May 5, 2016
Germany’s Kristina Bröring-Sprehe and Desperados FRH remained at the top of the world rankings for the fourth straight month while former No. 1 Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro dropped to 50th as the British Olympic, World and European championship pair have taken a break from competition.
Great Britain’s Fiona Bigwood on Orthilia jumped up the FEI, International Equestrian Federation, rankings released Thursday to No. 16 from 60th the previous month after logging a pair of victories in Saumur, France last week.
Germany’s multi-Olympian Isabell Werth on Don Johnson FRH moved into second place on the standings but the rider has reported the horse is injured and will be out of competition for several months.
Kristina and 15-year-old Hanoverian stallion that were on Germany’s medal-winning 2012 Olympic, 2014 World Games and 2013 and 2015 European Championship teams went to the top of the standings at the beginning of this year.
The pair took over the the top spot from Charlotte and Valegro that had been atop the standings for 35 months. The Olympic, World and European champions have not competed since the Europeans in Aachen, Germany last August.
The 14-year-old KWPN gelding was given a break after two years of intense competition that included capturing the World Cup titles in Lyon, France in 2014 and Las Vegas, Nevada in 2015; team silver and individual gold at the 2014 World Games, team silver and individual gold at the 2015 Europeans as well as several other premier events for 15 straight first place finishes. From April 2012 to July 2014, the pair clocked 22 straight victories including the historic team and individual Olympic gold medals at the 2012 Olympics in London.
Carl Hester, part-owner of Valegro as well as trainer of Charlotte and the horse, has made it clear the focus in 2016 is on the Olympics and the prospect of becoming one of only three combinations in 104 years of Olympic dressage to to win individual gold at two Games. The others are Nicole Uphoff of Germany on Rembrandt in 1988 and 1992 and Anky van Gransven of the Netherlands on Salinero in 2004 and 2008.
The FEI world rankings as of April 30, 2016:
