Dressage-News

WELLINGTON, Florida, Mar. 18, 2021–Germany won the Global Dressage Festival Nations Cup Thursday with the United States less than 2/10ths of a percent behind to take silver and Canada bronze in the kickoff event of the 2021 trans-Atlantic series

Germany scored 448.568 after two days of competition in the mixed Big and Small Tour competition, the United States just 0.187% behind on 448.381, Canada earning bronze on 437.071 and Australia placing fourth on 391.089.

Competition was close between Germany with three of their combinations on Small Tour horses with one Grand Prix mount while the four pairs for the USA and Canada were all Grand Prix and thus each Big Tour ride in both the Grand Prix and the Special earning an extra 1.5%.

Frederic Wandres competing at Wellington’s Palm Beach International Equestrian Center for the first time rode Quizmaster, a nine-year-old Westfalen mare, at Small Tour but posted the highest scores both days–74.765% in the Prix St. Georges and 76.529% at Interediate 1.

The U.S.-based Kevin Kohmann on Five Star maintained strong performances with a personal best 74.206% in the Int. 1, after posting 74.177% in the St. Georges to help Germany to the first day lead.

Adrienne Lyle of Wellington on Harmony’s Duval, the American-bred 13-year-old KWPN gelding, led an American sweep of the top three Grand Prix rides with a score of 74.489%. Jennifer Williams of Roy Washington and Millione, the 18-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding that was the 2020 U.S. Grand Prix champion was second on 73.958% with Benjamin Ebeling of Moorpark on Illuster van de Kampert third on 73.064%.

The victory for Germany was only the second outside their homeland since the series was launched in 2013. The German team has won in all seven years when held at Aachen or once in Hagen and was victorious in in Vidabaun, France in 2015 when the nation was the series champion.

Michael Klimke the German chef d’equipe who also competed Domino at Small Tour, had high praise for Equestrian Sport Productions that organizes the Global and Winter Equestrian Festivals for “perfectly organizing” the event during the “very difficult time with the pandemic and the outbreaks.”

“We all come from Germany and there is nothing going on there, so a big thanks from the German riders, the German team, and the German federation to the organizers, we are very happy to be here,” he said, an added with a smile, “we are very, very happy to be sitting here.”

Frederic said that Quizmaster, owned by Hof Kasselmann for whom he rides, “put in two super rounds. Today he was very concentrated and we were able to achieve a high score. I am very proud to compete here in the Nations Cup. I did some in Europe, but here in America, the Americans also had a super team, so I am more proud that we are here now.”

Christoph Koschel, who has spent winters in Florida in recent years, had double duty in the Nations Cup–anchor for the German team and coach of Benjamin Ebeling who rode Illuster on the U.S. team.

“Thank God,” he said, that he didn’t know the score he needed before entering the arena with the competition on the line.

“I heard that Adrienne’s score was high and the others were very good, too. First I was coaching Ben Ebeling on the USA team, and that was very exciting as a trainer, and then I knew that I had to ride even more for our team.”

Thomas Baur, ESP’s dressage sport director, had some sharp words for the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) that operates the circuit but has never had a final to wrap up each year’s competitions and gives a silver plate and not a cup to the winning team

“I just wish that in the future the FEI would make the decision about this Nations Cup and give it more value, and make it really important,” he said. “I think that is what is lacking over the years now. We are happy to start the season here, and I hope that the other CDIOs in Europe will go on,” referring to the fact the coronavirus led to cancellation of the series last year after the event in Wellington.

The series now moves to Europe with Alter do Chao, Portugal April 22-25; Compiègne, France May 27-30; Rotterdam, Netherlands June 24-27; Falsterbo, Sweden July 15-18 and Aachen, Germany Sept. 14-19.

Jan Ebeling of Moorpark, California on Status Royal OLD won the CDI3* Grand Prix to qualify for the Freestyle on a score of 68.022%.

Results:

CDIO3* Grand Prix Special

CDIO3* Intermediate 1

CDIO3* Team Results