Everdale and Lottie takes the "lead" with victory in today´s World Cup Grand Prix final

Suppleness and power victory

Lottie and Everdale continues their strong season with a clear win in today´s World Cup final Grand Prix. Everdale looked a bit impressed when entering and again for the halt with rein back, but from there a powerful and supple performance without any technical issues, and at the same time Everdale and Lottie looks as if they really have a party performing together.

From today´s performance and with some weaknesses from the competitors Lottie and Everdale look like the combination for the World Cup freestyle trophy Friday evening.

Good halt, power supple diagonal, supple half pass with go and flow uphill, bit looking for the halt and dropping bit for rein back, supple power diagonal, nice back to nice passage, easy into piaffe, good activity, super transition out, good passage, good into relaxed active walk tour, active collected walk tour, ready at M for passage, good passage, super transitions, piaffe at the spot, super into canter, big 2 times uphill, power extension, superb zigzag go flow, power 1 times, super active 1st pirouette, 2nd tiny unbalanced at the end, good into trot, power diagonal, power final centerline, piaffe the spot, bouncy passage.

Patrik Kittel with Touchdown - Good halt bit tense out, good diagonal, good flow and crossing for both half passes, good halt tense rein back, good diagonal, bit swinging passage, become bit wide hind for piaffe, bit unbalanced transition out, good walk tour, bit early into passage, bit wide hind piaffe, lack bit more clear transition out, good into canter, good 2 times, good extended canter, need bit more uphill zigzag, good 1 times bit swing, tiny well balanced 1st pirouette, good 2nd bit hind aides into, good into trot, power diagonal, need more push hind for passage, bit tense in and out of piaffe, piaffe at the spot, good halt.

Nanna Merrald with Blue Hors Don Olymbrio - Good halt, bit looking, good out, good extension, good half passes could show bit more go for the first, left better, good halt with rein back, good diagonal, nice back to passage, nice passage, bit high in the neck for piaffe but well managed, good transitions, good relaxation for extended walk, good collected walk tiny tensions, nice into passage at M, super passage, good 2nd piaffe, good transitions, good into canter, big uphill 2 times, super extension but error before collection, super zigzag uphill power, super 1 times slight swinging, good 1st pirouette, super sit, super sit controlled 2nd pirouette, good into trot, power diagonal, super passage, small lack of impuls into final piaffe but well managed to continue, good halt.

Isabell Werth with DSP Quantas - Good halt, bit unbalanced diagonal, lack bit more clear forward flow and missing more suppleness left, super halt, bit dragning rein back, good diagonal, good into passage, easy into piaffe, good out, good passage, bit unbalanced for extended walk, same for collected walk, good into passage, good passage, good piaffe bit early, good out into passage, good into canter, error more times for 2 times, good extended canter, lack bit more suppleness and clear contact for zigzag, ok 1 times, bit spin end 1st pirouette, error change at X, unbalanced into 2nd pirouette, good into trot at M, super final piaffe bit tense, good halt.

Running comments from H2R about all tests today are available at Horse2rider Facebook.

Link to detailed results.

Photos: screenshots from Clipmyhorse.

A Diamond for the Netherlands (125.000 euro top price)

The licensed stallion Diamonds Detto by Diamond Deluxe out of Formidable by Foundation - Sunny-Boy, bred by Dr. Alexandra Montkowski, Colnrade, and exhibited by Klaus Kock from Dorsten, became the price highlight of the 101st Oldenburg Spring Elite Auction. The exemplary student was knocked down to a young woman from the Netherlands for 125,000 euros. His third dam, Version, is the sister of the Grand Prix successful Sympathico under Gabriele Steffan.

Also surpassing the 100,000 euro mark was the licensed riding pony stallion Black Magic Friday, born 2015, by Magic Cornflakes out of Polly Pocket by Casino Royale K WE - Rendezvous, bred by Kerstin Broxtermann, Edewecht, and exhibited by Gestüt Erlenhof, Bad Homburg. Black Magic Friday will now call France home, having been sold for 103,000 euros. At five and six years old, he qualified in dressage and show jumping for the final of the Bundeschampionat for riding ponies. At six years old, Black Magic Friday placed fourth in the dressage final.

