Dinja van Liere on Hermes Lead Netherlands to CDIO5* Nations Cup Victory in Country’s Final Selection Event for Paris Olympics

6 months ago StraightArrow Comments Off on Dinja van Liere on Hermes Lead Netherlands to CDIO5* Nations Cup Victory in Country’s Final Selection Event for Paris Olympics
Dinja van Liere on Hermes leading the Netherlands to victory in the Rotterdam Nations Cup that was also the final qualifier for Holland’s team for the Paris Olympics. © 2024 Ken Braddick/DRESSAGE-NEWS.com

By KENNETH J. BRADDICK

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands, June 20, 2024–Dinja van Liere on Hermes led the Netherlands to victory in the CDIO5* Nations Cup Thursday in the country’s final selection event for the Paris Olympics while the team for runner-up Denmark won’t be announced until after Aachen, Germany the first week of July.

Third place Germany was led by Wendy de Fontaine ridden by Isabell Werth to place second individually behind Dinja and Hermes. This was the first competition for Wendy since an injury kept him out of the German championships but now has a chance of competing at Aachen. If the pair are successful, Paris would be the seventh Olympics for the most successful equestrian in history.

The United States finished in eighth and last place with a team of three including two combinations on the Olympic short list both of whom were outscored by Kevin Kohmann on Dünensee who was not on the squad.

The results for the team competition: 1. Netherlands 222.392; 2. Denmark 220.349; 3. Germany 219.435; 4. Belgium 216.869; 5. Sweden 216.674; 6. France 215.348; 7. Great Britain 205.305, and 8. USA 194.848.

Dinja posted the individual top score of 77.891%–a few hours after winning a national Grand Prix on Hartsuijker that was also closely watched by the Dutch selectors.

For Dinja making the Paris Olympic squad will be some compensation for screwed up ownership registration of Hermes that kept her out of the Tokyo Games three years ago after she and Hermes had been selected by the Dutch federation.

Edward Gal on Glock’s Total US in the Rotterdam CDIO5* Nations Cup Grand Prix. © 2024 Ken Braddick/DRESSAGE-NEWS.com

The Dutch team also included Edward Gal on Glock’s Total US who placed ninth individually on 73.196% in only his second competition since the Tokyo Olympics. Emmelie Scholtens on Indian Rock with 71.305% was the third combination whose score counted for Holland.

Daniel Bachmann Andersen on Vayron was the highest placed for Denmark at 75.457%. With Nanna Skodborg Merrald on Blue Hors Don Olymbrio at 73.631% Denmark appeared within reach of Holland.

However, Carina Cassøe Krüth on Heiline’s Danciera made several uncharacteristic mistakes that resulted in a score of 67.674% and was discarded from the team’s total.

Isabell Werth’s result of 76.935% on Wendy, a horse she has been riding since Andreas Helgstrand was suspended from competing last year, boosted Germany to the bronze medal.

Isabell Werth on Wendy de Fontaine in the CDIO5* Nations Cup in Rotterdam. © 2024 Ken Braddick/DRESSAGE-NEWS.com

Six of the American combinations on the short list are scheduled to compete at Kronberg, Germany with the CDI4* Grand Prix scheduled for Friday. Steffen Peters on Suppenkasper was leading the qualifying and excused from the shows this weekend that makes the duo a virtual certainty for the U.S. Paris squad of four–three for the team and one reserve–to be announced by the end of day next Tuesday.

The results for the U.S. were surprising inasmuch as Ashley Holzer and Hansel performed well at both TerraNova in Florida last month and the head-to-head competition at Hagen, Germany just days ago that led to her being elevated to the short list.

However, as Ashley explained to dressage-news.com, she and Hansel followed Nanna Skodborg Merrald on Don Olymbrio whose result of 73.631% put the pair at the top of the leaderboard at the time sparking loud sustained applause from spectators.

Ashley said she did not want to take Hansel into the noisy stadium but by the time the applause died down she did not have enough time to ride around the arena before the 45 seconds clock was close to running out so the duo went in unprepared.

There were numerous mistakes that Ashley, a four-time Olympian for Canada before switching to ride for the USA in 2017, and Hansel ended with a score of 59.044%.

