World Cup Final Lineup for Gothenburg, Sweden

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Isabell Werth clinching the 2018 World Cup on Weihegold OLD for the second year in a row and heading to Gothenburg, Sweden to pursue a third straight championship title on the 14-year-old Oldenburg mare. Isabell, the most successful equestrian in Olympic history with 10 medals, is looking to increase the number of World Cup titles to the four she has already claimed on three different horses beginning in 1992. © 2018 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

Mar. 21, 2019

By KENNETH J. BRADDICK

The lineup for the World Cup Final was announced by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) Tuesday with reigning champion Isabell Werth on Weihegold OLD to defend against America’s Laura Graves on Verdades as runner-up the past two years and 16 other horses and riders.

A total of 18 combinations from 12 nations will compete for the title in Gothenburg, Sweden April 3-7 centered on the musical performance of the Grand Prix Freestyle that became the only annual world championship with the first Final in 1986.

German superstar and world No. 1 Isabell Werth on Weihegold OLD, champion in 2017 in Omaha and 2018 in Paris, will defend her title against 17 other combinations, including Laura Graves on Verdades, reserve champion the past two years and currently ranked No. 2.

Combinations from 12 countries will vie for the title, 13 riders and horses representing Western and Central Europe, four from the Americas–three from the United States and one from the Dominican Republic, and one from South Africa.

Former World Cup champions to make their appearance are Helen Langehanenberg on the American-owned Damsey FRH who claimed the title on Damon Hill in 2013.

Hans Peter Minderhoud will ride Glock’s Dream Boy in Gothenburg. He held the cup aloft when winning on Flirt in 2016. And he will be joined by compatriot Emmelie Scholtens on Apache in her first World Cup. Both are coached by Edward Gal, who was champion on Totilas in 2010.

Denmark’s Daniel Bachmann Andersen at 28 years old and Blue Hors Zack, ranked 12th in the world, can expect to do way better than their seventh place finish in Paris last year after stellar performances this year; beating Isabell on Emilio, ranked No. 4 in the world, in the ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands World Cup Freestyle and on Blue Hors Don Olymbrio winning over Isabell on Don Johnson in both the CDI3* Grand Prix and Special.

Sweden’s Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfvén on Don Auriello stepping out to the Cees Slings musical arrangement in Florida this winter. © 2019 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

Tinne Vilhelmson Silfvén and Don Aurellio that she competed in two of her seven Olympics, two of five World Equestrian Games and four of six World Cup Finals will be representing the home side along with team mate Patrik Kittel on Delaunay. Tinne says this may be the last championship for Don Auriello that began his Big Tour career in Florida in 2011 and is now 17 years old.

Although the Pacific area is not represented, Delaunay to be ridden by Patrik is part-owned by Australians Carol and Andrew Oatley, the parents of Aussie Olympic and World Games rider Lyndal Oatley who is married to Patrik.

The Americans are all 30-something team mates from the 2018 World Equestrian Games silver medal squad.

In addition to Laura and Verdades, Kasey Perry-Glass on Dublet competed at the Final in 2017 and Adrienne Lyle on Salvino, an Olympic and two-time world championship rider will be starting in her first World Cup Final.
All three are personally coached by Debbie McDonald who took over as the U.S. team coach at the end of last year. Debbie was the first American to capture the World Cup, which she did on Brentina in 2003.

Yvonne Losos de Muñiz on Aquamarijn is the fourth pair from the Americas, representing the Dominican Republic but competing in the North American League as only the U.S. staged World Cup qualifiers in the Western Hemisphere.

America’s Laura Graves on Verdades, the Dutch gelding that has been her equestrian partner for 17 years, heads to the World Cup Final in Gothenburg seeking the title that has eluded her the past two years when the pair was runner-up to Isabell Werth on Weihegold in 2017 and 2018. In Paris last year, they beat Isabell in the Grand Prix but the German superstar and her Olympic team gold medal mount took the Freestyle and the title. In the background is Debbie McDonald, Laura’s personal coach and now also the U.S. coach and the first American ever to become World Cup champion which she did on Brentina in 2003. Steffen Peters is the only other American to do so, which he did on Ravel in Las Vegas in 2009. Debbie’s title was won at Gothenburg where she will be coaching Laura and Verdades, as well as the other two American combinations–Kasey Perry-Glass on Dublet and Adrienne Lyle on Salvino for whom she was the personal coach before taking over for the U.S. team last year. © 2018 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

This will be the ninth year the Final has been held in Gothenburg, one fewer than ‘s-Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands.