Next on the price list comes the licensed Mon Chateau, born 2021, by Morricone I out of Heaven's Light by Don Romantic - Duntroon, bred by Heinrich Reinke, Vechta, and exhibited by the agricultural enterprise Sebastian Kriebitzsch, Otterwisch. Mon Chateau changed for 82,000 euros to supportive hands in Germany. Sire Morricone I was the champion stallion of the Oldenburg licensing 2014, Oldenburg Main Premium winner 2016, and successful up to Grand Prix level.

Once again, the interest of foreign customers in Oldenburg elite horses was overwhelming. More than a third of the collection was sold to friends of Oldenburg around the globe. Customers from the Netherlands (4), France (2), Austria (2), USA (2), Denmark (1), Great Britain (1), Italy (1), and Spain (1) will now ride talented Oldenburg horses.

The total turnover of the Spring Elite Auction aggregates to 1,276,000 euros. The average price of riding horses settled at around 38,200 euros. The licensed stallions averaged 56,400 euros, while the unlicensed ones averaged 23,100 euros.

Day 2 with CDI3 Grand Prix in Tolbert

Swedish winner of CDI3 GP Invoice & Maria von Essen - photo: Screenshot Clipmyhorse

CDI3 Grand Prix with Swedish winner

12 yr old gelding Invoice by Jazz / Ferro and his Swedish rider Maria von Essen took an important victory in today´s CDI3 Grand Prix in Tolbert, The Netherlands with Personal Best score of 74,131%. It is an Olympic year and for Sweden and all other qualified teams it´s about the strongest combinations for Paris. For the three spots the two anchormen Patrik Kittel and Therese Nilshagen look like the top priorities and then there will be a battle for the third spot where Maria and Invoice look like one of the serious contenders.

Today they were clear winners with an easy, light and effortless performance. As highlights were the light soft contact, the invisible aides and the high quality of piaffe, passage and pirouettes. Very much a great picture of how to performe with a high sensitive and talented horse.

Hans Peter Minderhoud and Glock Toto Jr made their international debut together today. Absolut highlight with the piaffe tours, but unfortunately some clear issues in the contact reflected with often open mouth and not straight in the contact.

Annabella Pidgley and Gio are really a nice combination. Today with a few minor things and the overall picture becomes a bit hectic. The British team members Charlotte, Carl and Lottie will be more than a challenge to pass.

Helen Langehanenberg debuts two horses today. Placed 4th with Magnanimous, 12 yr old gelding by Millennium / De Niro, owned and former competed by Indian rider Jitendarjit Singh AHLUWALIA. Not exercise issues, very easy through the test but at the same time without really highlights. For most of the test the neck becomes pretty short. Helen also showed her former successful young horse 11 yr old mare Schöne Scarlett by Scolari / Londonderry for the first time at international GP level. Very attractive overall picture, yet missing more clear sit and under the body steps for the piaffe, but nice rhyhtm, activity and obedience. Gonna be exciting to follow their journey. They finished 11 with 68,978%.

Danish combinations

Daniel Bachmann Andersen was ready with a new GP horse (even though they already made their debut last year at home soil in the spring) this was more like their real debut. The long legged 10 year old mare Shirley by Sezuan / Solos Carex is bred and owned by Vivi Vang-Lauridsen and Christian Vang-Lauridsen. A very harmonious overall picture and a performance where you clearly get the impression of a well educated but still inexperience horse guided through the demanding Grand Prix test without any tensions and issues. Very exciting to follow their future development together. Placed 6th with 71,304%

Danish youth team trainer Kenneth Damgaard showed 11 year old mare UNO Day Sun by UNO Don Diego / Blue Hors Rosoff, bred and owned by Stutteri UNO. Many nice things and no technical difficulties, overall you could wish for a bit more open and uphill frame. Personal Best score with 68.087% and finished as no 14.

Here you find the full result list.

Charming Champion Stallion (OLD PRESS RELEASE)

The radiant winner of the 13th Oldenburg Saddle Licensing was Lovely Lennox, born in 2021, by Lennox U.S. out of Dorlinda M by Vivaldi - Balzflug/Trak., bred by C.F. van Mook from the Netherlands and exhibited by Heiko and Wilhelm Klausing from Diepholz. Sire Lennox U.S. was a finalist at the World Championships for Young Dressage Horses in Ermelo at six years old and won team bronze at the Junior European Championships the same year. He is currently victorious in the Junior Tour under Maria Teresa Pohl. His dam Dorlinda M also produced the Prix St. Georges successful Illusionist M by Charmeur/Nina van Mook, NED.

