The Nürnberger Burg-Pokal - Highlight For Young Dressage Horses

The Nürnberger Burg-Pokal is a dressage tournament series that has now been running for 30 years and is aimed at seven to nine-year-old dressage horses. The final of this series takes place annually at the Frankfurt Festhalle Tournament traditionally in mid-December, and can be watched live on ClipMyHorse.TVfrom December 14 to 17, 2023.

In 2022, this was scheduled for December 15 to 18. The grand finale for the most promising young dressage horses in 2022 was scheduled for the Saturday of the tournament, December 17. In the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021, the final was held at the Schafhof in Kronberg - this year, the Festhalle with its impressive backdrop and unique atmosphere will once again play host to riders and spectators of theNürnberger Burg-Pokal  

1. The Finalists of the Nürnberger Burg-Pokal 2022

The qualifications for the final in Frankfurt were completed after twelve competitions at the end of September at the Dressage Festival in Ludwigsburg. World-class riders and promising horses are also on the starting list this year. 

At the opening round of Horses & Dreams in Hagen, Susan Pape and Harmony's V-Plus secured the first ticket to the final. The 8-year-old black stallion by Vivaldi already won bronze at the Bundeschampionat as a five-year-old and was judged with a score of 74.268 percent - that was enough for victory in Hagen. 

Dorothee Schneider's Quaterline T by Quaterback scored over 80 percent at times in the trot tour and an overall score of 75.195 in the qualifier in Ludwigsburg. Schneider also qualified the eight-year-old Dante's Hit OLD by Dante Weltino OLD x Sandro Hit for Frankfurt. 

Andrina Suter can also count on double chances, because she is also allowed to start with two horses: Westphalian gelding Briatore NRW (by Bellissimo M x Dresemann) and Hanoverian gelding Del Curto (by Dimaggio x Wolkentanz II), with whom she achieved the best percentage of all finalists at the Pferd International in Munich with a score of 77.56 percent, will be in the final in the Hessian capital. With Briatore NRW, she achieved the second-best result of 76.561 percent among the qualified riders at the Maimarkt tournament in Mannheim - the Swiss rider therefore leads the ranking with both horses and is likely to be one of the favorites at this year's Burg Pokal Final. 

A total of twelve top horses are qualified. 

These are all the qualifiers for the Nürnberger Burg-Pokal 2022: 

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2. The Nürnberger Burg-Pokal - The most important national dressage series for youngsters

The Nürnberger Burg-Pokal - named after its sponsor, the Nürnberg Insurance Company - is considered the most important national tournament series for the elite of dressage youngsters at St. George Special level. Many of the winning horses went on to be highly successful in sport: from the almost legendary Rubinstein, one of the most important stallions in Westphalian breeding, to Olympic gold mare Weihegold OLD and Matthias Alexander Rath's newcomer hope Destacado - the Burg-Pokal has always selected youngsters with the best prospects. The first winner of the series was the half-breed Sir Lenox under Nicole Uphoff in 1992, who died surprisingly at the age of just 14 after 103 placings. 

In 2013, Beatrice Buchwald and Weihegold OLD won the final. Weihegold OLD, who later became the property of Isabell Werth, is considered one of the best dressage mares, winning Olympic gold and silver, for example, and gold four times at European Championships. Weihegold OLD achieved a score of more than 80 percent in Grand Prix competitions 50 times. At this year's World Cup Final in Leipzig, Werth bid farewell to Don Schufro's mare in her sporting retirement. 

