Equestrian Championship at S'Hertogenbosch

Hi everyone! 

I had such a nice weekend I can’t writte about Amsterdam again, but only about what I did: I went to S’Hertogenbosch (30 minutes by train) to an equestrian competition. 

(Let's go to S'Hertogenbosch!)

But not any: It was the last step of the World cup of dressage and jumping before the finale! 

So many famous riders were there: the current Olympic champion of jumping Steve Gerdat, the current European champion of jumping Roger-Yves Bost, Isabell Werth: 7 Olympic medals, 6 times winner of the Dressage World Championship, ….. And several others!

Just to let you know, in dressage, riders and horses do figures, and each figure is graded. At the end the score is given in percentage. In jumping, each refusal or knockdown adding four faults to a competitor's score. The aim is to have a clean score, and be as quick as possible.

I arrived Saturday in the morning. In the morning there was Grand Prix freestyle CDI-4* (international level). And at 13h30 the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage – freestyle. 

The freestyle is the last step of a championship: “Movements and figures are choreographed to meet the technical requirements of the particular level with carefully chosen music that highlights the horse/rider combination.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musical_kur ). So it’s very entertaining. 

At this level, very difficult figures are realized. Here are some videos that I registered there, with some movements.

Kristian von Krusenstierna and Biggles1015 :

every-strides changes :

Double pirouette :

I was really happy to be there, for I saw my very favorite dressage rider: Edward Gal. Moreover he is from Netherland, and performed very well (as usual). 

I also watched Isabell Werth (one of the most medaled rider of the world. 

A French rider was there too (Marc Boblet, ridding Nobal Dream), and did a very nice representation (his mare is very expressive!). 

Marc Boblet and Noble Dream :

beginning, piaffe and passage:

double pirouette and every stride changes:


half-pass at canter and 2 strides changes:


extended trot, passage and piaffe:


half-pass at trot and passage, ending:






Edward Gal won with 86.700%, which is really huge (I think only for three or four others couples could do such a performance currently)

(final results of the Dressage World Cup  of S'Hertogenbosch)

In the afternoon there was an indoor Derby, and in the evening an international jumping, with jump-off (all the riders that made a clear round qualified and make another tour to determine their best). 

Five French riders took part, and two qualified in the jump-off. Finally the last rider that tried the jump-off made a clear round with the best time . . . And that was a French rider (Simon Delestre with Napoli du Ry) who won!

The day after, there was the national finale of jumping,category ponies. I didn’t watch and preferred to wander in the rooms. And I found something surprising: A stand of the university Avans! 

(Avans university at S'Hertogenbosch?)

Then I came to the paddocks, where everybody can see all the riders warm-up before going to the path. This is really interesting to see them do that, very instructive for riders.

(Empty at this moment, but I saw the riders and the horses, walking just on the other side of the barrier)

After that I came back to have a good seat for the two last competitions:  the Liliane founds Prijs and the Rolex Grand Prix. In this last one, the height of the fences is1m60 (this is my height!). There were plenty of very famous riders again. The two first riders who qualified for the jump-off were French! Sadly one of my favorite riders, Olympic champion Steve Gerdat, made 8 points of penalty, so he couldn’t do the jump-off. Finally five riders qualified for the jump-off. The two French did a clear round, and the faster did it in 42.96 seconds. But everybody knew the very last rider (Marco Kutscher, German) was very fast. And he did be fast … everybody thought at the moment that he had beaten the French guy, but he did 42.95 seconds! 1 hundredth of a second!

(First German rider to try the Grand Prix Rolex, Lars Nieberg and Casallora)

So finally he French won the big Grand Prix of the day (again).

That was really a great weekend. I look forward to watch the finale of Dressage and Jumping in April!

Justine's Day 

Since the last article, there is just one event, an event very important ! The Justine's birthday on 8th March. 
And for this occasion, 7th March on an whim we went at Brussels for one day, just to do something special for his birthday. 

"La Grande Place" of Brussels

The visit of Brussels was not really organize. We looked just before to take the car, where we could park it. And one time arrive, we have taken the tramway and subway, direction the center. 
We visited the museum of Brussels city, seen the Manneken Pis which wore the yellow soccer vest of Belgium's team, obviously eaten waffles and frites and drank a beer. 
I was surprised by the "Grande Place", because we are arrived by small streets and we are came up on the place. The architecture is really beautiful. At the top of all the houses in the place, there are gold decorations. 

On the place, there are the town hall, the "Maison du Roi". All the houses on this place have a name as Le Roy d'Espagne, La Brouette, La Louve, or La Cornet. 



To continue to celebrate his birthday, 8th March Justine and me visited Breda. It was rather "Justine, we do what you want". So we walked on the city and she took some pictures. 
We ate a "birthday ice cream" with a "birthday beer". 