Tomorrow, April 13th, you have the opportunity to purchase the champion stallion as well as all other licensed and some unlicensed stallions of the Oldenburg Saddle Licensing at the Spring Elite Auction.

In total, the Oldenburg Horse Breeders' Association licensed five out of twelve presented stallions. Star sire Vivaldi shines as the second sire in the dam or sire line for three out of the five licensed stallions. Vivaldi is a son of Krack C out of a dam by Jazz.

Please find here the licensing results of the 13th Oldenburg Saddle Licensing: https://oldenburger-pferde.com/upload/News/Zucht/Ergebnisse_Sattelkoerung_2024.pdf

A large portion of the presented young stallions will enrich the exquisite collection of the 101st Spring Elite Auction tomorrow. The stallions can be tested under saddle from 12:00 pm. The auction starts at 2:00 pm.

An overview of the entire collection can be found here: www.oldenburger-auktion.com

The auction candidates of the Oldenburg Saddle Licensing can be bid on live on-site, online via HORSE24, or by phone with a bidding order. If you do not yet have a valid account with HORSE24, please register in advance. For questions regarding the collection, please contact our team. For technical support, please contact the HORSE24 support team.

Danskerne starter denne uges internationale stævne i Tolbert med flotte præstationer

RGS Finest Alegra og Frederikke Gram Jacobsen - screetshot / Clipmyhorse

Førstedagen i Tolbert med sejr i både pony og young rider

Ponyernes konkurrence blevet vundet af Rikke Maria Schoubye Johansen med D´Artagnan med personlige bedste score på 72,571% og enigt dommerpanel. Også med på podiet var Laura Qvist med Der Kleine Lord på en 3. plads med 70,762%, og som nr. 4 Ingeborg Elisabeth Schou med FS Calimero med 70,095%. Victoria Bang Zindorff med Del Classico slutter som nr. 7 og Sofia Rosenkilde med DSP Cosmo Royale som nr. 12

International debut sejr i Young Rider klassen

Future Dressage rytter Frederikke Gram Jacobsen og den 9 årige hoppe RGS Finest Alegra e. Finest / Ampere vinder klassen med enstemmigt dommerpanel med flotte 72,618% (hvor Christine Prip ved M og hollandske Janine van Twist begge havde ekvipagen på 74,118%).

Om dagens tur fortæller dagens dommer ved M Christine Prip: “Det var et meget harmonisk ridt i flot kontakt og med et sidebillede på en løsgjort og balanceret hest. Flot trav tur. Skridten kan samles mere, men helt klar takt. Savner endnu lidt styrke til at tage lidt mere vægt i pirouetterne, men ellers med overskud og kvalitet hele vejen.”

Margretha Rosenkilde og Tiger G slutter som nr. 3 med 69,471%.

Liva Guldager Nielsen med Don Caballero slutter som nr. 17 med 65,706% og Elisabeth Cecilie Bonefeld-Dahl med Don Furioso slutter som nr. 18 med 65.470%.

Juniorerne

I junior klassen bliver Cornelia Munch Sinding med Lord Hamilton placeret som nr. 6 med 69,394%. En fin flydende tur med super skridt tur, desværre indløber der en enkelt changements fejl. Parret har kun været til start en gang tidligere internationalt sidste år i juni måned i Hagen. Og placeret som nr. 7 er Theresa Rosenkilde med Blue Hors Zwobber. Parret viser en teknisk fin tur, men under vejs i travturen får man lidt fornemmelsen af at tempoen er vel frisk, da det går lidt udover balancen og det samlede billede. Parret slutter med 69,182%.

U25

Jakas Don Louvre og Karoline Rohmann bliver bedste dansker i U25 Inter II klassen i dag med 69,363% og placeret som nr. 7 og uden tekniske fejl.

Placeret lige efter er det hollandsk bosatte Thea Bech med Dionisos hvor der indløber en fejl i middelgalop med changementet, samlet score 69,167%.

