Dressage World Cup Qualifying Changed for 2022 in Western European League

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Frederic Wandres on Duke of Britain, one of his World Cup qualifying mounts. File photo. © 2021 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

Feb. 22, 2022

Qualifying for the World Cup in the Western European League has been changed with three scores counting instead of four with one event to go before the championship Final in April with Cathrine Dufour of Denmark joining Frederic Wandres of Germany at the top of the standings.

Some rider such as Frederic Wandres who had led the league with 65 points lost one of his four scores that had previously counted to drop to 52 points. Thamar Zweistra of the Netherlands had four points lopped off her total of four to move her down to 39 points and from equal fourth to seventh.

Of the 11 West European qualifiers for the 2021-22 season, five were canceled.

Western European riders can compete in up to six qualifying events.

The change apparently made the day before the most recent qualifier in Neumünster, Germany last weekend. The International Equestrian Federation, the governing body of the sport, listed the rankings with up to four scores while Neumünster was being held.

Western Europe is allocated nine of 18 starting places in the Final to be held in Leipzig, Germany April 6-10 after the event was canceled in 2020 and 2021.

The only remaining WEL dressage qualifier is the Dutch Masters in ‘s-Hertogenbosch March 11-13.

The official standings:
1. Cathrine Dufour Denmark 52 points
1. Frederic WANDRES Germany 52
3. Nanna Skodborg MERRALD Denmark 47
4. Juan Matute Guimon Spain 42
5. Morgan Barbançon France 40
5. Jessica von Bredow-Werndl Germany 40
7. Thamar Zweistra Netherlands 39
8. Helen Langehanenberg Germany 33
9. Patrik Kittel Sweden 32
10 Beatriz Ferrer-Salat Spain 30
10 Carina Cassøe Krüth Denmark 30
12 Gunilla Byström Sweden 29
12 Jacob Noerby Sorensen Sweden 29
14 Kristy Oatley Australia 28

Isabell Werth of Germany completed two competitions as required to earn a start in the Final as the defending champion, which she was on Weihegold OLD in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

Seven of the 14 top ranked riders, including world No. 1 and Olympic and European Championship rider Jessica von Bredow-Werndl have competed in only two qualifying competitions so far and several have announced their intention to compete at the Dutch Masters.