
● Dog wellness – finest dog massages with Manfred Kellenc
● Live transmission from the arena
● International top class show acts

Riders Lounge day tickets can be bought for Saturday and Sunday for 300 euros per person. Day ticket information: +43 664 88 73 44 01

Cooking Lounge
German celebrity chef Alfons Schuhbeck will again delight guests in his Cooking Lounge at the GLOCK HORSE PERFORMANCE CENTER. Free entry for all event guests. Cooking shows will take place on FRI and SAT at 11am, 2pm and 5pm and on Sunday at 11am and at 2pm.

Free entrance to the indoor arena
Daily free entrance to the grandstand in the indoor arena. At the Public Lounge, day guests will be offered public viewing, exclusive catering as well as a Kids Corner with childcare. And dogs too are not forgotten - in the Dog Lounge there are generous provisions for your four-legged friends.

Well-informed
All information about the competitions, daily summaries, lots of photos and news as well as live streaming of International Show Jumping at the GLOCK HORSE PERFORMANCE CENTER available on www.ghpc.at.

INFOBOX
What: International Show Jumping
When: January 29th till February 1st, 2015
Where: GLOCK HORSE PERFORMANCE CENTER Treffen nr. Villach
VIP day tickets for Saturday and Sunday: 300 euros per person on +43 664 887 344 01
Free entrance to all competitive events for the grandstand in the indoor arena.
www.ghpc.at

For training his horses, Austrian rider Juergen Krackow relies on a bitless bridle called a Bosal. © Michael Rzepa

In Zenzation’s training, everything was done correctly. With the now 11-year-old KWPN mare, Bertram Allen, himself only 19 years old (and No. 15 in the world!), has achieved repeated success. © Michael Rzepa

One immediately spots GLOCK’s Debalia’s young age. She is being introduced to great sport by GLOCK Rider Gerco Schroeder (NED) with the utmost sensitivity and patience. © Arnd Bronkhorst