Alexander Helgstrand og Super Mario slutter som nr. 13, hvor bl.a. piaffe turene ikke fungere helt optimalt samtidig med, at den samlede skridt desværre ikke er i korrekt takt, uagtet at dommerne tilsyneladende stadig ser den samlede skridt til 7,0 - 6,0 - 6,5!

Som nr. 23 med 60,137% slutter Victoria Bonefeld med Bolero, som allerede inden startsignalet så meget spændt ud og det lykkedes desværre kun delvist at bringe koncentrationen tilbage under vejs.

På H2R Facebook findes løbende kommentarer på de 4 ekvipager.

PRESS RELEASE - FEI World Cup™ Finals 2024 April 16-20 · How Do You Win the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final?

FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final 2024 in Riyadh - Photo: FEI/ Leanjo de Koster

How Do You Win the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final?
  

"Every good Freestyle must start with a wow effect." The FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final begins in Riyadh in just a few days. International five-star judge Katrina Wüst is regarded as an absolute Freestyle specialist. Wüst has analysed numerous Freestyles, holds advanced training courses for judges on the subject of Freestyle and has herself sat at the judges' table five times at a FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final. And it was she who, together with IT expert Daniel Göhlen, developed the system for recording the degree of difficulty (DoD) of a Freestyle.

What is important for a world-class Freestyle? What does the Freestyle have to look like if you want to become a FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final winner?
Answers from Katrina Wüst:
 
What is the most important thing for you when judging a Freestyle at a FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final?
Katrina Wüst: The most important thing in general when judging – from the lowest class right up to the World Cup Freestyle – is that horses and riders act in great harmony. You have to have the feeling that the horses are happy to do their 'job'.
 
Let's start with the basis of Freestyle judging. What does this basis look like?
Katrina Wüst: Every Freestyle is judged with a technical and an artistic mark. In the technical mark, the Freestyle is judged movement by movement, but at the same time the judge has to think about the artistic quality of the Freestyle. He expresses his judgement in the artistic mark, consisting of five partial marks: Rhythm, Energy and Elasticity, Harmony between Rider and Horse, Choreography, Degree of Difficulty and Music.
The first two components, Rhythm and Harmony, more or less reflect how the individual lessons were graded as such. This means that the artistic mark is not a purely artistic mark, but is still 40 percent technical, with the first sub-mark for rhythm, energy and elasticity, being a little on the outside: here the purity of the gaits and impulsion are assessed, and it is more or less about the quality of the horse. If a horse with outstanding gaits shows a very faulty Freestyle, it must still receive a good mark for its quality here. And vice versa, a less talented horse can score successfully with a difficult and successful Freestyle.
For me, the harmony mark is a key mark in the assessment of the Freestyle. It reflects 1. the horse's training in accordance with the classic training scale, 2. the absence of faults in the presentation and 3. the rider's influence. If a horse makes a lot of mistakes in its Freestyle, then the choreography is usually wrong. In addition, the level of difficulty was too high and then the music often no longer fits. As a result, this score also influences the three artistic scores that follow.
 
What exactly are the three artistic scores about?
Katrina Wüst: Firstly, the choreography, which is a purely artistic score. However, artistic does not mean that it depends on the judge's personal taste. Rather, it depends on whether the rider presents his horse in a particularly favourable way, i.e. can he emphasise his horse's highlights and conceal any weaknesses? This shows the extent to which the rider has analysed his horse honestly and is able to assess his own ability and that of his horse. An example: If a horse tends to be particularly warped to one side in the half pass, then it may be skilful to show the half pass from behind.
But there's more: does the rider start the Freestyle with a wow effect so that judges and spectators are impressed from the start? Is there another highlight at the end? In terms of dramaturgy, Freestyles can be compared to a theatre play or a good book. If a book starts out boring, you don't want to continue reading it. It's the same with a Freestyle; it has to start off with a bang. We judges look to see whether the Freestyle has a positive arc of suspense, but also whether it convinces us with creativity or whether everything is just shown along the familiar lines of the standard tasks. Spaniards, for example, often show a combination of canter half pass, piaffe and back into the canter half pass to the other side – that is unexpected and exciting.
 
