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Tag: Herning Dressage

Another win for Fry

The prize podium once again filled up with new rising stars on young extremely talented horses. The future of dressage looks bright as both riders and horses are very gifted for the sport of dressage. Gold to British rider Charlotte Fry, silver to home rider Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour and bronze yet again to Dinja van Liere from the Netherlands. 

Dressage supernovas danced under the full moon in floodlight in the Blue Hors FEI World Dressage Grand Prix Freestyle Championship Wednesday evening. A clear sky and a warm summer breeze filled Stutteri Ask Stadium with expectations right from the start. Close to 10,000 spectators listened and watched fifteen combinations do a dressage dance to tunes of their own choosing. And the crowd was on fire right from the start, their support would lift up a number of combinations but also prove to be too much of a challenge for a chosen few.   

Many riders performed at their very best level during the last class in dressage of ECCO FEI World Championship in Herning. In total 13 out of 15 combinations scored over 80 percent and that speaks volumes about the quality of the whole class. 

Swedish rider Patrik Kittel and Danish Daniel Bachmann Andersen took their 10-year-old horses to new heights finishing on 7th and 8th place respectively. They even overtook Isabell Werth on DSP Quantaz performing to classic pop tunes, doing a piaffe pirouette to “It’s a heartache” by Bonnie Tyler and finishing om 10th place. 

Adrienne Lyle and stallion Salvino looked sharper and sharper day by day and really rocked the Stutteri Ask Stadium enjoying the interaction with the crowd. Gareth Hughes made his best ride to date with Classic Briolinca and finished 5th in the freestyle, his best placing as an individual.  

Benjamin Werndl has gained a lot of praise for his smooth harmonious riding and even if he ended up in what some refer to as the worst placing, being number 4, he and Famoso have enjoyed their first taste of senior championships and will aim for more.  

Gold medallist Charlotte Fry and Glamourdale rode to a very crowd-pleasing potpourri of pop songs, rocking every step down the centre line. The black stallion has a canter with immense lift and airtime, showing off in extensions and tempi changes as well as piaffe and passage and trot extension – the list of quality movement never end. The judged rewarded their ride with 90.654 percent.  

Dinja van Liere and Hermés were performing to the cheer of the crowd and the stallion was coping like a really experienced dressage horse showing of his talent and quality gaits. When reaching the finishing line, Dinja threw her fist in the air; We really did it. With 86,90 percent it was enough for yet another bronze medal. 

Last to go was Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour and her lovely pocket rocket Vamos Amigos. They rode their floorplan with really high difficulty to the theme from Les Misérables and showed their fluency, softness and perfect collection in movement by movement. The audience followed her last lines with rhythmic applause and if there had been a roof on the Stutteri Ask Stadium by her graceful last halt – it would have blown right off. A good ride, nearly perfect, 89.411 percent and a silver medal to bring home.  

A supernova has risen in the sky in Herning, her name is Charlotte Fry and her steed is a black stallion named Glamourdale. 

/Herning2022

Stars sparkling under the floodlight

There was open arena training under the huge four corner floodlights as preparation for the 15 best dressage combinations in the peak of the dressage championships – the freestyle. Blue Hors FEI World Dressage Grand Prix Freestyle Championship presented by Helgstrand starts at 20:00 and finishes with a celebration, the prize giving and the medal ceremony at 23:00. 

The last challenge for the 15 best dressage combinations in the world championships will be conducted under a slowly darkening sky, bringing an added layer of ambience when their performances re combined with a musical element. The freestyle is often compared to the Olympic discipline ice dance where the skaters compose their own program and choose their music. In the freestyle horse and rider dance together and perform the dressage movements in a pattern of their choosing, adding flow and complexity in accordance with their skill level.  

At its best – freestyle can bring out emotions even from hearts cast in stone and the start list for the world championship finale contain a number of combinations with the right skillset.  

The sold-out stadium will be at boiling point under the floodlights when dressage stars from home nation Denmark alongside with Great Britain, The Netherlands and Sweden set out to rock the spectators out of their seats. 

Prepare to be amazed, by sunset the music will be flowing in Stutteri Ask Stadium.  

