Americans at World Cup Final of Dressage in Basel, Switzerland

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The spectacular indoor arena for the World Cup, initially created as a winter sport,  for the championships of dressage, jumping and vaulting at Basel, Switzerland. © 2025 Ken Braddick/DRESSAGE-NEWS.com

By KENNETH J. BRADDICK

BASEL, Switzerland, April 1, 2025–The three United States rider and horse combinations on Tuesday mixed with jumpers preparing for the World Cups of dressage, jumping and vaulting being staged this week, the first of the annual championship for dressage in this mountainous nation.

Adrienne Lyle and her 2024 Olympic mount Helix and Kevin Kohmann on Dünensee in their second Final who competed mostly outdoors in Florida to qualify, while Genay Vaughn earned her first senior championship start on Gino in California, took advantage of the opportunity to work out in the competition arena. The magnificently decorated arena will seat about 6,000 spectators with the front rows just a few feet from the horses.

The St. Jakobshalle venue hosting the three championships, a first for vaulting with the two Olympic disciplines, has been preparing for weeks for the event with jumping holding the first contest, on Thursday. World Cups of jumping have been held in Switzerland twice before, but this is a first for dressage.

Veterinary examination of the 18 dressage horses will be held Thursday with the Grand Prix Friday and the Freestyle on Saturday to decide the championship and divide the total purse of €300,000/US$323,800.

Adrienne Lyle on Helix and Kevin Kohmann on Dünensee in the center of the arena. © 2025 Ken Braddick/DRESSAGE-NEWS.com
Adrienne Lyle on Helix and Kevin Kohmann on Dünensee in the center of the arena. © 2025 Ken Braddick/DRESSAGE-NEWS.com

 

Genay Vaughn on Gino in the first senior championship for the partnership. © 2025 Ken Braddick/DRESSAGE-NEWS.com

Adrienne, a three-time Olympian including at Paris last summer on the 13-year-old Helix after only six months from when the gelding was acquired by Zen Elite Equestrian of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, Kevin who rode the 16-year-old Dünensee in the 2024 World Cup Final in Saudi Arabia and Genay on the 14-year-old gelding Gino all completed qualifying each with the maximum of 60 points.

Helix with Adrienne Lyle aboard smelling the roses in the World Cup competition arena. © Ken Braddick/DRESSAGE-NEWS.com

 

Terri Kane (right) whose Diamante Farms in Wellington owns Dünensee, with Susan Todd watching the horses working out. In front is German Rodriguez, groom of the horse. © 2025 Ken Braddick/DRESSAGE-NEWS.com

 

Early media arrivals at the Basel, Switzerland World Cup Finals: Monique de Smit and Leanjo de Koster with camera of the Netherlands, Stefan Lafrentz of Germany and Dirk Caremans of Belgium. © 2025 Ken Braddick/DRESSAGE-NEWS.com

The complete lineup for the dressage Final.:

Western European League
1. Isabell Werth & DSP Quantaz of Germany
2. Corentin Pottier & Gotilas Du Feuillard of France
3. Bianca Nowag-Aulenbrock & Florine OLD of Germany
4. Charlotte Fry & Glamourdale of Great Britain
5. Carina Scholz & Tarantino 5 of Germany
6. Pauline Basquin & Sertorius de Rima Z of France
7. Larissa Pauluis & Flambeau of Belgium
8. Isabel Freese & Total Hope OLD of Norway
9. Borja Carrascosa & Sir Hubert of Spain

Central European League
1. Anikó Komjathy-Losonczy & Dior S of Hungary
2. Sandra Sysojeva & Maxima Bella of Poland

North American League
1. Kevin Kohmann & Dünensee of USA
2. Adrienne Lyle & Helix of USA
3. Geñay Vaughn & Gino of USA

Pacific League
Mary Hanna & Ivanhoe of Australia

Non-league
Renderson Silva de Oliveira & Fogoso Campline of Brazil

Tile Defender
Patrik Kittel & Forever Young HRH of Sweden

FEI Extra Starting Place
Jessica Neuhauser & Rockson of Switzerland