Let's move on to the fourth point, the Degree of Difficulty – it's hard to describe it as purely artistic, isn't it?
Katrina Wüst: No, that's right, it's a semi-technical mark, which is why we were able to develop the system a few years ago, which measures the Degree of Difficulty, or DoD for short. The DoD is clearly dependent on the quality of the execution. If a rider shows a difficult movement and it does not work for at least a score of 7, then the judge cannot and should not include this lesson positively in the DoD score.
 
What all counts as a difficult movement?
Katrina Wüst: There are actually only three movements: the piaffe-pirouette, the passage-half pass and the double pirouette. In addition, there are 2. difficult transitions, such as from the halt into the passage, and 3. difficult combinations such as canter half pass, pirouette and from there into the canter changes. 4. some movements are shown on difficult lines, such as canter changes on the circle line, and 5. finally, repetitions are also included. This does not mean that the rider has to repeat all the movements, but the core movements such as piaffe, passage and transitions should be included.
 
The fifth note is still missing, the music...
Katrina Wüst: With the evaluation of the music, we are again looking at a purely artistic score. But not as subjective as some people think. Under no circumstances should the judge base their judgement on their own taste; there are also criteria for assessing the music: Does it suit the horse's gaits and is the athlete riding exactly to the music or is he slightly ahead or behind the music? These are the basic requirements. If you want to go into the higher note range, it can be effective if individual movements are also skilfully accompanied by music, the pirouette with bells ringing, for example. It is nice if the music matches the charisma of the rider and horse, for example if there is a recognisable connection to the horse's name, country or similar. Think of Nadine Capellmann, who rode her Elvis to Elvis music. Or the Spanish riders to castanets. But actually, the most important thing is that the music creates emotions and makes the Freestyle a unique experience for the spectators ... and judges.
 
What would you say: Is Freestyle judging, especially at a very high level, more difficult than judging a fixed task?
Katrina Wüst: Freestyle judging is always difficult. It has become much easier thanks to the system for calculating the Degree of Difficulty. Since then, the riders submit a floor plan and you already have everything the rider wants to show in front of you. This is fair to the riders because the floor plan reflects their ideas and hidden difficulties, some of which would otherwise certainly not be recognised in their entirety.
 
One final question: The FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final is being held in Saudi Arabia for the first time, what do you think about that?
Katrina Wüst: One of the oldest horse breeds in the world, the Arabians, originate from the Arabian Peninsula. So far, Dressage has not played a major role there, but Saudi Arabia is a country that is also developing rapidly in terms of sport and has the necessary resources to organise a great FEI World Cup™ Final. That's why I see it as a great opportunity for dressage in this region.

AUCTION - OLD Elite riding horses and stallion candidates for saddle licensing 13 April at 2 pm

H2r favourits for the upcoming old elite auction and saddle licensing:

Elite collection

No 1 - Very pratical lightfooted movements. Coud wish for at bit longer neck.

No 8 - Good expression with nice freedom, lightfooted.

No 17 - Quick of the ground movements, nice natural uphill frame.

Saddle licensing

No 107 - Lightfooted very nice type in good balance. Medium size.

No 109 - Expressive look, good basic gaits with very good walk.

No 111 - Good type with good canter and walk.

Here you find the entire collection. Make sure your ready when the OnLIVE auctioin starts April 13 at 2 pm.

The auction candidates of the Oldenburg Saddle Licensing can be bid on live on-site, online via HORSE24, or by phone with a bidding order. If you do not yet have a valid account with HORSE24, please register in advance. For questions regarding the collection, please contact our team. For technical support, please contact the HORSE24 support team. HORSE24 Support-Team: Tel. +49(0)172-7267334 or support@horse24.com

Master lists CDI4 - CDI3 - Louisdor & Nürnberger Burg-Pokal HAGEN

🇩🇰Danish combinations for Hagen:

  • CDI4 - Anna Kasprzak & Rock Star, Nadja Aaboe Sloth & Favour Gersdorf

  • CDI3 - Joachim Thomsen & Vichy Pax

  • Louisdor - Mathilde Kofoed-Nielsen og Blue Hors Odin Unik

🇱🇺Danish Kristine Möller-Engel riding for Luxemburg is ready for both Louisdor with DSP Spectre and Quatre-Quarts á l´orange and DSP Big Bang or Sonnerie Souveraine for Nürnberger Burg-Pokal.