See the startlist here

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British gold in Herning

A new generation of stars emerges at Herning2022, and they have young talented horses to develop even further. The Blue Hors FEI World Dressage Grand Prix Special Championship 

showed 29 combinations giving their best to reach the freestyle and final medal possibilities on Wednesday evening under floodlight. 

Daniel Bachmann Andersen

Best of the best in a tight competition filled with suspense and drama was Charlotte “Lottie” Fry on the black stallion Glamourdale. She beat silver winning Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour in a tight battle where perhaps a tiny misstep in canter cost the Danish home-rider the top podium position. Dutch rider Dinja van Liere kept control of the reins of her elegant stallion Hermés, whom she claims is a bit of a clown from time to time. 

As the competition of the Grand Prix Special unfolded, many combinations came through producing even better rides than in the team competition. A bit of the tension from the pressure of representing a team had gone away and the combinations could really show off their qualities in the more demanding program that is the Grand Prix Special.  

The claim on the top positions started out with German team debutante Benjamin Werndl that did a fabulous ride with his Famoso OLD scoring 78.237 percent. Charlotte Dujardin followed up with a very excited and eager Imhotep but could not quite get ahead of Benjamin Werndl. The stadium got really heated when a lovely lady in orange tails entered on a beautiful stallion. Dinja van Liere and Hermes held it together and scored 79.407 percent, a personal best. Still, the amazon used powerful language in a bit of annoyance, she has dreamt of 80 percent for a long time and will surely achieve it given time. Straight after her entered the rider with the highest score in the team competition, Danish rider Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour on her energetic Vamos Amigos. They really showed off a fluent, harmonious, and elegant test, but a tiny tempi fault cost a little, giving them a score of 81.322 percent. Would it be sufficient to win?  

Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour and  Vamos Amigos. Photo: Herning2022/ www.sportfotos-lafrentz.de/Stefan Lafrentz

Young Charlotte Fry on approved breeding stallion Glamourdale came in meeting the cheer for Cathrine from the crowd in Stutteri Ask Stadium in stride. They produced a flawless test, improving on their weak points with so much promise for the future. The crowd followed her every canter step in awe sending her off to powerful cheering in the last halt. When she left the stadium meeting Die Queen Isabell Werth in the ring the queen shared a high-five with young “Lottie” on her way out, true sportsmanship in full view. Charlotte Fry and Glamourdale scored 82.508 percent and took over the lead securing a top podium place. Isabell Werth and DSP Quantaz delivered their best ride to date, but the percentage did not suffice for a podium place. British gold, Danish silver, and a Dutch bronze medal in the Blue Hors FEI World Dressage Grand Prix Special Championship.

Dinja van Liere and Hermés. Photo: Herning2022/Hippofoto.be Dirk Caremans

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Danish dynamic quartet takes team gold at ECCO FEI World championship in Herning

The four championship heroes all made close to their best performances in the team class, it is not every year a winning team has a drop score of 76.6 percent, nothing short of impressive.

The field of teams that were closing in on the podium places were after three riders more than a handful throwing the home nation Denmark, Germany, Great Britain in the mix with the Netherlands and Sweden for a while giving the team class quite a bit of suspense. The battle for the podium places were incredibly tight.

The much-awaited debut in the championship from Charlotte Dujardin and Imhotep, called Pete, made the Stutteri Ask Stadium to go completely silent in awe. She produced an amazing ride on the 9-year-old gelding giving Great Britain a boost with a score of 77.41 percent.

Daniel Bachmann-Andersen threw his fist in the air to state how immensely happy and proud he was over his partner for the championship Marshall-Bell. Germany’s third rider was the most decorated dressage rider to date Isabell Werth. With yet another horse she made a result worthy of a German championship team and scored 77.18 with DSP Quantaz.

Under pressure

Going into the last group of riders’ nerves were beginning to show on the faces of team members eagerly watching and awaiting the results. Great Britain’s last rider, young Charlotte Fry on her magnificent black stallion Glamourdale, really put pressure on the competition by a very good score of 80.84 percent. As last rider for the home nation and a crowd that really rooted for her, Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour was under pressure but performed as a seasoned gladiator; calm, cool, collected with razor sharp focus with her valiant steed Vamos Amigos. In a beautiful ride, the 10-year-old gelding showed his classical elegance and rhythm setting every movement perfectly on the spot under the guidance from Laudrup-Dufour. They entered the last halt, and the spectators went wild, score 81.86 percent and Denmark in the lead.

