SW Update – From Europe – Working Equitation

 

Attached is the pdf file with PICTURES!!!  Thank you Astrid Oberniedermayr for sharing!   It is great news for us here!

Click on this to view!  working equitation

Both Patek and Urano are sons of OMA DE MARIPA, one of the Maripa stallions whose semen we have to offer here.

Their results are so promising for the Marchador breed!  Both Brasil and here in the U.S., there is growing interest to move into Working Equitation events.   Here in the U.S., I have been approached by several individuals inviting the breed into events.

In case, the link does not work for you, here is the text without the photos.  For those of you who do not know Astrid, she is the Chairman of the European MM Association, the EAMM.

From August 30 until August 31, 2012,  we participated with the vitrine Marchador stallions Ourofino ElFar, Patek de Maripá and Urano de Maripá in the three disciplines of the Working Equitation competition at the Lengelshof in Ratingen.

The disciplines for each horse are
1. Dressage
2. Trail (Prova)
3. Cattle Work (Team Penning)

In the dressage contest,  the horses had to be good on the rider‘s aids and react lightly and immediately. No open mouths, no hesitations and a correct position of the head all the time. They had to show a canter directly  coming from walk (no trot or marcha inbetween), stop out of marcha, do lateral work etc.  The harmony of the movements and between rider and horse was very important.

Most of the horses participating in these contests have been Lusitanos and PREs.  This was the first time that Mangalarga Marchadores have been shown in this riding scene in Europe. They all did very well and
Patek de Maripá even won the dressage contest!

In the trail the horses had to manage the following obstacles:
1. cantering a figure 8 around two barrels with a flying lead change
2. riding into an „L“ and ringing a bell and stepping backwards out of the „L“ (horse may not touch the bars on the ground)
3. open and close a gate, rider‘s hand has to remain on the gatet
4. slalom through poles with lead changes
5. crossing a bridge (canter bridge, walk on the bridge, canter to next obstacle. NO trot or marcha allowed
6. jumping (aprox. 2 feet)

In the third discipline – the cattle work or team penning – the judges point out one little bull from the herd (10 – 15 calves). Then the rider/horse team has to separate the bull out of the herd and lead him to a paddock on the other side of the arena.  After the rider/horse team passes the middle of the hall he has three helpers.  The bull has to be brought to the paddock within 90 seconds. After 90 sec. without success you will be disqualified. Our times were 21 sec. with Ourofino, 52 sec. with Patek and 63 sec. with Urano. It is also some kind of good luck if you get a  “wild” or cooperate bull.  Some of the small bulls were very fast and making hooks like a rabbit. But the stallions paid excellent attention!

As Ourofino, Patek and Urano did so well many of the participants asked us to be their helpers during their contest. They said “I want the Mangalargas in my team!” That was a big compliment!

Most of the participating horses were Lusitanos and PREs (Andalusians)

At the end with the average of all points out of the three disciplines the Mangalarga Marchadors had the following ranking:

  • 3rd Patek de Maripá (6 years)
  • 6th Ourofino ElFar (7 years)
  • 8th Urano de Maripá (5 years)

Many people were asking us about the breed ot Mangalarga Marchador. Even the judges wanted to know more about the Marchadors!   The horses did a great job. It was the first time that they saw some of the obstacles, it was the first time doing cattle work (at least in Germany) and they didn‘t hesitate or leave us alone one single second.  We were very proud of the stallions and what they did again for the promotion of the breed.
We will continue …..

Astrid and Dieter

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