On Sunday, 14th August, Klara Salkova rode her bay stallion Smart Chiconita to the first place in Senior reining at the Czech Reining Championship. What a day it was - it was her second consecutive championship and seventh reining title in her career! She also added to her account a win and a third place in the Czech Futurity and a bronze medal in Junior reining.

The Czech Reining Championship was held on 13-14th August in Nova Amerika. Champions were crowned in five divisions: Senior, Junior, Amateur, Youth and Futurity. 43 horse and rider combinations managed to qualify for the finals from a group of 125 combinations who participated in this year’s show season. There was also three guest riders from Poland. The show was judged by Sylvia Katschker, Klaus Fock (both Austria), Jaroslav Dolezan (on Saturday) and Jaroslav Havlik (on Sunday).

Second consecutive title for Klara Salkova in Senior reining
Saying that Senior reining will highlight the whole show isn’t as trivial as it appears. Once again 6-year-old and older horses proved their abilities. There was 12 horse and rider combinations qualified for the finals. Everything started on Saturday afternoon – Irena Machalikova aboard Peppy Golden Scooter (owner: Vladimir Mandak) was first into the pen. She set the pace with a very nice run with solid circles and quick spins. Unfortunatelly backing-up more than four steps after the last stop resulted in a 0-score. Polish rider Aleksander Jarmula guided Miles O Rima, an 8-year-old palomino stallion by Jac O Rima (owner: Katarzyna Roleska), through a good pattern 10. They managed to correct their mistakes from Friday’s CRI and earned a score of 213,5.

The first go was won with a blistering 216 earned by Klara Salkova aboard Smart Chiconita. And it was a real knock-out! They began with a correct sliding stop to move to fast and well cadenced spins, which were definitely in the plus column. Clean circles with good transition from big fast to small slow helped to increase the score. Very precise figure eight was followed by Klara’s signature – three deep and very confident sliding stops and perfect roll-backs. Smart Chiconita seemed very relaxed and taking a lot of pleasure from his run. Lukas Jirak riding SR Sweet N Low and Irena Machalikova on April Doc Olena both entered the arena after Klara’s run but didn’t managed to even approach her score. They earned 206,5 and 210,5 respectively and finished the first go on fourth and third place.

On Sunday all the riders were ready to fight for the championship. Lukas Jirak was very motivated and surely didn’t say his last word. This time he showed more aggressive circles with really soft and precise transitions to a very slow lope. Unfortunatelly “Cat” seemed to run a little bit away on fast circles and it certainly drew judge’s attention. Lukas finished with a score of 208,5. Irena Machalikova showed two precise runs, earning a 212,5 with Peppy Golden Scooter and a very good 214,5 with April Doc Olena. At this moment she was sure to win the Czech Reserve Champion title.

Aleksander Jarmula aboard Miles O Rima was the last but one to enter the show pen. He did a risky but precise run with rapid spin and very good cirlces with flawless, +1 transitions. His horse anticipated the second sliding stop but only Sylvia Katschker noticed it. At the end he earned an excellent 218,5, his biggest score ever! With a composite score of 432 he finished on the second place in Senior reining but his performance didn’t count for the Czech Championship.

The crowd was still cheering Jarmula’s run, when Klara Salkova entered the arena with Smart Chiconita. She perfectly managed to overcome the pressure and did an even better run than on Saturday. Rapid, flat spins, risky circles with good transitions and lead changes and above all superb sliding stops – it was reining at a really good level! When Klara and Smart made their final rundown ended with a deep stop, everybody knew that they will defend their last year’s title. They scored a 217,5 and with the composite score of 433,5 became Czech Senior reining champions. Irena Machalikova and April Doc Olena earned the Reserve Champion title and Lukas Jirak with SR Sweet N Low won the bronze.

For Klara Salkova it was her seventh reining champion title in the career! If we add to it several Reserve Champion titles, three championships won in Slovakia and consider the fact that she won her last six titles with Smart Chiconita, we can say that they probably are the best duo in the history of Czech reining!

Klara Salkova wins the Futurity
Earlier in the morning Klara Salkova earned another title, winning the Futurity division. Riding Doc Chexy Ridge, a Paint Horse mare by MG Doc Joe Chex and out of Katy Ridge (owner: H. Vankova) she socred 200 in the first go and had a confortable 4,5 points advantage over Lukas Jirak aboard Smart As Freckles (owner: Jirak QH). In the second go she repeated her performance ans earned a 203. With the composite score of 403 Klara and “Chexy” finished first. Lukas Jirak came second with a composite score of 392. With her second horse, Ima Dancin Dun It by Hollywood Dun It (owner: P. Julina), Klara Salkova placed third.

A run-off to decide the Junior reining winner
It could have been a “hattrick” for Klara Salkova, as she was leading the Junior reining after the first go. Aboard Monty Blue Sky (owner: V. Sedlacek) she performed a clean and precise run thus earning a good 209,5. But the competition was close with just a 2 points difference between first and fourth place. On Sunday Lukas Brucek aboard Pedro placed the bar high by scoring 209. Irena Machalikova failed to improve her score and was eliminated from the title race. Although the composite score of Brucek (416,5) wasn’t beaten, Karel Kubata riding Racy O Rima matched it by scoring in the second go a 208. Klara Salkova was the last entry to go. Everything went well until the stops which were not as good as on the previous day. With a composite score of 416 she finished third with the bronze medal, just a half point behind Brucek and Kubata. In the run off for the first place Lukas Brucek took all the risks. Another dynamic run earned him a score of 209,5 – a score that Karel Kubata and Racy O Rima didn’t matched. It was Lukas’ first title in Junior reining. Pedro is a 4-year-old half-Paint Horse by Mr Expresso. Last year they won the Futurity division.

Another successful show for Pavel Orel
In reining Youth Pavel Orel confirmed that 2005 is a very good year for him and his horse. With 203 in the first go and 213 in the second go he won the Champion title riding Pretty Miss Starbuck (by Smart Starbuck). Ema Lupacova guided her two horses to the second and third step on the podium. With ARC Diamond Surprise she earned a composite score of 402,5 and with Docs Lil Bonnie – 389,5. Marketa Zezulkova had a bad luck in the first go, in which she finished with a 0-score. On Sunday she proved that she could could have been in the title race by scoring a 211,5 aboard Smart Chiconita.

A well deserved Amateur chamionship for Roman Zimmermann
In the Amateur division Roman Zimmermann showed his stallion RDH Genuine Cookie to a first place with a score of 206 on Saturday and 210 on Sunday. Marketa Schreinerova aboard Mg Joe finished second with a comosite score of 407. The bronze went to Jaroslav Vilgos riding Dream Of Dry Doc (405,5).


Eine Photogalerie finden Sie hier