Dressage-News

By KENNETH J. BRADDICK

LEIPZIG, Germany, April 9, 2022–Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and TSF Dalera BB won the World Cup for the first time Saturday night with Denmark’s Cathrine Dufour taking silver on Vamos Amigos and Isabell Werth riding Weihegold OLD to a standing ovation for their last competition.

Jessica and the 15-year-old Trakehner mare were awarded 90.836%–just shy of her Olympic gold medal musical performance–for the victory in her fifth Final that returned this year after a two-year break.

In the same order of finish as the Grand Prix Thursday night, Denmark’s Cathrine Dufour on Vamos Amigos recorded a personal best 86.164%% for runner-up.

Defending champion Isabell Werth on Weihegold OLD did not earn an historic fourth straight title in receiving a mark of 85.921% for third place.

But with the retirement of Weihegold, a 17-year-old Oldenburg mare immediately following presentation of the World Cup, the stadium packed with 8,000 spectators gave her an emotional standing ovation as the pair left the stadium after their last competition.

The competition ride on Dalera which Jessica said will be last before the rider has her second child, “felt better than Tokyo” where the pair won the freestyle gold as well as for team then went to the European Championships to capture all three gold. In all, since the end of 2019 the partnership has won 25 of 29 starts through this World Cup Final.

“This was the best,” she said “It’s not normal. She keeps improving. It’s pretty emotional for me.

“There are no words. She was phenomenal. She always leaves her heart for me in that square.

“It is not natural at all and at the same time she does it again and again and still evolves. I have the feeling even now that we are not yet at the end of our journey together.”

Cathrine Dufour riding her first World Cup Final on Vamos Amigos described the the 10-year-old Westfalen gelding as “a bomb” and “really, really brave” to perform in only her third Freestyle in just 18 months at Big Tour.

She didn’t know whether the two would qualify for their first Final so used the music she rode to on Bohemian at the Tokyo Olympics–but “I hope he will get his own freestyle.”

For Isabell Werth, the most decorated equestrian in history, the night competing Weihegold OLD then officially retire the horse was emotional.

The partnership won the World Cup Finals in 2017, 2018 and 2019 before the annual championship was canceled for two years.

Isabell said she was “so happy that Weihegold was in good shape. I feel really proud to retire a horse in this way.”

Denmark which started three combinations, the maximum allowed from one country in the starting lineup that totaled 17 riders and horses, displayed the nation’s depth in addition to the runner-up placing by Cathrine and Vamos Amigos. Carina Cassøe Krüth on Heiline’s Danceria was fourth on 84.971% and Nanna Skodborg Merald on Orthilia fifth on 81.239%.

The United States had two combinations. Ashley Holzer of Wellington, Florida on Havanna was ninth on 75.532% in the first championship as an American.

Anna Buffini, who started first on Davinia la Douce as they did Thursday in the short Grand Prix, placed 12th on 74.011%. This was the first world championship start in the career of Anna, of Rancho Santa Fe, California.

Results:

World Cup Grand Prix Freestyle