In the end, Germany’s Sönke Aldinger and the Holstein gelding Crockett WZ posted the quickest overall time (113.31 seconds) to beat the local hero Michael Jung on Chalam LS (119.09). Third was last year’s second placed Mario Walter (Germany) in the saddle on the Holstein gelding Mufasa (121.54).
Afterwards there was lots of amazement and applause for the 54-year-old Frenchman Jean-François Pignon, who is generally considered to be the epitome of liberty dressage. He led his seven grey and six black horses with fine gestures – honed by years’ of practice – to follow his commands. The horses grouped themselves around him and continually fashioned new formations – always with Jean-François Pignon as the calming influence in the middle. The “master of gentle understanding” as he is known conjured up an awesome and, in the end, big impact with his little gestures.