CDI4

CDI3

Louisdor

Nürnberger Burg-Pokal

PRESS RELEASE Horses & Dreams meets Portugal 24 - 28 April 2024

Part of press release

Mini-Paris in the dressage arena
The dressage is just as high-calibre, especially in the CDI4* Tour, which is divided into Grand Prix Freestyle and Special. The British will be competing with two of their best medal contenders, Charlotte Dujardin and Imhotep and Carl Hester and Fame. They will have to compete against the German squad riders Isabell Werth, Ingrid Klimke, Frederic Wandres, Semmieke and Sönke Rothenberger. Four riders from the current top ten in the world rankings will piaffe into the Hagen dressage arena and promise an unforgettable sporting experience. "The timing is perfect to continue the European season here after Wellington and to be able to present the right calling card," says Frederic Wandres from Hagen, currently ranked seventh in the world rankings and in the Olympic squad for Germany. 
 
"Especially in dressage, we already have a small pre-Olympics," show director Francois Kasselmann emphasised the high-calibre field of entries. "This confirms the importance of Horses & Dreams. We even welcome athletes from Saudi Arabia and the USA here." Paris also has an influence on a change of location: the CDI4* Grand Prix Special, Prize of MEGGLE Group GmbH, will move into the jumping stadium on Sunday morning for the first time. "This was something that the national coach Monica Theodorescu requested, as the medals in the team competition in Paris are decided by the Special. That's why we moved the competition to the main stadium."
 
First Test for Team Portugal
 
After Portugal was able to secure a team place for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris at the last minute, there is a lot at stake for the Portuguese dressage riders this season. A first test of strength for the potential team for Paris appears to be taking place in Hagen: With Maria Caetano, Rita Ralao Duarte, João Pedro Moreira, António Do Vale, Nuno Avelar, Sebastião Lucas Lopes and Nuno Miguel Silva, a strong Portuguese contingent has entered the three- and four-star tour. "It's important for our trainers and our federation to see all the riders here together. For us, coming here is already a test for Paris. If you're thinking about competing in a championship, you have to ride well in Hagen first. I will give 100%," added Grand Prix rider António Do Vale, who has lived in Lastrup for years and for whom Horses & Dreams was one of his first international competitions in Germany. His family - the Do Vales have five children - also enjoy coming to Hof Kasselmann, he says. "Hagen is not just a show for us, we also have a lot of fun here as a family!"

Amplemento and Destano shared winners of CDI4 Grand Prix today at Stadl Paura

Christian Schumach showed a solid performance together with Amplemento. Lately they also won the Grand Prix at CDI3 Ornago, Italy.

Simone Pearce and Destano were back with a technical solid performance with only an error for the extended canter. Overall the test was missing bit more power and suppleness. Amplemento and Destano were on share 1st slot today.

In the CDI3 Simone made her debut with her new mare All We Need by All at Once, but unfortunately Simone had to retire as the mare unfortunately got the tongue over the bit.

Gut Wettlkamp´s D´avie og Lisa Müller are unfortunately struggling with some unbalanced moments during their performance. D´avie becomes somewhat not exact croup high but high lift in the hind legs, and for the half pass left the balance hind is missing more clear flow. For the two times more changes becomes short hind.

Placed 4 and 5, Begium Amandine Prévost with Quaterdance and Jessica von Bredow-Werndl with Forsazza de Malleret are both struggling with some balance / contact issues, and the overall picture becomes a bit on/off also quality wise.


The Belgian buzz at the FEI Dressage World Cup Final

There’s a whole new burst of energy in Belgian dressage in recent times, and the inclusion of Flore de Winne and Larissa Pauluis in the startlist for the forthcoming FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final 2024 in Riyadh (KSA) has boosted that energy even further.

At the FEI European Championship 2023 in Riesenbeck, Germany last September Belgium bagged one of the three places up for grabs for teams not already qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. It was a huge moment as it was the first time in 100 years for the country to make the cut by direct qualification rather than having to use the composite team route which relies on rankings. 

Both de Winne and Pauluis were part of that team that not only took the qualifying spot but did it in real style, seizing the second of the three available places thanks to sparkling personal-best performances from Pauluis and her 14-year-old gelding Flambeau and from Charlotte Defalque and Boticelli. 

