By KENNETH J. BRADDICK
WELLINGTON, Florida, Feb. 22, 2024–Germany captured Nations Cup gold for the fourth year in a row at Global Dressage Festival Thursday, USA took silver and Sweden bronze. Canada placed fourth.
The German team was led by Felicitas Hendricks on Drombusch OLD on a competition high score of 72.087%, with Anna-Christina Abbelen on Sam Donnerhall 70.826% and Frederic Wandres on Total Recall 70.456%. Michael Klimke on Domino 67.565% was the drop score.
Kevin Kohmann on Dünensee led the USA with a personal best 71.326%, the second best of the event, followed by Jan Ebeling on Jubi’s Tenacity 70.087% and Erin Nichols on Elian Royale with a personal best 69.565%. Jennifer Williams on Joppe K was the drop score on K 68.652%.
For Sweden, seven-time Olympian Tinne Vilhelmson Silfvén on 70.500%, Caroline Darcourt on Lord Django scored 70.152% and Christina Devine on Slæbækgåard’s Santino was on 58.304%.
The final team scores were: 1. Germany 213.369; 2. USA 210.978; 3. Sweden 198.956, 4. Canada 196.326.
Felicitas Hendricks, at 23 the youngest rider on the German team, made the Grand Prix debut on Drombusch on the 2023 gold medal team in the Wellington Nations Cup and this year was the highest placed combination in the competition.
“It’s been a great journey and it’s great to be back on the senior German team,” she said. “I think the scores are reflecting our improvement, but it’s not just about the scores. I think I was able to do a more detailed test today than last year for example so we improved our Grand Prix from last year for sure and there’s still things to work on. It’s far away from from being perfect but when is it ever going to be perfect and so we keep working on it and it’s just getting better and better.”
After 2023 Global circuit which she began with the Oldenburg gelding now 13 years old, the duo went on to become European Under-25 Champion, coached by her uncle Christoph Koschel.
“This season can’t really be going any better for me right now,” she said of the results so far–five first places in five starts. “It’s a great honor to be showing this horse in this fantastic ring here. He’s so happy to be here. He’s always happy to be showing, and that’s just the best feeling in the world when they’re so happy and willing to give their all in the ring. So whenever a mistake happens, you know that’s on me. It’s not him, that’s on me. It’s just really, really fun.”
Kevin Kohmann, who rode for Germany on their first gold medal team at Wellington in 2021, since switched to ride for America and was mounted on Dünensee, owned by the family of his recently wed bride, Devon Kane, that was awarded a personal best score of 71.326% Thursday.
“I’m just super thrilled to be in a situation with these guys, some old teammates,” he said. “And it’s amazing where this has come from. I competed the first time, I think, 12, 13 years ago with a European team. At that point, we didn’t even have a German team. And then we moved on to a German team with small tour. And now I’m riding here for the United States in Grand Prix.
“I’m just thrilled to be here right now. And to be the anchor rider for my team made me even more proud. And to get the top score, like, what else can I say? I’m just thrilled.”
Results:
Individual scores:
| Rank | Competitor | Score | E | H | C | M | B |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. |
Felicitas Hendricks (GER)
Drombusch OLD
|
72.087% | 72.065 | 72.391 | 72.935 | 71.739 | 71.304 |
| 2. |
Kevin Kohmann (USA)
Dünensee
|
71.326% | 71.957 | 71.630 | 69.783 | 72.283 | 70.978 |
| 3. |
Anna-Christina Abbelen (GER)
Sam Donnerhall
|
70.826% | 70.435 | 70.652 | 72.935 | 71.087 | 69.022 |
| 4. |
Tinne Vilhelmson Silfvén (SWE)
Devanto
|
70.500% | 70.870 | 71.087 | 70.000 | 70.109 | 70.435 |
| 5. |
Frederic Wandres (GER)
Total Recall
|
70.456% | 73.804 | 68.478 | 68.478 | 69.457 | 72.065 |
| 6. |
Caroline Darcourt (SWE)
Lord Django
|
70.152% | 70.435 | 70.761 | 69.891 | 68.043 | 71.630 |
| 7. |
Jan Ebeling (USA)
Jubi’s Tenacity
|
70.087% | 70.870 | 69.783 | 70.217 | 70.652 | 68.913 |
| 8. |
Erin Nichols (USA)
Elian Royale
|
69.565% | 70.652 | 69.891 | 69.674 | 70.435 | 67.174 |
| 9. |
Jennifer Williams (USA)
Joppe K
|
68.652% | 69.565 | 69.239 | 68.696 | 68.587 | 67.174 |
| 10. |
Michael Klimke (GER)
Domino 957
|
67.565% | 67.609 | 67.174 | 69.130 | 66.630 | 67.283 |
| 11. |
Denielle Gallagher (CAN)
Come Back de Massa
|
66.891% | 65.652 | 67.174 | 69.130 | 66.522 | 65.978 |
| 12. |
Rakeya Moussa (CAN)
Davidoff V.H. Trichelhof
|
65.630% | 65.978 | 64.565 | 65.543 | 65.652 | 66.413 |
| 13. |
Mathilde Blais Tetreault (CAN)
Fedor
|
63.805% | 63.913 | 64.457 | 63.587 | 67.283 | 59.783 |
| 14. |
Christina Devine (SWE)
Slæbækgåard’s Santino
|
58.304% | 58.913 | 56.413 | 59.022 | 60.217 | 56.957 |
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