This year’s Bavarian Championship was record-breaking before it even took off – more than 400 horses were entered in AQHA, NSBA, NRHA and VWB (an open-breed association from Bavaria) classes until the entry deadline. The Bavarian Championships were held at Gut Matheshof, Kreuth from May, 12th, to May ,17th. Judged by Jitka Kynclova (CZ), Doug Allen (GB), Linda Long (USA) and Vreni Schmid (CH) Europe’s finest riders and horses competed in all kinds of events including the prestigious Golden Series classes.

The Golden Series classes are held during the Bavarian Spring Classics and the Bavarian Championship in two go-rounds. Ten horses and riders that have amassed the most points in each event will compete in the finals which will be part of the Bavarian Summer Show in July. The events of the Golden Series are Pleasure, Trail, Showmanship, Ranch Riding and – new this year – Horsemanship and Reining. Competitors from Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Italy, Czech Republic and Austria put up with long journeys to run against each other in order to win more than 18.000 Euro in total.

The first Golden series event to take place was the Golden Series Ranch Riding which was dominated by Katharina Liesinger and Mr. Twister Mae. The team who placed Top 5 in the first go- round is now finals bound.

Golden Series Trail and Series Showmanship ran concurrently on Sunday night. Pia Lipps and Investin Thewildcard, who had not competed at the Bavarian Spring Classics, defeated 18 other competitors and are now on 4th place on the list of finalists. This pair did not only dominate the Showmanship, but also the Golden Series horsemanship! Pia and the sorrel gelding mastered square corners, several lead changes and extended lope circles in a perfect manner. Congrats to this amazing team!

Another complicated pattern was that of the Golden Series Trail. Nearly 40 competitors rose to the challenge of tight turns and elevated poles. In the end, the winner was a rider who is certainly not new to this class: Sabine Lohninger has won the Golden Series Trail with her former horse Little Magic Mexx several times in the past years – this year she piloted her younger horse Lope For The Blues through the complicated course and ended up on first place with a score of 152.

Back to back winners Jasmin Baur and AC Elite Star were able to maintain their first place position from the BSC and won the second go-round of the Golden Series Reining as well.

Fifteen youth and amateur competitors jogged in through the center of the Ostbayernhalle for the Golden Series Amateur Pleasure. Although there were many young talented horses in the class, the winner was the 12-year old gelding HC Ima Good Hot One with Peer Kraack in the saddle.

Besides the spectacular Golden Series events the classes that attracted the most participants were reining and trail classes with more than 50, sometimes even 60, competitors. In classes approved by the VWB the Bavarian Champions were crowned.

OPEN

Ranch Riding: A Lil Bit Surprised – Cordula Hugo

Showmanship: RR Suddenly Moonlite – Laura Weber

Reining: Nu Reds Spat Delmaso – Ulrich Kofler

Western Combination: Bar Sunset Didit – Lena Bögl

Trail: Heza Lopin Jesse – Ben Fisher

Ranch Trail: Freckled Jay Bars – Gottfried Utescheny

Western Riding: Heza Lopin Jesse – Ben Fisher

Western Pleasure: Ive Got Reservations – Mark Shaffer

AMATEUR

Ranch Riding: Aquilino – Kristina Müller

Showmanship: Power in the Canyon – Sophie Gillioz

Western Combination: Aquilino – Kristina Müller

Western Riding: Totally A Grand Slam – Domenic Meier

Reining: AC Elite Star – Jasmin Baur

Western Pleasure: Zipped N Certain – Sophie Gillioz

Trail: Disavowed – Leonie Fischer

Western Horsemanship: Investin Thewildcard – Pia Lipps

YOUTH
Ranch Riding: Steppin Black Jac – Veit Ostermaier

Showmanship: RR Suddenly Moonlite – Laura Weber

Western Pleasure: Designed By Moonlite – Indira Towet

Reining: Mr Listos Legacy – Lucca Wagner

Western Horsemanship: AGR Best A Good Time – Lisa King

Trail: Pepermin Power – Kristin Pohl

NOVICE AMATEUR (Einsteiger)
Showmanship: I Know Im Certified – Martina Hess

Trail: Bos Dry Miss Magic – Katharina Leidwein

Reining: Marquita Gun – Sina Daut

Western Pleasure: Miss Chips Dandylion – Katrin Schäfer

Western Horsemanship: Lazyiswhatlazydoes – Jaqueline Korioth

NOVICE YOUTH
Showmanship: AAW Krymsuns Legacy – Damian Beerta

Western Pleasure: Rin – Tereza Ranna

Reining: BMS Ice Age – Ann Braunger

Western Horsemanship: Ive A Fancy Dress – Lisa Morando

Trail: Ive A Fancy Dress – Lisa Morando

Another new category this year were the AQHA Rookie classes.

“I like the new Rookie classes very much. This and the fact that there were such big classes with so many entries and more than 400 horses in total really made this show a lot of fun,“ exhibitor Alexandra Bernert states.

Despite the bad weather conditions the show was a big success and will hopefully be just as great in July: The Bavarian Summer Show will not only include the NSBA European Championship, but also the very exciting finals weekend of the Golden Series events. We hope to see exhibitors from all over Europe again to enjoy a show with great competition between Europe’s most talented horses and riders! 

Check out some candids from the show courtesy of Dirk Büttner of Figure 8