De Winne, who celebrates her 29th birthday today (5 April), was the rookie of the team. Only in her second season competing at Grand Prix level she too scored strongly with the black stallion Flynn FRH who was just nine years old at the time. 

Eye-catchers

The pair were real eye-catchers and further developed their partnership throughout the FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2023/2024 Western European League series.

They finished sixth in London (GBR) in December, posting a Freestyle mark of 77.020, and then produced the first of two consecutive 80% scores to take third with 80.330 on home ground in Mechelen (BEL) as the year was winding to a close. 

In Amsterdam (NED) in January they put 80.315 on the board for sixth place, and although they dropped all the way to 15th and last at the final leg of the series in ’s-Hertogenbosch (NED) last month it is clear that this is a combination full of future potential.

De Winne finished equal-tenth in the Western European League qualifying series.

More mileage

Belgian champion, 44-year-old Larissa Pauluis, is considerably more experienced, and with the 14-year-old KWPN gelding Flambeau competed at the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021. 

They lined out in five of the eleven legs of the Western European League this season, and in November finished eighth in Lyon (FRA) and eleventh in Stuttgart (GER). They posted another eighth place in Mechelen at the year’s end, and in their final two outings, at Neumünster (GER) in February and ’s-Hertogenbosch (NED) in March, they filled sixth and ninth places respectively.

However Pauluis has opted to bring the 12-year-old chestnut stallion First-Step Valentin to Riyadh instead. During her super-busy Western European League campaign she also rode him twice, finishing eighth in Madrid (ESP) in November and fourteenth in Basel (SUI) in January, finally finishing joint-14th on the WEL leaderboard.  

First time

It will be the first time for Belgium to be represented by two athletes when the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final 2024 kicks off on 17 April, and both are really looking forward to the challenge. 

"I’m really happy, and it’s an honour to go to my first World Cup Final!”

Larissa Pauluis BEL

Pauluis said yesterday. She’s very proud of how well the horse she has had since he was just over two years old has grown to the top level of the sport.

“Valentin is a really nice ride. In his 5-year-old year in 2017 he was awarded the title of champion of France. In Belgium he had six outings and six victories and he qualified for the World Championships where he finished in eighth place and he was champion of France for six-year-olds. In 2019 he was vice-champion of France for 7 year olds and he was twice top-10 in the World Championships at Ermelo at age five and seven”, said the rider who has had the horse under her wing since he was two years old and who knows him very well indeed. 

Opportunity

Flore de Winne said yesterday that going to the Final in Riyadh “is an opportunity not to be missed!"

She acknowledged that herself, Pauluis and Defalque are making waves in the sport right now and are flying the Belgian flag high, “and we hope to continue to be exceptional and to enjoy the moment! We are lucky to have very reliable horses and people around us, and this is already a very special year for us - and it can only get better!”, she added.

She described Flynn as her “once in a lifetime horse”. He’ll travel, along with Pauluis’ stallion Valentin under the watchful eye of her father who wants to be with them every inch of the way to the Final.

“I never rode Grand Prix until I got him at six years old, and he has gone to Grand Prix level with a dummy on his back - me!”, she said with a laugh yesterday. “What he’s done is so extraordinary and he keeps on giving his all even though I’m not the most experienced rider”.

She and Flynn will be joining a sparkling line-up at the 2024 Final in Riyadh so don’t miss a hoofbeat…..

Find all you need to know about the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final 2024 here

Isabell Werth's anniversary in Riyadh (FEI PRESS RELEASE)

Isabell Werth knows the FEI Dressage World Cup™ like no other, Riyadh will be her 25th World Cup™ Final. She has competed in the Final with nine different horses so far and won five times, Emilio will be her tenth partner in the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final. The interview with the world's most successful Dressage rider...

You're aiming for your 25th FEI World Cup™ Final – that's definitely the record. What do you say to that?
Isabell Werth: (laughs) I would say: What a great anniversary!
 
Emilio is 18, has been one of your Grand Prix horses for a good eight years and is taking part in the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final for the first time. That's quite an exceptional career...
Isabell Werth: That's absolutely true, but Emilio is also an exceptional horse. If you say that horses have a seventh sense, then Emilio also has an eighth. He is so sensitive and has so much intuition. Horses need spirit and Emilio has incredible spirit and elasticity.
 
