Dressage-News

LYON, France, Oct. 28, 2022–Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and TSF Dalera BB completed their comeback competition after a baby break of six months to win the World Cup Grand Prix Freestyle with the seventh straight score above 90%.

The result of 90.140% for Jessica and the 15-year-old Trakehner mare earned the rider the first of two scores required to go to Omaha next April to defend the World Cup title she won at Leipzig, Germany last April.

This is the longest 90% streak of any of the eight combinations to have achieved the mark since Edward Gal did so on Totilas with 90.750% in 2009. Charlotte Dujardin on Valegro twice logged two streaks of four 90% scores.

The unbroken 90%s for the German partnership began with 91.732% at the Tokyo Olympics in July 2021; the European Championships two months later; in Stockholm in November; Neumünster, Germany in February this year; ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands in March and at the Final in Leipzig.

Jessica and Dalera danced to a new French-themed musical score that the rider said “feels like it fits perfectly to Dalera, right from the first time I rode it. And she loves it! It’s a love story between Dalera and me that’s made in France.”

The music was awarded 10 from all five judges, while four of the five gave 10 for choreography and three more 10s and two 9.5s for harmony between horse and rider; 35 10s overall

Isabell Werth on Emilio was runner-up Friday on 87.945% that earned the most successful equestrian in history 20 points toward qualifying for Omaha. American Midwestern venue was where the German rider on Weihegold OLD began their run in 2017 of three World Cup victories. A chance for a fourth was stymied by Covid-19 that caused cancellation of the 2020 Final.

Sweden’s Patrik Kittel and the 10-year-old Swedish Warmblood stallion Touchdown were third on 84.630%. The 17 points garnered by Patrik moves him into second place on the Western European League standings as he seeks a start in what would be his ninth World Cup Final.

Benjamin Werndl, Jessica’s older brother at 38, placed fourth on Famoso OLD on 82.775%. Benjamin and the 13-year-old Oldenburg gelding jumped to the top of the standings for Western Europe with 33 points, one point ahead of Patrik.

The third of 11 WEL qualifiers is Stuttgart, Germany Nov. 9-13.

Results:

World Cup Grand Prix Freestyle