Dressage-News

NEUMÜNSTER, Germany, Feb. 20, 2022–Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and TSF Dalera BB won the World Cup Grand Prix Freestyle Sunday while Cathrine Dufour on Vamos Amigos posted a personal best score to lead a Danish armada of three combinations right behind Germany’s reigning Olympic and European championship partnership.

Jessica and the 15-year-old Trakehner mare, No. 1 in the world, scored 90.615%, slightly shy of their Olympic Freestyle result of 91.732%. With one World Cup qualifier to go, the result earned Jessica enough points to make her a serious contender for a start in the Final that would be her fifth World Cup. She has taken bronze on three occasions.

Denmark’s Cathrine Dufour on Vamos Amigos, a 10-year-old Westfalen gelding, posted a personal best 86.725%, beating their previous high score of 81.135% set four months ago. The pair logged a personal best in the Grand Prix Saturday.

Cathrine, ranked No. 3 in the world on Bohemian that she competed at the Tokyo Olympics, her second Games, has not been in a World Cup Final. Sunday’s Freestyle moves her up to stand second in the Western European League that should earn her an invitation to the championship Final in Leipzig, Germany April 6-10.

Nanna Skodborg Merrald and Orthilia, 17-year-old Oldenburg mare, scored 84.480% to place third and surpass the previous best of 83.695% set last October.

Nanna took over competing Orthilia just over a year ago when the previous rider, Agnete Kirk Thinggaard, became pregnant. The horse had been competed by Fiona Bigwood on the British team at the 2016 Olympics and the 2015 European Championships.

Carina Cassøe Krüth and Heiline’s Danciera, 11-year-old Danish Warmblood mare, finished in fourth place on 83.670% to round out the Danish display.

Isabell Werth the reigning World Cup champion from 2019 rode DSP Quantaz scored 82.640% for fifth place for her second result that was required to defend the title that she won on Weihegold OLD for three straight years before coronavirus forced cancellation of the annual championship the past two years.

Germany’s Helen Langehanenberg and Annabelle, 14-year-old Holsteiner mare, who were ranked sixth in the Western European League before Sunday competition, withdrew.

The event was staged without spectators but held by the organizers to try to insure the World Cup Final is held this year after being canceled the past two years. One qualifying event remains, at ‘s-Herogenbosch, Netherlands next month.

The International Equestrian Federation has not yet announced whether it will move ahead with the Final though the organizers are proceeding with preparations.

Sunday’s results shook up the Western European League standings.

Frederic Wandres of Germany who is currently competing at the Global Dressage Festival in Wellington, Florida appears to have a lead that would send him to his first Final.

An unofficial calculation of the standings following Neumünster:

1. WANDRES, Frederic GER 65
2. DUFOUR, Cathrine DEN 52
3. MERRALD, Nanna Skodborg DEN 47
4. ZWEISTRA, Thamar NED 43
5. MATUTE GUIMON, Juan ESP 42
6. VON BREDOW-WERNDL, Jessica GER 40
7. BARBANÇON, Morgan FRA 40
8. LANGEHANENBERG, Helen GER 33
9. KITTEL, Patrik SWE 31
10.KRÜTH, Carina Cassøe DEN 30
11.FERRER-SALAT, Beatriz ESP 30

Results:

CDI-W World Cup Grand Prix Freestyle