Dressage

Goose-bump alarm at the Aachen Soers! One highlight followed the next in the Deutsche Bank Prize 2019. But the very best came at the end!

And once again this proved to be Isabell Werth. For the 13^th time in total and for the third time in succession, she won the Deutsche Bank Prize at the CHIO Aachen. What’s more, with a different horse every time – Weihegold, Emilio and today Bella Rose. 90.450 percent, a personal record was the exceptional mare’s birthday present to her rider, who celebrated her 50^th birthday at the Soers. The queen of dressage was congratulated with standing ovations and a “Happy Birthday” repertoire sung by 6,500 dressage fans. On the last centre line, the spectators clapped to the rhythm of the passage and finally broke out into thunderous applause. And Bella Rose? She raised her head, took a look round as if acknowledging the fact that homage was being paid to her just as much as to her rider.

“It’s Showtime“ – that is how the freestyle of Dorothee Schneider and her Sandro Hit son, who carries the same name, begins. Then, both set off to the Queen medley, the main theme of which is “The Show must go on”. No other music could suit this wonderful dancer better. The pair already scored a personal best in the Spécial yesterday. Today in the freestyle they did it again: Second place with a score of 89.660 percent. A visibly emotional German Champion, Dorothee Schneider: “The hairs on my neck were standing up while I was riding this freestyle in Aachen with this horse…” That said it all. And a whole stadium was delighted at experiencing the best Showtime, there’d ever been.

If there is a pair that personifies lightness, then it has to be Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and her Trakehner mare, Dalera BB. The music from the film “La La Land” perfect for the light-footedness and ease of this Easy Game daughter and Bredow-Werndl with her perfect seat, who finished third today on a score of 87.595 percent. The last minutes of the choreography with the extended trot, passage and piaffe, perfectly coordinated to the music, were as rhythmic as a metronome – one could have even awarded the pair 11s for the exercises. The Chief Judge, Dr. Evi Eisenhardt, commented as follows about the performances on Sunday morning: “Believe me not only the spectators had goose-bumps. We did too!”

Eight pairs with a score over 80 percent – that shows how high the level was in the Deutsche Bank Prize in 2019.

The Danish rider, Cathrine Dufour and her long-standing successful four-legged partner, Cassidy, were favourites to win the LUMILEDS-Prize, the Grand Prix Freestyle of the CDI4* Tour. And that’s precisely what they did and had a great deal of fun to boot.

“He was like a five-year-old again today,” laughed Cathrine Dufour after finding out that she had claimed the victory in the Grand Prix Freestyle, the LUMILEDS-Prize, with Cassidy and the freestyle choreography that already brought the pair the bronze medal at the European Championships in Gothenburg. Their score today 83.460 percent. “He performed the piaffe as if he hadn’t done it for ages.” She and the meanwhile 16-year-old Caprimond son have been a team for nine years. However, there are moments when Cassidy still manages to surprise his rider: “I think he just wanted to make sure the spectators had a great evening tonight,” the Danish rider grinned. “He simply wanted to march off, I had to really slow him down. And now we have won in Aachen. It is fantastic!”

As in 2018, Ingrid Klimke came second with Franziskus, who made expensive mistakes in the one-tempi flying changes today. The judges awarded the pair 78.945 percent for their performance. Ingrid had to do one extra flying change tonight too, out of her eventer’s clothes into her tails, she namely took part in the Lavazza Cup shortly before her appearance in the dressage arena!

Third place went to Austria to Ulrike Prunthaller with Quebec (77.260 percent).

It seems that British dressage riders, whose forenames are Charlotte, seem to be guaranteed to obtain scores of 80 percent upwards in the dressage arena. First there was Charlotte Dujardin, now it is Charlotte Fry. Today, she claimed the victory in the Intermédiaire I, the WOTAX-Prize with her World Champion, Glamourdale.

The judges awarded Charlotte Fry with the just eight-year-old KWPN stallion, Glamourdale, 80.412 percent, whom she won the World Champion of the Young Horses with last year. They gave the pair tens for the extended canter and for the seat and influence of the rider, who explained: “He simply loves presenting himself and was totally by me every step of the way. I thoroughly enjoyed it!” What is better representing Great Britain in the Nations Cup at Aachen or riding to victory with Glamourdale? “I really can’t say, both are incredible!”

The pairs that finished second and third were also delighted with their results. As in the Prix St. Georges, the Dutch rider, Joyce Heuitink, came second with the eight-year-old Apache son, Gaudi Vita, this time on a score of 73.265 percent.

