Monday 1 July 2013

In praise of Damon Hill (the horse) and dressage

Grand Prix winner Helen Langehanenberg and Damon Hill in Aachen.

Yesterday. I was planning to watch the British Formula 1 Grand Prix, broadcast from the legendary Silverstone race circuit. However, my plans changed accidentally, when I stumbled upon the German television channel WDR

The WDR took me to another Grand Prix, where the winner was Damon Hill, although not the former formula driver, but his German namesake, a horse.

The winners in front of the audience in Aachen.

The WDR showed the wonderful dressage to music competition from the World Equestrian Festival CHIO in Aachen. What a pleasure it was to see the best dressage riders in action! Germany's Helen Langehanenberg and her horse Damon Hill deservedly won all three main dressage competitions at the festival, including the freestyle dressage to music. 

Rodney Laver, MBE, knew how to dress.
(image wikipedia)

And thank God, there still is a sport where the competitors dress properly! The beautiful white dress code in tennis, which still was observed e.g. by such legends as Australia's Rodney Laver, is gone long ago. Fortunately the dressage riders have been able to resist "modernization". 

The organizers report that altogether over 360.000 spectators visited the World Equestrian Festival in Aachen, which shows that people still appreciate quality and high standards in sports ....

PS 
Here you can watch Helen Langehanenberg and Damon Hill in action at Aachen last year:



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