The lineup:

Western Europe

DENMARK
Daniel Bachmann Andersen, 28, x Blue Hors Zack, 15-year-old KWPN stallion (Rousseau x Jazz), owned by Blue Hors Aps – WR 12

FRANCE
Morgan Barbançon Mestre, 26, & Sir Donnerhall II OLD, 13-year-old Oldenburg stallion (Sandro Hit x Donnerhall II), owned by Henrik Nyreroed & Sabine Kloy – WR 44

GERMANY
Isabell Werth, 49, & Weihegold OLD, 14-year-old Oldenburg mare (Blue Hors Don Schufro x Sandro Hit), owned by Christine Arns-Krogmann – Defending Champion – WR 1
Helen Langehanenberg, 36 & Damsey FRH, 17-year-old Hanoverian stallion (Dressage Royal x Ritual), owned by Louise Leatherdale & Susanne Meyer – WR 6
Benjamin Werndl, 34, & Daily Mirror, 15-year-old Westfalen gelding (Damon Hill x Florestan I), owned by Flora Keller – WR 22

IRELAND
Judy Reynolds, 37, & Vancouver K, 17-year-old KWPN gelding (Jazz x Ferro), owned by Joe & Kathleen Reynolds – WR 24

NETHERLANDS
Hans Peter Minderhoud, 45 & Glock’s Dream Boy, 11-year-old KWPN stallion (Vivaldi x Ferro), owned by Glock HPC NL B.V./Palmar BV-J.T.M. Maree/Stal Brinkman V.O.F./TC Dutch Sport Horses-T.J.M. Coomans – WR 17
Emmelie Scholtens, 33, & Apache, 14-year-old KWPN stallion (UB-40 x Krack C), owned by A. Valk – WR 28

PORTUGAL
Maria Caetano, 32, & Coroado, 12-year-old Lusitano stallion (Rubi x Xaquiro), owned by Juan Manuel Cordeiro – WR 44

SWEDEN
Patrik Kittel, 42, & Delaunay OLD, 13-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Dr. Doolittle 45 x Feinbrand), owned by Patrik Kittel, Carol and Andrew Oatley – WR 71
Tinne Vilhelmson Silfvén, 51, & Don Auriello, 17-year-old Hanoverian gelding (Don Davidoff x White Star), owned by Lövsta Stuteri/Antonia Ax:son Johnson – WR 14

SOUTH AFRICA
Tanya Seymour, 35, & Ramoneur, 17-year-old Oldenburg stallion (Rohdiamant x Alabaster), owned by Tanya Seymour – WR 183

Americas

USA
Laura Graves, 31, & Verdades, 17-year-old KWPN gelding (Florett AS x Goya), owned by Laura Graves & Curt Maes – WR 2
Kasey Perry-Glass, 31, & Dublet, 16-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding (Diamond Hit x Ferro), owned by Diane Perry – WR 5
Adrienne Lyle, 34, & Salvino, 12-year-old Hanoverian stallion (Sandro Hit x Donnerhall), owned by Betsy Juliano LLC – WR 15

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Yvonne Losos de Muñiz, 51, & Aquamarijn, 14-year-old KWPN mare (United x Gribaldi), owned by Yvonne Losos de Muñiz – WR 97

Central Europe

BELARUS
Olga Safronova, 27 years old, & Sandro D Amour, 11-year-old Oldenburg gelding (San Amur x Rubinstein I), owned by Olga Safronova – WR 196

RUSSIA
Regina Isachkina, 48, & Sun of May Life, 10-year-old Rhinelander stallion (San Amour x Rubioso N), owned by Regina Isachkina – WR 75