Nanna Merrald show Hohenstaufen II in style!

Just Magic. Hohenstaufen II has spent the winter with Nanna Merrald. You can say he has been taking it easy. First a lazy winter break from work, then long hacks in the forrest, then gradually back to work in the Dressage Arena. Nanna Merrals is a rider that knows how to motivate a horse without pressure. And then you have it! A horse that just shines under his rider. Today’s first place at National Level Competition at Frederiksværk in Prix st. George with a score of 71,5% just tells the story about a horse that is ready to shine at top level!

Hohenstaufen II takes the seasons first win at Bernstorffsparken

Many have been anticipating the seasons premiere for Hohenstaufen II. How would he would perform with his new rider Nanna Merrald? – and it is fair to say that nobody could be disappointed! ‘H2’ was the first horse in the arena for the S-dressage Show Class at the Copenhagen Championships this Saturday – and he never lost the lead –  as he and Nanna Merrald delivered an seemingly effortless ‘cruize’ through the entire programme. In second place came Aston Martin with Helene Mehlsen – the pair delivered a beautiful programme with several highlights.

We look forward to seeing these top horses again next weekend as the competition at Frederiksværk will be almost last call for qualification for the Danish National Championships taking place at Broholm in June.

 

Hohenstaufen II is in great shape and will now show with Nanna Merrald

Hohenstaufen1The stunning stallion Hohenstaufen II has been in restitution and training with with Nanna Merrald over the winter months – and the the pair will show for the first time together at the Copenhagen Championships in Bernstorf’s Parken this weekend. The Show Class at S dressage will take place on Saturday afternoon and the pair will show Intermediate I.

The photo’s are from this mornings training session and taken by Torben Merrald – and the pair is looking sharp!

Nanna Merrald is one of Denmark’s most talented young riders – already a FEI Reem Acra World Cup finalist 2014 with her horse Millibar and an international U25 top level contestant with the amazing Weltliebe – and now she is carfully preparing Hohenstaufen II for International participation at small tour level this summer.

Hohenstaufen II, prior ridden by Jan Brink, Minna Telde and Elin Aspnäs is a jewel of a horse, owned by the Norwegian team rider Camilla Christensen, Hohenstaufen is beautiful, talented and extremely polite. His transition to Nanna Merrald happens as Nanna is young enough to compete in Young Rider Classes – and this is just the perfect setting for Hohenstaufen II. With a seldom seen rideability and outstanding grading scores that includes 10 for walk and 9 for canter and trot – H2′ is (as he is called in short) potentially the strongest card a Young Rider can hold, should her wish be to participate and win at the European Championships in August 2015.