Dressage-News

LUDWIGSBURG, Germany, Sept. 13, 2022–Olympic gold medalist and world No. 1 Jessica von Bredow-Werndl returns to competition this week for the first time since the birth of her second child, Ella Marie, has set the World Cup Final in Omaha as a goal for next year.

Germany’s entire world championship bronze medal team of Isabell Werth, Benjamin Werndl, Frederic Wandres and Ingrid Klimke as well as German champion Dorothee Schneider are also in the lineup of 130 riders.

USA riders Susan Dutta and Jennifer Hoffman along with Patrik Kittel of Sweden, Victoria Max-Theurer and her partner Stefan Lehfellner of Austria are among riders from 17 nations scheduled to start in the second edition of Ludwigsburg.

Jessica, winner of the 2021 World Cup Final on Dalera in Leipzig, Germany before taking a break from competition ahead of the birth of her daughter, gets automatic entry to Omaha as defending champion. Dalera, the 15-year-old Trakehner mare on which she swept the Tokyo Olympics, the World Cup Final and the 2021 European Championships as well as team gold at the 2018 World Equestrian Games in Tryon and team gold and freestyle bronze at the 2019 Europeans is a prospective mount for Omaha, she said.

So, too, is Ferdinand BB, 13-year-old Hanoverian gelding, that she competed as five-year-old in the World Young Horse Championships and was on the Nations Cup gold medal team at the World Equestrian Festival in Aachen, Germany last year.

“Four days after giving birth,” she told an online news conference Tuesday. “I was back in the saddle for the first time and it was all good. But I was also lucky that everything went well during the birth. Therefore, I was back in the saddle faster than I stopped before the birth.

“I am not that far along with my planning for 2023, but I definitely know that I would like to enter the World Cup season with Ferdinand BB and TSF Dalera BB.

“Then I would like to fly to Omaha, especially as I have been there before, but unfortunately without a horse. Unee BB couldn’t come with me then,” she said of the KWPN stallion that she competed at the World Cup Finals in 2014, in Las Vegas in 2015, 2016 and 2018 as well as the 2015 Europeans.

“I’m keeping my mind open,” she said. “First I’ll have to see how Ferdinand takes to the World Cup scene. The European Championships is the big goal I want to prepare for. But I haven’t become worse through riding at shows. As you know, I ride more competitions than other fellow riders. For me, it is always what I do between the events that matters, not how many shows I ride. I’m just happy to just start my competition rhythm again.”

Frederic Wandres described Ludwigsburg with cometitions in front of the Monrepos castle as an “unique setting.”

“Last year I was really amazed how many spectators, who otherwise have nothing to do with equestrian sport, were on site during the event,” he said. “That’s all the better if we can inspire such people for equestrian as well. The flair in Ludwigsburg is second to none!”

Francois Kasselmann, organizer and managing director of Horses and Dreams Entertainment, that stages the event.

Although it is only the second year at Ludwigsburg, “I don’t think it is possible to imagine the international calendar without the Ludwigsburg Dressage Festival. You can also see that in the top-ranked starting field, which we have this year.

“We have kept the concept of free entry this year, as the grounds are privately owned by the Duke and people always have the right to walk around there. But we are also offering VIP tickets at this event. With the Finkbeiner family of the Schlosshotel Monrepos, we have a top caterer as a partner with whom one can feel very comfortable.”

Floodlighting is being installed for the Grand Prix Freestyle and the DSP foal auction on Saturday evening, and LED perimeter lighting.