Weihegold OLD, however, still finds itself in the Burg-Pokal: In 2019, when the final was last held in Frankfurt, Isabell Freese won the golden ribbon with offspring Total Hope OLD. Total Hope OLD combines the very best dressage blood: sire Totilas, dam Weihegold OLD: with 79.22 percent, the mare achieved the second best result ever in the Burg-Pokal Final. Only Nadine Capellmann and Elvis VA did better in 2004 with 81.17 percent - the record of the chestnut gelding by Espri and a Garibaldi II dam has remained unbroken for 18 years. In total, Elvis VA placed 115 times at Grand Prix level.
Last anniversary year, Helen Langehanenberg and her Zack daughter Straight Horse Ascenzione decided the 30th final test in their favor with 77.27 percent. Langehanenberg started with two horses: In addition to Ascenzione, she had also saddled Beautiful Scarlett, with whom she produced a score of an even 77 percent - and was only surpassed by herself as the last starter, securing first and second place.

Click here for the victory ride of Helen Langehanenberg and Straight Horse Ascenzione:

Meanwhile, the most successful Burg-Pokal participant is still Isabell Werth. She has already won the Burg-Pokal four times, including in 2008 with her Ehrentusch son El Santo NRW, who later collected more than 40 advanced (S) level victories - "Ernie", as the gelding is called by Werth, is one of the most successful horses ever to take part in the Burg-Pokal. 

3. All Winning Pairs of the Nürnberger Burg-Pokal Since 1992

1992: Nicole Uphoff & Sir Lenox

1993: Klaus Balkenhol & Honor Gold

1994: Martina Hannöver & Rubinstein

1995: Isabell Werth & Aurelius FRH

1996: Isabell Werth & Giorgio

1997: Alexandra Simons-de Ridder & Chacomo

1998: Nicole Uphoff & Relevant

1999: Nadine Capellmann & Cockney

2000: Karin Rehbein & Miss Holstein

2001: Heike Kemmer & Bonaparte

2002: Ann Kathrin Linsenhoff & Wahajama-UNICEF

2003: Karin Rehbein & Cherie

2004: Nadine Capellmann & Elvis

2005: Monica Theodorescu & Whisper

2006: Carola Koppelmann & Comic Hilltop FRH

2007: Victoria Max-Theurer & Augustin OLD

2008: Isabell Werth & El Santo NRW

2009: Brigitte Wittig & Blind Date 

2010: Kathrin Meyer zu Strohen & Rassolini

2011: Carola Koppelmann & Desperado OLD 

2012: Charlott-Maria Schürmann & Burlington

2013: Beatrice Buchwald & Weihegold OLD

2014: Matthias Alexander Rath & Samba King

2015: Dorothee Schneider & Santiago

2016: Isabel Freese & Vitalis

2017: Isabell Werth & Flamboyant OLD

2018: Dorothee Schneider & First Romance

2019: Isabel Freese & Total Hope OLD

2020: Matthias Alexander Rath & Destacado FRH 

2021: Helen Langehanenberg & Straight Horse Ascenzione

4. The Regulations

Only 7 to 9-year-old horses that have not yet been placed in the Grand Prix may take part in the Nürnberger Burg-Pokal. In a total of twelve final qualification tests at St. George Special level, only the winning horse-rider pair qualifies for the final in Frankfurt. Traditionally, the season is opened at "Horses & Dreams" in Hagen at Hof Kasselmann. This is followed by other show events with top-class starting fields, for example the Schafhof Dressage Festival, the Verden Championships and the German Championships at the Longines Balve Optimum. Should one of these qualifiers place in more than one division - so that there are two or more first places - the rider with the most points will qualify.

If an eligible rider cannot compete, there is the possibility of moving up: Throughout the season, a ranking list is kept according to the percentage results across all qualifications. If a rider or horse drops out, the next rider on this list moves up. Each rider may start with a maximum of two horses at the Festhalle tournament in Frankfurt, even if he has qualified with more than two horses. Here, the best horse will be determined in the final competition in the St. George Special.  

Click here for the final of the Nürnberger Burg-Pokal 2021:

The three best pairs of the final are again qualified for the free freestyle in the evening, also at St. George Special level - the so-called winner's prize. 