We celebrated his birthday at italian restaurant  with all Esaipiens. 

Even if all the students can't be present (Bénédicte was in Amsterdam, Quentin with his parents,...), it was rather a goof evening. After the restaurant, we went in a bar to close this evening. 


The next birthday is that of Bénédicte. 
I will tell you which city we will visit this time !


Written by Anaise

First trip to Amsterdam ! (part 1)

Hey, guys!

During our free week, I went to Amsterdam, to join two friends of mine who came here for one week (from 2nd to 9th of March). 

(A boat sailing through Amsterdam)

I have a lot of things to talk about, so I’m going to divided my trip at Amsterdam in two different articles : in this one you can learn about what I generally did, and in the next one about some amusing things that happened to me and my friends!

We had a lot of fun, the room was perfect, and about 15 mn walking from the train station.

I arrived Monday 3^rd, in the evening. Then we went out to eat, and had a very god dinner (we all chose steak and chips, very French would say some).

Tuesday, we wanted to eat some viennoiserie, so we decided to go to a French bakery : "Le fournil de Sébastien". But we didn’t really know where it was exactly … and we have been looking for it at least 40 mn before we finally found it. But it deserved all this time … Then we came back to the flat, but all felt asleep after eating, and woke up about 6 p.m.! It seems we were tired after all this research.

Wednesday it was a very good weather, so we came to the zoo which was not so far from the flat. We particularly liked the felines and the butterflies ‘house. I bought two soft toys for my sister and my goddaughter, but there’s so cute I’d almost like to keep them (If they don’t like it, it can come back!)

(A sleeping fennec...He just looks so cute!)

(One of the many butterflies we saw at the zoo)

Thursday, we went to the Van Gogh museum. It was really nice. There were lots of French people there! But we were a little disappointed, ‘cause we knew some famous paintings and thought we could see them, but they’re not in this museum… too bad. 

(We couln't miss the general direction to the museum)

Then we went to a famous market in Amsterdam: the Albert Cuyp Market. It’s open all the year from Monday to Saturday, and you can find lots of stuff there: food, cloths, bikes … We ate there (see what in my next article, it really worsted the trip!) and then came to the Vondelpark where we met a riddle… Guess what? Next article! (I want you to come back, after all)

(This birds were sure that we had something they could eat ....

... but we didn't. Nevermind, we were almost surrounding by birds!)

 

Friday, we… didn’t do a lot! Some shopping and we stayed at the apartment, talking, cooking…

Saturday we went to the Flower Market. That’s really big and impressive! After seeing that we just wanted to go to our garden and do some gardening. We all bought some bulbs and seeds. Then we ate in a really good restaurant (Pasta…) at the end of the flower market, and we stopped in a library where I bought my first English book ("The mark of Cain", by Tom Knox. It sounds interesting, doesn’t it?)

(Vegetables...

...and flowers!)

Sunday was the day we left, so we just cleaned up and want to the station.

We all enjoy this trip, and plan to do other in a different country (Italy or Iceland maybe…)

I’ll tell you more about some details and meeting we did in my next article.

See you then!

Written by Camille

In all weathers !

I think the most impressive event of the last weeks, was the Carnival. During five days (so from 28th February to 4th Match), Breda was filled of giant squirrel, human pear, by the Daltons or pirates... And again more others. 

Grote Mark square 

The Grote Mark square was cover of people. The town has installed several stage on the square (like on the picture) where fanfare played traditional Dutch music. 

It's completely crazy, small and tall, young or old, everybody wear a costume. It's really impressive to see an entire population gather to celebrate the Carnival, because in France (in my region), we don't have this kind of event. 

In fact, Carnival is a Catholic feast especially celebrate in the southern Netherlands. At Breda, the Carnival is organized by Stichting BCV (Bredase Carnivals Viering).


During this short week (5days), all the bars were emptied of their tables and chairs, their front windows were decorated with wooden pannel painted. 

The Grote Mark square

The saturday, the mayor give the keys of the town to the Carnival's Prince and it's like this that begin officially the Carnival. During the five days, 

During the five days, several events takes place. The different districts of Breda organise something : Brakkensliert is the children parade (on Sunday), on Monday it's the parade for "the adults".

I was present at that on Monday. There was a parade with long floats. 

Each floats have a theme,  like the NAC supporters (football club of Breda) or Vampire club of Breda (totally thrue). Other floats represente the shops of the town such as Cheese Association, Golf Club, Hairdresser floats, ... .  

At the end of the Carnival (4th March), the best float is elect and the Carnival's Prince give back the keys to the Mayor. 

And the life continues. 

PS : Just a short video to tell you to come next year to see it with your own eyes =) 

Written by Anaise