Dressage-News

AACHEN, Germany, May 27, 2024–Dinja van Liere and Hermes returned to top form with victory Wednesday in the CDI3* Grand Prix in the Dutch partnership’s first competition since withdrawing from the World Cup Final in Omaha a year ago.

Dinja and 12-year-old KWPN stallion that placed third in all three competitions–Grand Prix, Special and Freestyle–at the 2022 World Championships scored 75.552% for Wednesday’s win.

As with several results, the score reflected some major disparities between the five judges with a high of 77.174% from Britain’s Isobel Wessels and a low of 71.630% from Freddy Leyman of Belgium.

The success of Dinja and the 12-year-old KWPN stallion came in the first competition since the partnership withdrew from the World Cup Final in Omaha last April after the horse failed the veterinary examination.

Isabell Werth of Germany on Wendy de Fontaine, 10-year-old Danish Warmblood mare, was runner-up on 75.065%.

This was only the second competition for Isabell on Wendy that was competed by Andreas Helgstrand before he was suspended from competitions for a year following a television program of training at his Danish center.

Patrik Kittel of Sweden on on the 10-year-old Jovian scored 74.500% for third. It was the second CDI for Patrik and the KWPN stallion, that, similar to Isabell and Wendy, he took over competing when Andreas was suspended.

Ingrid Klimke of Germany on Franziskus, 16-year-old Hanoverian stallion, received a total of 74.283% for fourth place with individual scores ranging from 78.044% from Dutch judge Jeanine vam Twist and 71.304% from Lars Andersson of Denmark.

Fellow German Sönke Rothenberger on Fendi, the 10-year-old Danish Warmblood stallion on which the partnership won the German Grand Prix Championship in 2023, were awarded 74.000% that included 77.391% from Belgium’s Freddy Leyman and 70.870% from Bernard Maurel of France.

For complete results click here.