“Thank you to the audience – you rocked the arena to perfection. I was a bit nervous; I am always a little nervous. But today I calmed Nathalie and Kyra and told them; we can do this. My horse was nothing short of amazing. I feel so immensely proud for what me and my team members have done, we are all so proud of our achievement” said Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour with a smile on her face, reaching from ear to ear.

Last rider for Germany was championship debutante Fredric Wandres with his Duke of Britain FRH. A lot was riding on his shoulders, and they produced a good ride, but a few mistakes crept into the performance, they scored 76.66 percent. The German team thus secured a bronze medal keeping Great Britain in a silver position.

“Going out last for a team like Germany is of course pressure but we always have pressure. To ride for German team at a championship has been a childhood dream for me since I was a little boy. I am very proud that me and my horse made it into the team, that is not an easy task, and on to the podium, it is a dream come true.”.

After receiving medals and cheers from the crowd the winning team and silver and bronze medalists performed a lap of honor on their horses.

The three teams make for shift in the dressage world with many new and younger riders in the mix and a considerable number of young talented Grand Prix horses that will be talked of in the years to come. Best on the field of play was the four Danish riders’ bringing gold to a proud community of dressage enthusiasts on home soil.

Link to final individual results, for detailed scores click on (DETAILS) for each combination
https://www.longinestiming.com/equestrian/2022/ecco-fei-world-championships-herning/resultlist_D1-I.html

Link to final team results

https://results.hippodata.de/2022/2124/docs/d1-tfinalresult.pdf

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World Championships athletes from 10 to 68 years

There is for sure no recipe on how a World Championship-athlete in equestrian sport looks like or how old they are. At the championships in Herning the youngest participant is 10 years old, while the oldest is 68 years. It is 58 years age difference between the youngest and the oldest.  

It is the vaulters that represent the youngest section. Carlota Usón Jaume from Spain is only 10 years old. In dressage and para dressage, we find the oldest, because dressage rider Mary Hanna from Australia and para dressage rider Lee Frawley from Virgin Islands of the US both represent their disciplines with an age of 68 years.

Facts about age in dressage 

In dressage the age range is from 22 till 68 years. Australian Mary Hanna is the senior athlete while both Norwegian Mathilde Merethe Klaesson and Portuguese Martim Meneres is 22 years old. In dressage the age range is therefore 46 years. 

Facts about age in jumping 

In the jumping championship the youngest is American Brian Moggre, who can celebrate his birthday today. He is turning 21. The oldest rider is John Whitaker from Great Britain with his 67 years, and John is also the most experienced rider at World Championships in jumping. With 6 appearances from the past, he for sure knows what the World Championships is. The youngest man in the British team is 23-years-old Harry Charles, and the British team is therefore coming with an age range on 44 years.  

Facts about age in vaulting 

In vaulting the age difference is 33 years. The youngest is Carlota Usón Jaume, while the oldest is Todd Griffiths from the US. Todd is teamed up with his 11 years old daughter, Miriam Griffiths on the US team, and therefore the age range at the US vaulting team is 32 years.  

Facts about age in para dressage 

The youngest athlete in para dressage is 18 years old. It is Alise Muizniece from Latvia, while the oldest is 68-years-old Lee Frawley from Virgin Islands of the USA. It results in an age range on 50 years in this discipline.

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Denmark won the World Dressage Championship 

“Thank you to the audience – you rocked the arena to perfection. I was a bit nervous, I am always nervous. But today I calmed Nathalie and Kyra and told them; we can do this. My horse was nothing short of amazing. I feel so immensely proud for what my team members have done, we are all so proud of our achievement,” said Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour after the Grand Prix test Sunday evening.

The performance lead Denmark to its first World Championship gold medal.

Great Britain took silver and Germany bronze.

