Success for Hennie Roffel at squad competition: 'Enjoyed both men

Dressage rider Hennie Roffel was the only 'Frisian' combination to venture among the participants in the K&U (squad) competition in Lathum, Gelderland. She guided Gentle Man Jack TKJ (Hessel 480) to two victories in the Light Tour, and with Rémy Martin TKJ (Alwin 469) she finished seventh among the national top riders in the Grand Prix.

In the Intermediaire I, Gentle Man Jack TKJ achieved a magnificent score of 69.16%; the freestyle yielded 73.59% and a substantial lead. Additionally, Rémy Martin TKJ scored a fine 66.7% in the Grand Prix, receiving even more than 68% from the head judge. 'Janine van Twist had also seen me ride in Reuver a few months ago and really saw improvement, particularly regarding neck length,' says an enthusiastic Hennie.

Learning process

'I find riding in such a squad competition very enjoyable and meaningful,' says Hennie. 'Because then you know exactly where you stand and see the top riders, which you learn from as well. The tips on your protocol are often useful. At the bottom, you can often read what could be improved for a higher score and what you can work on. My experience is that the judges are very approachable once the competition is over. Or they come up to you themselves, as in the case of Janine van Twist.'

Back to basics to make progress

Improving neck length is something the rider has worked hard on together with trainer Annemarie Brouwer. 'Relaxation and making it look effortless are also areas of focus. Certainly, a horse like Rémy knows all the exercises; it is always back to the basics to take a step forward, to gain more power and relaxation.'

Peace and control

In the Grand Prix test with Rémy, there was once again more calmness and control, which is exactly what the head judge noticed. The connection was more in order and we didn't make any major mistakes. Only in the final line did I want to do it a little too beautifully, and Rémy thought he could stop instead of realizing he still needed to piaffe. It remains a constant puzzle, but I was very happy with the improved overall impression.

Gentleman Jack TKJ (ex Wytze HSL, breeder Hardeman-Slemmer, Ederveen) also shows a clear upward trend in his scores since the IICH Groningen. 'He is also more relaxed, although he still tends to get a bit stressed in the canter. It was a real joy to watch him, especially in the freestyle. I look back on this competition with a very good feeling, and it also earned me positive comments from national coach Patrick van der Meer.'

Tijdens de K&U wedstrijd in Lathum scoorde Remy samen met Hennie een prachtige 66.703 in de Grand Prix. Zie hieronder het nieuw artikel.