Dinja van Liere Rides Hermès to Victory on Personal Best Score in Rotterdam CDIO5* Grand Prix Freestyle

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Dinja van Liere reacting to overwhelming crowd support of her Grand Prix Freestyle on Hermès at Rotterdam CDIO5*. © 2024 Ken Braddick/DRESSAGE-NEWS.com

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands, June 22, 2024–Dinja van Liere rode Hermès to victory on a personal best score in the CDIO5* Grand Prix Freestyle Saturday night to a medley of girl power songs that brought many in the packed stadium to join in singing as the Dutch duo rode down the final centerline.

Dinja and the 12-year-old KWPN stallion were awarded 87.830% for the win before the enthusiastic Dutch fans. The musical performance capped a week in which Holland’s top rider also led her team to capture the Nations Cup Thursday.

Dinja’s success came before the announcement next Tuesday of the Dutch team for the Paris Olympics. She underwent a shocking turn of events before the Tokyo Olympics three years ago when she was named to her first Olympic team then lost the opportunity because of a bureaucratic screw-up that incorrectly listed ownership of her horse for Germany instead of the Netherlands.

“I almost had to cry,” she said of the performance. “I was just so happy. And the people are just so enthusiastic and they’re screaming and clapping. It just feels overwhelming and very nice.”

Dinja van Liere and Hermès in the Rotterdam CDIO5* Grand Prix Freestyle. © 2024 Ken Braddick/DRESSAGE-NEWS.com

Isabell Werth of Germany returned Wendy de Fontaine, a 10-year-old Danish Warmblood mare, to competition after an injury that kept the duo out of the German championships, for runner-up in the duo’s first Freestyle on a score of 82.850%.

Dutch team compatriot Emmelie Scholtens on the 11-year-old stallion Indian Rock placed third on 81.430%.

Isabell who took over the ride from Andreas Helgstrand at the end of last year after he was suspended said, “it was really, really great today to feel that she’s so great in her mind, she doesn’t want to make something wrong. If there is something wrong, it’s my mistake and it’s a bit of a fine-tuning piece, I have to find out still. But I think today she was really jumping like a machine.”

Isabell Werth in her first Freestyle on Wendy de Fontaine, at Rotterdam CDIO5*. © 2024 Ken Braddick/DRESSAGE-NEWS.com

Results:

Grand Prix Freestyle – Nations Cup
RankCompetitorScoreEHCMB
1.
Dinja Van Liere (NED)
Hermès N.O.P.
87.830%86.17589.32587.30089.27587.075
2.
Isabell Werth (GER)
Wendy de Fontaine
82.850%83.37582.50082.07585.17581.125
3.
Emmelie Scholtens (NED)
Indian Rock
81.340%81.07581.35083.25080.85080.175
4.
Daniel Bachmann Andersen (DEN)
Vayron
81.120%83.27580.40081.57581.12579.225
5.
Carina Cassøe Krüth (DEN)
Heiline’s Danciera
79.815%79.20078.85081.35080.62579.050
6.
Corentin Pottier (FRA)
Gotilas du Feuillard
79.250%80.72580.07578.00077.90079.550
7.
Therese Nilshagen (SWE)
Dante Weltino OLD
78.515%78.82580.20077.12578.80077.625
8.
Pauline Basquin (FRA)
Sertorius de Rima Z IFCE
78.005%79.32576.70078.30075.77579.925
9.
Kevin Kohmann (USA)
Dünensee
73.425%72.80074.72574.25073.95071.400
10.
Richard White (GBR)
Heroi Do Seixo
70.420%69.77572.20067.80072.50069.825
11.
Lewis Carrier (GBR)
Diego V
70.135%72.12572.25069.95069.92566.425
12.
Carina Scholz (GER)
Tarantino 5
66.430%68.15064.42567.25064.32568.000
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