The danish team Photo: Zibrasport Equest

High praise from Isabell Werth

When it comes to big, international show venues, Isabell Werth has seen them all. The reigning dressage world champion both individual and with the German team, is one of the most experienced and most winning dressage riders over the years, and she is happy and impressed with the venue at Herning2022: 

“It is really impressive to see it all – the village, the stadium, the grounds and the stable – there is just so much space for all of us. It is really super! Big compliments”, says Werth when asked about her impression from the first couple of days in Herning. 

In fact, in Isabell Werth’s opinion, next to Aachen 2006, Herning2022 is the best world championship ever. And this is really high praise coming from Werth, who on home turf in Aachen won both individual and team gold. 

For this championship, Isabell Werth is competing on Quantaz DSP and she explains that her horse has also settled well in Herning: 

“He is really fine, and I hope we can bring it the ring. He has been super relaxed and that is the most important thing for me – keeping him relaxed and focused. So, I am really pleased right now.” 

Besides Isabell Werth, the Team Germany consists of Ingrid Klimke/Franziskus, Benjamin Werndl/Famoso OLD and Frederic Wandres on Duke of Britain FRH.  

Ingrid Klimke and Benjamin Werndl rode in the Team Competition yesterday, and Werth and Wandres are riding later today.  

Follow the results in the team competition here

Follow the results in the individual competition here

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Dutch team in dressage lead

The first day of Grand Prix Dressage and the Team Championship has brought in the crowds to the ECCO FEI World Championship in Herning. To huge applause and enthusiastic cheering, the best team riders did the final passage line up to do a final salute in front of judge at C Mr Christof Umbach (LUX).  

First rider of the day to really rock Stutteri Ask Stadium was Danish rider Nanna Merrald Rasmussen on the national treasure Blue Hors Zack, world championship contender with two Danish riders. She showed the famous breeding stallion to a personal best score of 76.724 percent. The audience followed her all the way from the centre line piaffe and through the passage into a halt where Nanna really gave a wide smile; We did well! 

German team debutante Ingrid Klimke started with a strong result on Franziskus giving the reigning world champions a good kickstart. Her teammate and fellow first-time championship rider Benjamin Werndl took elegant classic looker Famoso OLD through an arena filled with atmosphere and managed to nail a personal best. All accompanied by applause down the Centre line. In total team Germany is second. 

Second team rider from the home nation Denmark was Carina Cassøe Krüth on the beautiful mare Heiline’s Danciera did a great job and took home 76.863 to add to the team score. Although it did not make them over night leader it is strong to have a drop score of over 76 percent.  
“It is a combination of several years of training and building up expectations to this event. I feel that a lot of things have come together in the last months”, said a very pleased and happy Carina Cassøe Krüth. 

The most impressive ride of the day making the Netherlands the over-night leader was last year’s fastest rising star on the dressage scene – Dinja van Liere on the beautiful and elegant stallion Hermès. They entered the arena and performed beautifully in the Stutteri Ask Stadium showing off the stallions rhythmic piaffe and beautiful tempis. Together with Dinja van Liere the bay stallion, by the same sire as the Olympic champion TSF Dalera BB, they scored 78,835 percent. 
“Hermes gave me a good feeling even if I was nervous. He is so talented with piaffe and passage although we today had a few things that of course can be improved. I really look forward to showing again on Monday”, said a relieved and proud Dinja van Liere. 

The competition about the team medals continues on Sunday in the Blue Hors FEI World Dressage Team Championship Grand Prix. 

On the start list for Saturday was initially 46 combinations with 19 teams in the line-up. The Australian rider Mary Hanna had to withdraw ahead of the competition. With three riders still on the team Australia is continuing as a team. Two riders were eliminated during or after their ride by the judges or at tack control.  

Link to intermediate individual results 
https://results.hippodata.de/2022/2124/docs/r_d1-i_day1.pdf  

Link to intermediate team results 

https://results.hippodata.de/2022/2124/docs/d1-t_day1.pdf

Judges in today’s competition, seven judges serve on championships 

JUDGES: 

K – Anne Gribbons (USA) 

E – Susanne Baarup (DEN) 

H – Peter Storr (GBR) 

C – Christof Umbach (LUX) 

M – Elke Ebert (GER) 

B – Mariette Sanders – v. Gansewinkel (NED) 

F – Raphaël Saleh (FRA) 

JUDGES SUPERVISORY PANEL: 

David Hunt (GBR) 

Mary Seefried (AUS) 

Henk van Bergen (NED) 

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Stutteri Ask Stadium feels like home

As preparation for Blue Hors FEI World Dressage Team Championship Grand Prix that runs during Saturday and Sunday all riders had scheduled time for familiarization in the arena. 