Third place went to the Hubertus Schmidt with a horse that can only be described as a high-achiever: the just seven-year-old Denoix. Schmidt has been riding the Oldenburg-bred Destano son since he was five. He has hardly competed. Schmidt’s professional rider, Katharina Hemmer, competed him twice in medium dressage competitions for young horses, just to see how he behaved at shows. He won both. Then, he was allowed to mature in peace at home. Denoix took part in his first advanced level dressage competition in April, directly at the international show in Hagen. He came second in the first competition and won the Intermédiaire I. And today he picked up the white ribbon in the Deutsche Bank Stadium with an overall score of 71,794 percent.

In addition to their victory in the Grand Prix, Isabell Werth and Bella Rose also won the Grand Prix Spécial, the MEGGLE-Prize, which was also part two of the Lambertz Nations Cup, which proved to be easy prey for the German team – for the 38^th time. Not exclusively due to Isabell Werth’s top performance.

Isabell Werth and Bella Rose were faced with strong competition from their own ranks in the form of the German Champions, Dorothee Schneider and Showtime, in the MEGGLE-Prize. Two of the judges even placed Schneider and “Showi” in front of the World Champions. However, in the end, Isabell Werth asserted herself with 84.447 percent. Dorothee Schneider finished second (83.617), and third place went to Charlotte Dujardin (GBR) with Erlentanz (80.277), just like in the Grand Prix.

Germany has been undefeated in the Lambertz Nations Cup since 2011. The German national coach Monica Theodorescu’s team notched up an overall score of 489.477 points, ahead of Denmark (457.515) and the USA (450.775). It was the 38^th victory of the German dressage team in Aachen. In the years 2005, 2009 and 2010, the Dutch national anthem was played instead.

Isabell Werth and her 15-year-old Belissimo M daughter, Bella Rose, excelled once again in the piaffe and passage. She was showered with 10s – except for in the second piaffe. Werth explained that she had noticed Bella was pretty temperamental this morning, so she didn’t risk all. “I was absolutely satisfied, but it wasn’t the bees’ knees.” Tomorrow is another day – and incidentally Werth’s 50^th birthday. Winning the Deutsche Bank Prize for the 13^th time would be a nice birthday present, for sure!

The performance of the pair that finished second, Dorothee Schneider and Showtime, was indeed the crème de la crème. Their score – 83.617 percent – is a personal record, even though the 13-year-old Hanoverian-bred Sandro Hit son made two expensive mistakes: one in the transition from the passage into the extended trot and the other in the transition from the passage to canter. Dorothee Schneider was nevertheless overjoyed: “It is very emotional for me to be back with this horse. Today’s last line was like flying.” Showtime had been out of action after a paddock injury in 2017 for a long time. Dorothee Schneider, who has been riding the gelding since he was three and a half, said: “I am proud of this horse and at the moment also of myself because we have grown together so well over the years and performing so superbly meanwhile.”

Charlotte Dujardin, who came third with the Trakehner Erlentanz, whom she is currently riding for her pupil Sonnar Murray Brown, was as in the Grand Prix followed by Jessica von Bredow-Werndl with Dalera BB, who is also a Trakehner. The judges awarded the pair 79.021 percent. Unfortunately, their piaffes, which were one of the highlights in the Grand Prix, weren’t as good today. Jessica von Bredow-Werndl was nevertheless happy with her overall performance: “Apart from the two piaffes it was the best ride of my life!”

The fourth member of the team, Helen Langehanenberg with Damsey admitted herself: “We are definitely not presenting ourselves from our best side here.” In the Grand Prix, the 17-year-old stallion had striked before the piaffes. Today was much better, but they didn’t take any risks. The result was eleventh place on a score of 75.043 percent. “It was a consoling conclusion,” noted Langehanenberg.

Asked as to whether the team didn’t get bored of winning, the Chef d’Equipe, Klaus Röser, replied. “No, we love winning”.

The Quadrille Championship at the CHIO Aachen, the Prize of Handwerk is a very special class! The sophisticated choreographies and elaborate costumes would even cut a clean figure in the big CHIO Opening Ceremony. The team from the District Association of Mettmann were especially convincing again today.

The team leader, Marco Schmid and his quadrille members had actually stated that they intended to quit after their victory in 2018, instead they increased the degree of difficulty of their freestyle routine, came up with a motto related to the partner country France, all of which ultimately contributed towards Mettmann claiming the victory again. The winning quartet was made up of Iris Charles with La Lutzi, Jule-Marie Ditthardt with Passion of Night, Chantal van de Griend with Lord Niro and Sarina Bamme with Egon Hurry Up. The judges awarded the group a total score of 18.5 points.

Since Sarina Bamme only filled in for someone else at the last moment, it was not at all sure whether things would go as smoothly as last year. Nevertheless, the team from Mettmann were awarded 9.0 for their technical riding skills and 9.5 for their artistic impression.