Kevin Kohmann on Dünensee in the Rotterdam CDIO5* Nations Cup. © 2024 Ken Braddick/DRESSAGE-NEWS.com

Kevin Kohmann, who competed in the World Cup Final in April, rode after Ashley for a score of 67.956%.

Katherine Bateson Chandler on Haute Couture was the last in the class of 30 combinations and were awarded 67.848%.

Results:

Grand Prix Dressage Nations Cup of The Netherlands

RankCompetitorScoreEHCMB
1.
Dinja Van Liere (NED)
Hermès N.O.P.
77.891%78.04378.58778.47876.08778.261
2.
Isabell Werth (GER)
Wendy de Fontaine
76.935%77.71777.71775.97875.87077.391
3.
Daniel Bachmann Andersen (DEN)
Vayron
75.457%75.76175.87076.30474.67474.674
4.
Patrik Kittel (SWE)
Touchdown
74.761%74.02275.54374.78374.56574.891
5.
Corentin Pottier (FRA)
Gotilas du Feuillard
73.674%74.02273.47873.37073.91373.587
6.
Nanna Skodborg Merrald (DEN)
Blue Hors Don Olymbrio
73.631%72.50072.50076.19673.37073.587
7.
Becky Moody (GBR)
Jagerbomb
73.609%74.23974.67473.47873.80471.848
8.
Larissa Pauluis (BEL)
Flambeau
73.413%73.15272.93573.80474.45772.717
9.
Edward Gal (NED)
Glock’s Total US
73.196%70.76175.00073.37073.69673.152
10.
Flore De Winne (BEL)
Flynn FRH
72.913%72.60973.47872.71772.39173.370
11.
Pauline Basquin (FRA)
Sertorius de Rima Z IFCE
72.304%74.34871.84872.50071.63071.196
12.
Carina Scholz (GER)
Tarantino 5
71.804%71.73970.65273.58772.71770.326
13.
Emmelie Scholtens (NED)
Indian Rock
71.305%69.02271.95771.95770.97872.609
14.
Lone Bang Zindorff (DEN)
Thranegaardens Rostov
71.261%69.56571.63070.87073.04371.196
15.
Maria von Essen (SWE)
Invoice
71.000%70.54370.97870.00072.71770.761
16.
Juliette Ramel (SWE)
Buriel K.H.
70.913%71.84870.54372.06569.34870.761
17.
Bianca Nowag-Aulenbrock (GER)
Queolito
70.696%70.43570.87068.69672.71770.761
18.
Domien Michiels (BEL)
Intermezzo van het Meerdaalhof
70.543%69.23970.32670.65272.17470.326
19.
Marlies van Baalen (NED)
Habibi DVB N.O.P.
70.435%71.41371.08771.08767.82670.761
20.
Therese Nilshagen (SWE)
Dante Weltino OLD
69.935%67.93570.21770.65270.87070.000
21.
Charlotte Defalque (BEL)
Botticelli
69.826%69.45770.10969.45770.76169.348
22.
Alexandre Ayache (FRA)
Jolene
69.370%69.02269.67469.89169.23969.022
23.
Kevin Kohmann (USA)
Duenensee
67.956%68.04367.06569.23967.60967.826
24.
Katherine Bateson Chandler (USA)
Haute Couture
67.848%66.73966.19669.23968.58768.478
25.
Arnaud Serre (FRA)
James Bond de Massa
67.761%69.23966.84867.28367.82667.609
26.
Carina Cassøe Krüth (DEN)
Heiline’s Danciera
67.674%67.39168.69667.28367.39167.609
27.
Lewis Carrier (GBR)
Diego V
67.022%66.52267.28368.15266.95766.196
28.
Richard White (GBR)
Heroi Do Seixo
64.674%62.93564.34866.30465.10964.674
29.
Ingrid Klimke (GER)
SAP Freudentaenzer
64.631%64.89165.87064.78365.32662.283
30.
Ashley Holzer (USA)
Hansel
59.044%58.26158.69660.87059.67457.717
Find details on Equestrian Hub