Monday, 26 August 2013 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

4th place in the Grand Prix Freestyle and a wonderful ending

The stadium was already sold out on Saturday for the showjumping finals, and the atmosphere was a foretaste of what GLOCK’s Undercover could expect on Sunday in the Grand Prix dressage finals; with packed seats, a tremendous atmosphere and an enthusiastic audience it would be a fantastic but unfamiliar backdrop for the ‘black tiger’. After an enthusiastic reception at the Grand Prix Special, Fritsie had been keyed up and his movements ‘explosive’ in the truest sense of the word. How would he respond to the atmosphere today?

The warm up is fine, despite the many ‘onlookers’; GLOCK’s Undercover is focused and ready to enter the arena. Applause breaks out as soon as he rides through the gate. The championship stadium is sold out again today and the atmosphere is incredible. Hans Peter watches the crowds intently. He stands sentry on the podium in the ‘kiss & cry’ area where the emotions of the teams are ‘caught’ by the cameras as they root for their team-mates. Should he wave at the public, indicating they should stop clapping and give Fritsie a little time to settle? But the fans are great. “Psst!” they hiss at one another, and suddenly it’s quiet in the championship arena. The music sounds and immediately the crowd is caught up in the magic of Joost Peter’s composition Secretum Revelatum as it accompanies Ed and Frits’s graceful movements.

GLOCK’s Undercover is much more relaxed than last time, although, in his excitement, there are a couple of little mistakes. The piaffes are amazingly clean, the half-passes smooth, the passages punchy. He comes to the closing moves and now the public is torn from their silence. They clap to the final bars, Fritsie executes a piaffe and comes to a halt. Edward doffs his hat, beams, and immediately turns to GLOCK’s Undercover, the ‘black tiger’, who has just put on a wonderful freestyle performance, for him and with him, in this unbelievable atmosphere. Edward pats him and then rides out of the stadium, radiating happiness. He is content. “Today he was much, much better!” he laughs, while GLOCK’s Undercover stands patiently, allowing the FEI vets to carry out their compulsory head and bridle checks. 

Hans Peter is waiting anxiously by the monitor which displays the latest results as the riders enter. 84.911 percent! Everyone’s happy. In the end the GLOCK duo come fourth, having held their own at the top of this world-class group of competitors. Charlotte Dujardin stands by the gate, the new European Champion. Sashes are put on and preparations made for the prize giving ceremony.

“You were simply world-class!” say Edward and Hans Peter, congratulating the friendly Brit, and Europe’s new champion immediately gives them both a hug. Germany’s silver medal winner Helen Langehanenberg is also hugely pleased with the praise heaped on her by the GLOCK riders, and team colleague Adelinde grins broadly.

GLOCK trainer Nicole Werner congratulates the German joint national coach Jonny Hilberath; Carl Hester joins them and jokes with Nicole and Edward – a colourful mixture of nations, exuding sporting fairness and contentment behind the scenes in the entrance area. Not the image that many in the media like to report. “We’re happy!”, say Nicole, Hans Peter and Edward during the last photo on European Championship grounds, They arehaving fun, the bushes behind them proving unexpectedly prickly when one gets too close. What with all the laughter, it takes a while until there’s a good shot ‘in the can’.

“Time to go home!” and everyone’s happy. The luggage is packed, the horses loaded. GLOCK’s Undercover, GLOCK’s Voice and GLOCK’s Romanov will travel for around twelve hours, including several stops, to get home where everyone is waiting for the homecomers. Their boxes are deep in straw, and fresh, aromatic hay and clean water are waiting for them. Each box is decorated with a wreath, hung with apples and carrots for the GLOCK’s champions. It was wonderful in Denmark, and it’s wonderful to be home again!

Picturgallery