“The Oscar goes to Krefeld” was the motto that the District Association of Krefeld brought to Aachen with them. Admittedly, they didn’t quite pick up the Oscar, but second place at least with an overall score of 18 points. The team led by Tanja Liepack, comprised of Lena Backes with Fioretto Festival, Christina Dahl with Las Vegas, Nicole Louven with Laurino and Iris Rommerskirchen with Danoni.

Third place went to the District Association of Düren who finished on a score of 17.7 points. The team leader was Michelle Heuel and the riders were Anne Schagen with Sommermärchen, Rebecca Ida Winkler with Rockadinho, Svenja Wolf with Flores and Deborah Zester with Remington D.

Sorry, this entry is only available in German.

Sorry, this entry is only available in German.

The dressage queen, Isabell Werth, is on the best way to winning the Dressage Grand Prix of Aachen for the third time in succession. She laid the foundation today with her World Champion partner, Bella Rose in the Grand Prix of the Prize of Family Tesch, which is also the first competition in the Lambertz Nations Cup.

The team and individual World Champions, Isabell Werth and Bella Rose, rode to victory in the Grand Prix, the Prize of Family Tesch with a sensational score of 82.783 percent. Second place went to the German Champions, Dorothee Schneider and Showtime (80.609 percent). To her own surprise, the three-time Olympic gold medallist, Charlotte Dujardin, finished third with her second-string horse, Erlentanz. Her overall score: 79.152 percent.

Isabell Werth and Bella Rose’s performance was virtually perfect. They only made one small mistake in the one-tempi flying changes. “Completely unnecessary,” the most successful dressage rider of all time said, slightly annoyed. However, her delight at the successful performance soon clearly overweighed her annoyance: “It was a great test! The mare was extremely concentrated. I am totally happy!” And she had every reason to be. Especially since the German national coach, Monica Theodorescu, waved away the mistake in the flying changes when interviewed: “That doesn’t matter when one takes into consideration the super piaffe and passage tour.” Here as well as for the transitions and the seat and influence of the rider she was awarded the highest possible mark of 10.0 several times.

Indeed, the judges dealt out plenty of 10s today, also to the recently crowned “German Master”, Dorothee Schneider with Showtime, with whom she won Olympic team gold. After the CHIO Aachen in 2018, the meanwhile 13-year-old Hanoverian-bred Sandro Hit son was out of action for a long time due to injury. He didn’t start competing again until the spring. The long time-out obviously did him no harm. Showtime already excelled at the German Championships in Balve and he was able to repeat this form again today. Dorothee Schneider commented: “Showtime has grown up, he is much more self-confident.” She added that he had listened to her today much better than last year and had been very concentrated. Not even a loud noise – probably a bottle falling over on the stand – didn’t even distract the pair. It was just rather annoying that it had to happen in the middle of the half-passes that count double. Showtime flinched briefly, but was immediately by his rider again. However, it cost the pair a few valuable points – as did a small mistake in the one-tempi flying changes. Nevertheless, the highlights such as the passage, the extended walk, piaffe, the transitions and the overall fresh, motivated impression the gelding made dominated their performance.

Great Britain’s dressage darling, Charlotte Dujardin was back in the Deutsche Bank Stadium for the first time since the European Championships in 2015. And she was still amazed at how much the riders in the arena can feel the spectators on the stands. How much one registers how they held their breath and gasped after even the smallest mistake. Charlotte Dujardin had saddled the Trakehner, Erlentanz, for this year’s test. Aachen will be the last joint show for the pair. The 12-year-old Latimer son belongs to one of her pupils and her mentor, Carl Hester: Sonnar Murray Brown. Erlentanz and his owner competed in their first Grand Prix competitions together last year and will be taking “Erly” back on after Aachen. He had asked Charlotte Dujardin if she could ride his horse at competition because he broke his leg and was out of action for quite a while. Dujardin said yes straightaway. Since then they have won three competitions at three shows in England, but hadn’t ever achieved a result like today, 79.152 percent and a personal record! And that in spite of the fact that Dujardin hadn’t really had any high expectations: “I knew the Germans would be competing with their best horses. Erlentanz is a super horse, but I really hadn’t expected to achieve this result. I simply wanted to enjoy this wonderful show and have fun.”

Dujardin and Erlentanz narrowly beat Jessica von Bredow-Werndl with Dalera BB, who came fourth on a score of precisely 79 percent. The absolutes highlight of this pair: the piaffe/passage tour! Small errors like halting too early and a slight mistake in one of the flying changes in the zig zag half-passes cost them valuable points. But Jessica von Bredow-Werndl’s overall comment was: “The mare is incredible! She is a machine in the positive sense of the word!”

