By KENNETH J. BRADDICK
HAGEN, Germany, July 4, 2026–Frederic Wandres rode his Olympic gold medal mount Bluetooth OLD to win the CDIO4* Nations Cup Freestyle Saturday while USA’s Christian Simonson on Fleau de Baian placed third in only their second Big Tour musical performance.
Frederic and the 16-year-old Bluetooth that he rode on the German team at the Paris Olympics two years ago and has been named for the World Championships squad next month 80.735% for the win.
Fellow German Semmiecke Rothenberger, aged 27, and the 16-year-old Farrington was the runner-up combination on 78.930%.
Christian, based in Wellington and at 23 the youngest rider in the lineup of 11 horses and riders, performed on the 15-year-old Fleau de Baian for a score of 76.570%.
“I’m just over the moon with Felix today, especially on 4th of July, and having it be represented in America on the 4th of July,” he told DRESSAGE-NEWS.com. “This is a day I definitely won’t forget– to get to represent my country in Germany.”
This was Christian’s second major Freestyle placing this year–reserve champion on Indian Rock at the World Cup Final in Fort Worth, Texas in April and on the podium at Germany’s Nations Cup on a horse that he had first focused on the Under-25 division until May last year when the pair competed in their only previous Big Tour Freestyle. The duo also performed the freestyle at the national Grand Prix championships in May.
The results on Fleau may boost his chances of being selected for the U.S. championship team at the World Championships at Aachen, but he did not mention that.
Christian is coached by Adrienne Lyle who is competing here on Helix, her Olympic partner in Paris after it was acquired by Zen Elite Equestrian Center as was Fleau de Baian and several other horses and prospects for top sport.
Christian said the biggest transition with Fleau was not taking over the ride from Holland’s Adelinde Cornelissen who developed the horse but to go from Under-25 to be competitive at a senior level.
He enjoys the experience of developing as a senior rider and had reminisced about competing at these same show grounds as a youth rider “but now to get to be here with the seniors.”
“It was a really special evening to kind of bring that all together and be on a podium.”
“This is my first year at Grand Prix and doing this and I just feel so lucky that it’s like my first year with such special horses and with such a special team as well. I think each day I’m like, huh ‘well that’s crazy, I can’t believe this is happening’.”
“I just have lots of fun pushing myself and understanding and trying to understand also for those around me. I’ve just kind of taken it all in, but it’s been really fun. I’m having a blast.”
Results:
| Rank | Competitor | Score | E | H | C | M | B |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Frederic Wandres (GER) Bluetooth OLD | 80.735% | 82.475 | 78.425 | 81.175 | 80.600 | 81.000 |
| 2. | Semmieke Rothenberger (GER) Farrington | 78.930% | 78.350 | 78.150 | 79.700 | 77.900 | 80.550 |
| 3. | Christian Simonson (USA) Fleau de Baian | 76.570% | 76.850 | 76.875 | 74.550 | 77.850 | 76.725 |
| 4. | José Antonio Garcia Mena (ESP) Gladiador Do Lis | 76.400% | 78.175 | 76.600 | 76.600 | 77.350 | 73.275 |
| 5. | Rebecca Mauléon (SWE) Johnnie Walker BCN | 74.960% | 77.000 | 72.725 | 75.450 | 75.025 | 74.600 |
| 6. | Bettina Kendlbacher (AUT) Broadmoars Don Alfredo AWO | 74.845% | 74.175 | 71.775 | 74.475 | 76.075 | 77.725 |
| 7. | Cecilia Bergåkra (SWE) My Friend | 74.620% | 74.075 | 73.800 | 74.425 | 76.025 | 74.775 |
| 8. | Claudio Castilla Ruiz (ESP) Jota Das Figueiras | 73.260% | 71.675 | 73.600 | 73.325 | 72.650 | 75.050 |
| 9. | Caroline Darcourt (SWE) Bournonville | 72.270% | 72.625 | 75.325 | 71.125 | 72.875 | 69.400 |
| 10. | Sam Verheyden (BEL) Kryptonite van de Performing | 71.045% | 72.900 | 69.425 | 69.800 | 73.850 | 69.250 |
| 11. | Suraya Hendrikx (BEL) Dear Friend 2 | 69.965% | 69.650 | 72.025 | 70.000 | 70.900 | 67.250 |
| WD | Christian Schumach (AUT) Dedale de Hus OLD | withdrawn | |||||
 Find details on Equestrian Hub |
