Dressage-News

Oct. 11, 2021

Jessica von Bredow-Werndl has been nominated for the 2023 FEI Best Athlete award and Christian Simonson of the United States as a nominee for Rising Star.

Jessica, 38 years old and the mother of two, is the reigning Olympic, World Cup and European Champion and ranked No. 1 along with TSF Dalera BB, the 16-year-old Trakehner mare she has partnered.

Jessica is nominated for the for Best Athlete along with Swiss jumper rider Steve Guerdat, British eventing rider Rosalind and Marijke Hammink of the Netherlands, top ranked pony four-in-hand driver.

Christian Simonson, 21, a Californian but based in Wellington, Florida has been nominated for 2023 Rising Star.

Christian is on the U.S. dressage team with Son of a Lady for the Pan American Games scheduled for later this month.

He has been successful on U.S. teams in major youth competitions on both sides of the Atlantic as well as the senior Nations Cup.

He is nominated along with 19-year-old American jumper rider Mimi Gochman, endurance rider Rodrigo Storani Saliba, 20, of Brazil, and vaulter Quentin Jabet of France.

Complete list of nominees:

Peden Bloodstock FEI Best Athlete
•    Steve Guerdat (SUI) – Jumping
•    Jessica Von Bredow-Werndl (GER) – Dressage
•    Ros Canter (GBR) – Eventing
•    Marijke Hammink (NED) – Driving

Longines FEI Rising Star – for athlete aged 14 to 21
•    Christian Simonson (USA) – Dressage
•    Mimi Gochman (USA) – Jumping
•    Rodrigo Storani Saliba (BRA) – Endurance
•    Quentin Jabet (FRA) – Vaulting

Cavalor FEI Best Groom
•    Danny Ingratta (CAN) – Jumping groom at Millar Brooke Farm (CAN) (Ian & Amy Miller)
•    Sarah Charnley (GBR) – Eventing groom for Rosalind (Ros) Canter (GBR)
•    Emma Uusi-Simola (FIN) – Jumping groom for Steve Guerdat (SUI)
•    Sofia Flodin (SWE) – Dressage groom for Mathias Rath (GER)

Pivo FEI Inspire
•    Valeria Bonfiglio (ITA) – Endurance
•    Jennie Sharpe (GBR) – Jumping
•    Federico Fernandez Senderos (MEX)
•    Ukrainian Vaulting team of Polina Shovkova and Kateryna (Katya) Panasenko

The winners will be decided by 50% of the public’s vote via FEI.org and on the Chinese social media platform WeChat, and 50% of the judges’ vote.

To vote, click here https://www.fei.org/awards/vote. Voting is open until Oct. 22.

The judges are:

•    Ingmar De Vos – FEI President
•    Bernardo Tribolet – Vice President Marketing Longines
•    Martin Atock – Peden Bloodstock
•    Peter Bollen – Cavalor
•    Daniela Garcia Nigaglioni – Secretary General of Pan American Equestrian Confederation
•    Jessica Kürten – Chair of the Athletes Committee
•    Diane Smith – FEI 2022 Solidarity Award winner

The winner of each division will be presented the award at the FEI annual gala in Mexico City Nov. 21.