The familiarization is the opportunity to show the dressage horses a completely decked out arena with flowers, decoration, seven judges’ boxes and the very important camera set-up for tv- and streaming broadcasters. Especially the cameras that move and follow the combinations often cause issues the first time a bit unexperienced horse make the discovery: Yey I am movie star. 

After doing conventional warm-up in the area behind the stadium all teams made themselves ready for their given time slot. The teams entered in the same order as they showed their horses for the Horse Inspection and each group had 20 minutes to use as they felt best for their needs. The individual riders went in grouped together as four or five combinations at a time.  

So how do you spend 20 minutes of familiarization? Very differently, it turns out, some tested all the gears with Grand Prix movements – others walked around and shared more of a Ferdinand moment, stop, and smell the flowers.

Link to official start list individual

https://results.hippodata.de/2022/2124/docs/s_d1-i.pdf

Link to official start list team riders in order

https://results.hippodata.de/2022/2124/docs/s_d1-t.pdf

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Victory for Kristian Würtz Green

In todays CDIYR the danish Young Rider Kristian Würtz Green rode Bovbjergs Zhivago, Sire Romanov, to victory at the ECCO FEI World Championships in Herning.

Kristian scored more than 70 percent with the well-educated horse:

“I was very satisfied with my performance.

Now we have a rest day tomorrow. Monday the competition will take place in the impressive STUTTERI ASK STADIUM. I am looking so much forward to that experience.

You sense that there is quite a special atmosphere here in Herning. There are so many talented horses and riders, and you get wildly inspired.”

Second place went to the danish duo Maria Mejlgaard Jensen and Antango du Feuillard scoring 68.922 %.

Third place went to Norway. Carmen Grønvold Johannessen and Hoejgaardens Santos with 68.186 %.

Watch Live

We are streaming all ‘non-championship’-classes and a selection of the exciting side-events. Watch live right here.

Nb! Championship-classes only on Clip My Horse/FEI.Tv
Danish viewers can also watch on DR (Danish National television)

Starts and results

The draw for dressage is done

In front of the many participating nations chef d’Equipe’ and team staff the Danish Ground Jury President Susanne Baarup led the draw for the start order in the Grand Prix de Dressage at the ECCO FEI World Championships.  

Baarup shared the task of drawing numbers and nations from pre-prepared bowls with technical delegate Janet Lee Foy (USA). The draw decides the starting order in the team competition held during Saturday and Sunday, Blue Hors FEI World Dressage Team Championship Grand Prix. 

19 teams in the dressage competition

The chef d’Equipe’ of the National Federations with a stake in the team competition had prior to the draw handed in the order of go for their riders. In total 19 nations have a team on the start list although three nations only have three combinations, these are Japan, New Zealand and Norway.  

When there is no team in place and a combination starts as an individual the draw is conducted according to individual riders ranking. There are many nations represented in the start field with two riders from India and a single rider from Armenia. Highest ranking individual rider is Yvonne Losos de Muñoz with her gelding Aquamarijn, partnering together for the Dominican Republique. 

Japan to start

Last year’s Olympic host Japan drew start order number one among the teams while USA will be the last team out with Olympic team medalist Adrienne Lyle on her stallion Salvino as team anchor. The reigning team champions Germany drew their team spot as number 18 and they send out Championship debutante Fredric Wandres with his chestnut Duke of Britain as their last rider to go.  

Team order 

1. Japan 

2. New Zealand 

3. Norway 

4. Switzerland 

5. Portugal 

6. Finland 

7. Austria 

8. Ireland 

9. Poland 

10. France 

11. Spain 

12. Belgium 

13. Great Britan 

14. Australia 

15. Netherlands 

16. Denmark 

17. Sweden  

18. Germany 

19. USA 

Link to official start list 

https://results.hippodata.de/2022/2124/docs/s_d_herning_2022_gp.pdf

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