Dressage-News

By KENNETH J. BRADDICK

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands, June 22, 2022–USA’s Katie Duerrhammer rode Quartett to victory in a national Grand Prix Wednesday in only the second ever European show for the partnership to kick off intense competition at back-to-back Nations Cups in Rotterdam and Aachen, Germany over the next two weeks wrap up qualifying for several countries for the world championships in early August.

Katie and the 14-year-old German Sport Horse gelding was awarded 72.087% by a panel of five 5* judges, the highest international Grand Prix score though it was not a CDI. Katie, 33, of Greenwood Village, Colorado and coached by Adrienne Lyle, will ride Quartett on the U.S. team at the CDIO5* in Aachen next week. She will saddle up Paxton for the U.S. Nations Cup team beginning with the Grand Prix Thursday

Anne Meulendijks of the Netherlands on Issey, a nine-year-old KWPN gelding was second on 71.848%. Anne and Issey are coached by Anky van Grunsven and Anky owns the horse.

Fellow Dutch rider Judith Ribbels on Fun Fun EB, a 12-year-old KWPN was third on 71.131%.

Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United States have scheduled teams at both Rotterdam beginning with the Grand Prix Thursday as well as Aachen next week.

The U.S. Nations Cup team here, in addition to Katier Duerrhammer on Paxton, comprises Ashley Holzer of Wellington, Florida and and Valentine, Alice Tarjan, of Oldwick, New Jersey and Ben Eberling of Wellington and Illuster van de Kampert.

As their home Nations Cup, the Netherlands has a strong team including Dinja van Liere with Hermes, successful at last year’s European Championships and Aachen’s World Equestrian Festival after being denied an Olympic start because of a bureaucratic snafu. The team is without Edward Gal who is taking a break from the sport and Hans Peter Minderhoud, the first Rotterdam he will miss since 2007 as Glock’s Dream Boy is still recovering from an injury.

Great Britain’s Carl Hester, team gold, silver and bronze from six Olympic and two team silvers and a bronze from four world championships, is also without a horse this time while Charlotte Dujardin, winner of three Olympic golds and team silver, two World Games individual golds and a bronze as well as team silver on Valegro, and team and individual bronzes on Mount St. John Freestyle at Tryon, as well team and individual bronzes on Gio at Tokyo, is not competing at either of the two Continental Nations Cups. However, Charlotte Fry will compete Dark Legend in Rotterdam and Everdale and Inclusive in Aachen.

Results:

National Grand Prix