Dressage-News

HAGEN, Germany, April 22, 2021–Charlotte Dujardin rode Gio to victory in the Horses & Dreams CDI4* Grand Prix Thursday in only the second Big Tour start for the partnership and the staging of the first top dressage event in Western Europe this Olympic year of both Covid-19 and equine herpes viruses.

Great Britain’s gold medal rider on Valegro at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, scored 78.761% on Gio, a 10-year-old KWPN gelding. Charlotte discovered Gio at a master class in Los Angeles six years ago and owns the horse with a New Zealand supporter, Renai Hart, and her coach and mentor, Carl Hester. The only previous CDI for Charlotte and Gio was at Keysoe, England last October where the pair placed second in the Grand Prix behind Charlotte and Mount St. John Freestyle.

Germany’s Frederic Wandres on his German Olympic squad mount Duke of Britain placed second on 75.957%. Frederic competed throughout the winter at the Global Dressage Festival in Wellington, Florida but Duke of Britain, a 14-year-old British-bred Hanoverian gelding, stayed at home at Hagen. Frederic is a stable rider for Hof Kasselmann that stages Horses & Dreams.

Denmark’s Nanna Skodborg Merrald on Blue Hors Zack was third on 75.739% in only their second Big Tour event, having competed the 17-year-old KWPN stallion in their first CDI in February. Nanna took over the ride on Zack from Daniel Bachmann Andersen who competed the horse at the 2017 World Cup Final, the 2018 World Equestrian Games and the 2019 European Championships.

Janet Foy, a 5* judge from the United States and on the panel at Hagen, reported that all people going on to the show grounds known for hosting Germany’s first premier outdoor event as well as youth Nations Cups, must show a negative Covid-19 test.

“Coming from Florida where everything is so open this is very different,” she said.

“The town of Hagen is still closed as well. So far we have been able to eat at the hotel with a limit of two people per table. Starting tonight we may only order our food and take it to our rooms. We can not sit in the lobby together only outside.”

Results:

CDI4* Grand Prix