Dressage-News

AARHUS, Denmark, Oct. 22, 2022–Carina Cassøe Krüth and Heiline’s Danciera won the World Cup Grand Prix Saturday to lead a Danish sweep of the top four places in the  opening leg in Western Europe to earn a start at the Final of the championship in Omaha next April.

Carina and the 11-year-old Danish Warmblood mare scored 77.079% for the win by the world championship team gold medal partnership. The duo competed for Denmark at the Tokyo Olympics as well as their first first World Cup Final in Leipzig, Germany in April.

Nanna Merrald Rasmussen and Blue Hors St. Schufro, 11-year-old Hanoverian stallion, was runner-up on 74.605% in only the third Big Tour Grand Prix for the pair, one early last year and the second in July. Nanna rode Blue Hors Zack on Denmark’s teams at the world championships and the Tokyo Games.

Andreas Helgstrand and the eight-year-old Jovian were third on 74.579%. The KWPN black stallion was world champion at ages five and seven and began Grand Prix in May this year.

Daniel Bachmann Andersen on Zippo M.I., 10-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding, was fourth on 74.079%.

The Freestyle to earn points toward qualifying for the Final is scheduled for Sunday. This competition is one of 11 in Western Europe to fill one of nine spots reserved for the region in the Final lineup of 18 combinations. One spot also goes to the defending champion, Jessica von Bredow-Werndl on TSF Dalera BB. The Germany rider needs to compete in two qualifiers to get a start in Omaha that would bring Western Europe’s total to 10.

The number of contenders even before the Western European league (WEL) began is already crowded with 21 riders having garnered points from qualifiers in other leagues that have been carried over to WEL.

Results:

World Cup Grand Prix