The only German team member, who things didn’t run smoothly for today, was Helen Langehanenberg. Her Damsey apparently had two left hooves today, striked before the piaffe tour, halted and only let himself be motivated to show a few piaffe steps after being energetically persuaded to do so by his rider. The pair slipped down to 18^th place in the ranking with a score of 71.239 percent. She was consoled by her team mates. Isabell Werth: “She mastered the situation well, I take my hat off to her!” And the German national coach, Monica Theodorescu, was also full of understanding: “Helen was rather unlucky, but that is part of our sport. Things like that have happened to us all.” She must know, after all she was one of the best dressage riders in the world herself for many years and her name is also on the winners’ board recording the winners of the Dressage Grand Prix of Aachen.

Monica Theodorescu is as equally successful in her role as trainer. On a total interim score of 242.392 points, Germany is currently clearly in the lead in the Lambertz Nations Cup, ahead of the Danish quartet on 228.174 points and the team from the USA (225.392). It would be the sixth victory of the German squad in the Lambertz Nations Cup under the aegis of Monica Theodorescu, who only took over the position in September 2012. The final result of the Nations Cup will be revealed after the second competition on Saturday, the Grand Prix Spécial, the MEGGLE Prize.

Olympic gold medallist, World and European Champion, last year’s winner Emilio with Isabell Werth and many other big names had a rendezvous for the HAVENS Horsefeed-Prize, the Grand Prix of the CDI4* Tour. In the end, Sönke Rothenberger and his superstar, Cosmo, secured themselves the victory with a clear lead.

Sönke Rothenberger and Cosmo won the HAVENS Horsefeed-Prize with a score of 81.370 percent. That is the second-best Grand Prix result the team Olympic gold medallist of the year 2016 has ever been awarded in a Grand Prix – and that although Rothenberger didn’t even risk all. They have only beaten this score once before, namely at the World Equestrian Games in Tryon in 2018, where they won gold with the team. This year Aachen is only the pair’s second show. The last competition prior to Aachen, the German Championships in Balve in mid-June, came to an end for the pair before it had even begun, since shortly after arriving at the showgrounds, the twelve-year-old KWPN gelding came down with colic and had to be taken to the clinic. Today, he seemed as fit as a fiddle in the Deutsche Bank Stadium, scored several 9s and was also awarded the odd 10 by the judges.

Second place went to Isabell Werth and Emilio, the pair that won the Deutsche Bank Prize last year. They scored under the 80-percent mark today, 79.450 to be precise. Third place went to Denmark’s, Cathrine Dufour with the meanwhile 16-year-old Cassidy, her long-standing successful partner, whom she already won infinite medals with during her days riding for the Juniors and Young Riders. She also competed at an Olympic Games for the first time with him in 2016 in Rio as well as picking up bronze in the individual classification at the European Championships in Gothenburg in 2017.

The British rider, Charlotte Fry clearly took the victory in the Prix St. Georges competition, the Prize of VUV-Vereinigte Unternehmerverbände Aachen in the Deutsche Bank Stadium with the just eight-year-old KWPN stallion, Glamourdale.

It was the 23-year-old British dressage rider, Charlotte Fry’s debut performance at the World Equestrian Festival in Aachen. Her premiere with the eight-year-old Glamourdale proved to be a total success. Placed first by all five judges with a total score of 77.971, she rode to victory in the Prix St. Georges, the Prize of the VUV-Vereinigte Unternehmerverbände Aachen, with ease. Second place went to the Dutch rider, Joyce Heuitink riding Gaudi Vita on a score of 72.471, followed by Hubertus Schmidt with Denoix PCH (70.588).

The victory was not totally unexpected as Charlotte Fry said: “I had hoped to win, because he is so incredible,” she beamed patting Glamourdale affectionately on the neck. What she felt like during her first appearance at the Soers? “The stadium is awesome, better than anything I have ever seen!”

Whereby Fry and her Lord Leatherdale son have already notched up plenty of great victories together. For instance, the British athlete, who lives in the Netherlands, claimed the World Championship title for the seven-year-old dressage horses with her black stallion last year in Ermelo. They are at home at the yard of van Olst, who also owns Glamourdale. Charlotte Fry learnt her dressage skills from the British master trainer, Carl Hester. 2018 was the most successful year in her career to-date. In addition to winning the world championship title in Ermelo, she also won gold in the freestyle competition at the U25 European Championships, albeit with Dark Legend, whom she has also brought to Aachen with her and whom she will be saddling tomorrow for the Nations Cup representing Great Britain.