5. The History of the Nürnberger Burg-Pokal

The Youngster Tour was founded in 1992 by the then Chairman of the Board of Nürnberger Versicherung, Hans-Peter Schmidt, himself an equestrian enthusiast, an active rider in his younger years and an honorary member of the FN. At the side of the now 80-year-old was the late Dr. Reiner Klimke, for many years the world's most successful dressage rider, who specially created the "Prix St. Georg Special" (also to be found as test S5 in the task booklet), a special, more demanding version of the Prix St. Georg, for the Burg-Pokal. In the Prix St. Georg Special, for example, the backward walk is judged twice - a test of the horse's permeability, obedience and rideability as well as the rider's correct aids. Seat and influence are also rated with a coefficient of two. 

6th Nürnberger Burg-Pokal for Juniors

Since 1995, there has also been the Nürnberger Burg-Pokal for Juniors, in which the younger riders can demonstrate their talent in dressage and partly in jumping. In 2022, the series was held in ten equestrian associations: 

Bavaria, Hesse, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Saxony, Baden Württemberg, Northern Germany, Rhineland, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland and Thuringia. The levels vary from association to association and range from E to M.In Baden Württemberg, there is also an additional tournament series in medium (M) level show jumping. The rules are similar to the "big tour": Over the course of the green season, the juniors can qualify in several competitions for the respective final of the organizing association. 

The finals are often held in the respective federal state during or at the end of the season. In Hesse, the final (combined dressage/jumping competition) of the juniors will take place at the Frankfurt Festhalle Tournament on December 15, 2022.

7th Lead Rein Class at the Nürnberger Burg-Pokal

The competition for the very youngest up-and-coming riders is also a tradition at all qualifiers and especially at the finals: The lead rein class of the Nürnberger Burg-Pokal as part of the Frankfurt Festhalle Tournament is always extremely popular with the public and the young participants. In the leadrein class, the four to eight-year-old children are guided on their ponies by a helper. In addition to the first riding basics such as a balanced seat at a walk and trot, the judging of the pony is also evaluated. The lead rein class of the Burg-Pokal is a very special experience for the youngest riders due to the backdrop of the location, the Frankfurt Festhalle - they are allowed to ride in the same arena as the big names of equestrian sport. The competition cannot be called: potential starters have to apply and will then be invited by the Hessian State Commission, if necessary. 

8. The Louisdor Prize - Grand Prix of Young Horses

Not only the final of the Burg-Pokal will take place at the Frankfurt Festhalle Tournament: Dressage and jumping up to advanced level*** with top international riders are on the schedule. Among other things, there will also be the final of the Louisdor Prize - a tournament series, similar to the Nürnberger Burg-Pokal, for eight to ten-year-old dressage horses at Grand Prix level. The Louisdor Prize is intended to introduce young, promising dressage youngsters to the most difficult class with a somewhat shortened version of the Grand Prix. In 2022, the specially created "Louisdor Grand Prix" will now be required for the first time in the run-in test to the Final in Frankfurt. In the decisive final itself, the long Grand Prix will be ridden. Also participating in the Louisdor Prize from year to year are horses that are predicted to have a great future in dressage - some of them, such as Total Hope OLD, also previous participants and winners of the Burg-Pokal.  

9. The Winners of the Louisdor Prize Since 2007 

2021: Isabel Freese & Total Hope OLD

2020: Sandra Nuxoll & Bonheur de La Vie

2019: Senta Kirchhoff & L'Arbuste OLD 

2018: Daniel Bachmann Andersen & Blue Hors Veneziano

2017: Jessica von Bredow-Werndl & Dalera BB

2016: Dorothee Schneider & Sammy Davis Jr. 

2015: Isabell Werth & Emilio 

2014: Beatrice Buchwald & Weihegold 

2013: Brigitte Wittig & Balmoral 

2012: Thomas Wagner & Very Keen 

2011: Dorothee Schneider & Diva Royal 

2010: Isabell Werth & El Santo

2009: Anabel Balkenhol & Dablino 

2008: Oliver Luze & Carabas

2007: Patrik Kittel & Floresco 

Author: Laura Schmidl