Preis der Besten Dressage: Schmitz-Morkramer and Schmitz-Heinen in front

The discipline national coach, Hans Heinrich Meyer zu Strohen, gave great praise for the performances of the couples in the U18 age group: The riding was outstanding. Some couples have performed phenomenally here. We had a very good feeling during the preparation and also in the solution phase on the preparation area, that the couples took this into the exams. I wish with all my heart that this riding will carry over into the 2022 season."

Allegra Schmitz-Morkramer and her partner under the saddle, the ten-year-old Hanoverian stallion Libertad, showed a sovereign test with many highlights, especially in the second evaluation, which was rewarded by the judges with 79.079 percent. "My start here at the Preis der Beste was absolutely stunning and to be honest the win was quite unexpected as I've only been riding Libertad for almost a year. We got along well and I'm thrilled with him. He's actually a very shy horse, but in the arena he starts to shine. An absolute dream horse," said the winner.

Lana-Pinou Baumgurt from Nottuln and the Westphalian Escolar daughter Emma FH came second in the overall ranking of the Preis der Beste. She would also have secured the bronze medal, because with Founder FH she was third in the first and fifth in the second classification. However, only one horse is counted in the classification of the best, so that bronze goes to Carolina Miesner (Scheeßel) and Exclusiv.

Carolina Miesner had a lot to do at the Prize of the Best: In addition to her start in the juniors, she also rode two ponies in the arena. With Novellini she secured the silver medal behind Julie-Sophie Schmitz-Heinen (Wermelskirchen) and Carleo Go. "It's a great honor for me to be able to start at the Preis der Beste and now also to win," said the winner, who was in Warendorf for the first time in 2021. "We've since worked on the finer points and improved what didn't work so well last year. It paid off." Bronze goes to Georgina Kraft (Krefeld) and DSP TI Daily Challenge.

The European junior champions from 2021 have also asserted themselves among the young riders: Lucie-Anouk Baumgurt from Nottuln and her successful partner Hugo FH took the lead in both special tests, with 77.02 and 77.21 percent. Helena Schmitz-Morkramer from Hamburg and DSP Lifestyle are second, Jana Schrödter (Leipheim) and Der Erbe OLD third.

In the children, Martha Raupach for the Weser-Ems state association and Francis Drake OLD took the lead. In this test she also rode Jack Sparrow, with whom she had already taken part in the U14 European Championships. The two also showed two great tests, which were not counted for the price of the best. Her EM team colleague, Lotta Plaas from Warendorf, secured the silver medal with her 19-year-old Trakehner Balsamico. Bronze goes to the only eleven-year-old Ava Osing from Hamburg withHirtenglanz