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11 mei 2023 Reading time 3 minutes

Pavo Cup Clinic educating participants and visitors

The clinic 'Pavo Cup: showing talent through optimal harmony' last Wednesday in Ermelo was a great success. At the National Equestrian Centre, a total of eight combinations appeared in the course, which were supervised by Johan Hamminga and Emmelie Scholtens. More than 300 visitors saw how the horses visibly improved with a few small hints. At the end of the evening they went home full of inspiration and knew exactly what was desired but also what was not desired in the Pavo Cup.  

Of the eight combinations that appeared in the course, four were selected by video. In total, Hamminga was shown 53 videos from which he had to select the four combinations. It was nice to see that a great diversity of horses and training levels had entered. Often the young horses, in particular, built up some tension to start with. However, with instruction from Hamminga and Scholtens, the riders all managed to end with a nice harmonious image.  
Several times Hamminga told the riders and visitors: "The Pavo Cup is not a sales presentation! We don't want a spectacle in the ring but a horse with three good gaits ridden harmoniously."  Scholtens added: "You can also see the Pavo Cup as a great training moment for your horse. If your horse has three good gaits and is nice to ride, you can certainly participate. They certainly don't all have to be approved stallions ridden by professional riders." 

Four-year-olds

The first two combinations to appear on the track were Iris Hooymans with the outgrown Ozzy (by Deparon U.S.) and Julie Faiazza with Orange (by Blue Horse Kingston). Two horses that ask for a completely different way of riding. With Hooymans' horse, the step is the most important point needing attention. Hamminga: "But don't think that the horse that switches the most always gets the highest grade, as it isn’t always like that. Don't be afraid of a dribble in the step, because behind that dribble there may be a very good pass." The gallop was again a very strong point from Ozzy.  
Faiazza talks about the instructions she received for her four-year-old mare: "I learned today that I have to drive her forward even more to my hand and Emmelie told me that I have to shift gears a lot. I'll work on that at home. It was a really beautiful experience." 

Also in the second group, two four-year-olds entered the ring. Mercedes Verweij made her appearance with four-year-old Oliver R Tambo SV (by Just Wimphof) and Anouk Slabbers appeared with Ojee-B (by Ibsen B) in the ring. Ojee-B in particular had a lot of running spirit. Hamminga had a good tip for this: "Don't stop a horse with a desire to run too much. If your horse wants to run 20 kilometers per hour, you drive 22 kilometers per hour. Try to drive after it and not pull on the brakes." 
Slabbers himself said after the clinic: "You think you know a bit about what you have to work on for the young horse competitions, but this was an eye-opener. You find out what can be improved and what the strengths and weaknesses of your horse are." 

Five-year-olds

After a short break, it was the turn of two five-year-olds. Kim Noordijk presented This is Naqueen (by Trafalgar) and Jesslin Vinkestijn No-Dan (by Glamourdale). Here it was shown that even five-year-old horses, in a strange environment, can build up quite a bit of tension to start with. No-Dan, in particular, struggled to relax. But here too you saw that, with the instructions of Scholtens and Hamminga, the horses visibly improved. Scholtens: "At this age you can start further riding  exercises and use them to get your horse better. Sometimes I ask for a bit of counter-gallop from these horses, not because they have to show it already, but to get them a bit straighter." 
Hamminga advised Noordijk to ride short stretches with her horse every time: "Don't stay in the same corridor for too long. Take a lot of transitions and make sure your horse is sharp on the helpers. Then you get cadence, resilience and an open attitude." 

Six-year-olds

At the end of the evening, the six-year-old Magnum (by Fürst Romancier) ridden by Kirsten Brouwer and Merlot VDL (by Bordeaux) ridden by Femke de Laat appeared on the track. The difference in educational attainment with their predecessors was clearly visible. Hamminga did not miss this opportunity to ask Brouwer to show what is not the desired image. "We don't want a spectacle, we don't want a sales presentation," he says while Brouwer is busy with a few 'show rounds'. Then both horses show what is a desired image in the Pavo Cup. A nice harmonious end to the evening. 

More than 300 visitors went home full of inspiration. It wasn't just riders sitting in the stands. The KNHS determined that by visiting this educational clinic, KNHS officials had the opportunity to obtain license points. The first pre-selections for the Pavo Cup will start in July.