Dressage-News

By KENNETH J. BRADDICK

HAGEN, Germany, Sept. 11, 2021–Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and TSF Dalera BB won the European Championship Freestyle Saturday for the third gold medal for the Olympic champion. Cathrine Dufour of Denmark and Bohemian took silver with Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin on Gio the bronze.

Jessica and the 14-year-old Trakehner mare, No. 1 in the world, were awarded 91.021% for the musical performance, slightly below the pair’s Olympic freestyle result. Cathrine Dufour and Bohemian, 11-year-old Westfalen gelding, scored 88.436% to add to their team and individual bronze medals. Charlotte Dujardin and Gio, 10-year-old KWPN gelding, received 87.246% for bronze.

Isabell Werth and Weihegold OLD, Olympic German team gold medalist pair at the 2016 Olympics and three-time World Cup champion pair, placed fourth on 84.896%. This was the first time since the Europeans in 2015 that Isabell has not been on the Freestyle medals podium at Olympics or championships.

Great Britain’s 25-year-old star Charlotte Fry on Everdale were fifth on 84.721%.

Jessica, team and individual gold medalist on Dalera at the Tokyo Olympics two months ago where their freestyle score was slightly higher, they were “carried a little bit by the audience” that has been absent for most of the past 18 months of the coronavirus pandemic. She said:

“When I finished the ride. I became a bit emotional. The feeling was the best I’ve had in my whole life on any horse. She was 100% focused, she was light, she was on fire, but not too much. Today was just perfect, PERFECT, kind of energy. She loves what she does.”

Cathrine said that Bohemian “just played today,” a feeling similar to that she experienced with Cassidy, her previous top mount which she rode at the 2016 Olympics and went on to earn individual and freestyle bronze at the 2017 Europeans.

“He (Bohemian) is a special boy, not like Cassidy,” she said. In Tokyo I felt I had to push him to do certain exercises. Today he just played, just like Cassidy. It’s been super, super fun. Having my dream ride in Tokyo then coming here it’s a dream come true.”

Cathrine plans to seek a start in the World Cup Final next April as well as being focused on the world championships to be held in Herning, Denmark next August.

Charlotte Dujardin who rode Gio at the Olympics and these championships instead of Mount St. John Freestyle which had been her primary Big Tour mount since the retirement of Valegro, made a mistake in a final set of tempi changes that she said probably cost her the silver medal.

But, she said, “I couldn’t have asked for much more.”

The pair collected team and individual bronze medals at the Olympics. Gio was found by Charlotte at a master class in Los Angeles six years ago and bought the horse with a New Zealand supporter, Renai Hart, and her coach and mentor, Carl Hester.

A crowd favorite was José Antonio Garcia Mena of Spain whose obvious enjoyment in riding Divina Royal brought some of the loudest cheers from spectators.

Results:

European Championship Freestyle