Riyadh will be the first Final for Emilio and with that he experiences another premiere...
Isabell Werth: That's right, he will also be flying for the first time in his long career. But I am very optimistic that he will master it superbly and calmly.
 
Emilio competed in an international Grand Prix for the first time in 2015. Since then, he has competed in 96 international tests at Grand Prix level, won 56 times and, with one exception, has always scored more than 74 per cent. What do these figures do to you?
Isabell Werth: These figures make me proud because they emphasise my deep conviction, which I always tell people. My conviction that good Dressage sport goes hand in hand with good gymnastics and good gymnastics means that it is a maintenance measure for body and mind – for horses and humans alike.
 
The FEI Dressage World Cup™ is in its 37th season – how do you rate the importance of the series?
Isabell Werth: The World Cup™ was not so well accepted at the beginning but has now established itself as the highlight of the indoor season. It has contributed to the fact that Dressage now takes place all year round. If we look at the World Cup shows – for me it's been Stuttgart, Basel and Amsterdam so far this season – they've all had full houses and the atmosphere has been gigantic! That speaks for itself.
 
The FEI World Cup™ Final is being held in the Arab world for the first time – what experiences have you had with the Arab countries so far?
Isabell Werth: I've been to the show in Doha twice so far, but I've never actually been to Saudi Arabia. So I'm very excited. It is good to see the development on the Saudi sporting scene specially in the equestrian disciplines where men and women compete on equal footing, it is a great development. I also think we can safely assume that our sport will be presented very well there and that we will find great conditions and I hope that we can perhaps inspire a few new Dressage fans. In any case, it is important that the sport of Dressage is presented as internationally as possible and I am looking forward to this further international experience.
 
Can you tell us which Freestyle you will be riding?
Isabell Werth: We'll definitely stick to his tried and tested Freestyle to the music of Italian opera melodies by Puccini and Verdi. When I heard the music for the first time, I thought: That sounds like pizza music. But since then: Emilio and I love this music and the Freestyle!

Influence from the sire’s side Toto Jr. honoured with Grande Prize (HANN PRESS RELEASE)

Grande Prize winner 2024: Toto Jr. (Photo: Hannoveraner Verband/Arnd Bronkhorst)

Verden. Since 2009, the Grande-Prize has been awarded to a stallion between the ages of ten and twelve at the beginning of the breeding season. Toto Jr. is a stallion who is only rarely used in Hannover, but has proven his quality through his licensed sons.

The awarding of the Grande-Prize to a middle-aged stallion is linked to the hope that he will have a lasting positive influence on Hannoverian breeding. Normally, this is the case when the stallion is widely used in the population, mainly via the mare base. In the case of this year's winner Toto Jr. by Totilas/Desperados, bred by Zuchtgemeinschaft Schmidt from Naumburg, things are different. From the first phase of his breeding career in the Netherlands, his influence is currently more evident on the sire's side. To date, only three of his daughters have been registered in Hannover, but ten of his sons have been licensed and registered in stallion book I. 

Toto Jr.'s dam, who is a full sister of the Moritzburg state stud stallion Decurio, came into the possession of the Zuchtgemeinschaft Schmidt via the Verden foal auction. Toto Jr. was her first foal. The black stallion was still quite young when he was licensed in Verden in 2013 and moved to the Glock's Horse Performance Centre in the Netherlands via the stallion sales, where he was sold for 100,000 Euros. In 2014, Toto Jr. passed his stallion performance test in Ermelo/NED, where he excelled in walk and canter as well as rideability. This made him the first licensed and performance-tested son of his "super sire" Totilas not only in Germany, but also in the Netherlands. Edward Gal took over the training of the black stallion, whose sire and dam's sire won Olympic gold, and led him to victory in international Grand Prix dressage competitions at the age of ten.

Unlike other Grande Prize winners, Toto Jr. did not enjoy great popularity among breeders right from the start. Only gradually did the Hannoveraner breeders discover the well-constructed and well-bred stallion based in the Netherlands for themselves. The few competition horses that have competed in Germany to date are predominantly Dutch-bred. However, they have given him an FN breeding value for young horse tests in dressage of 147. Toto Jr. has already produced several Pavo Cup finalists in the Netherlands. He is a good ambassador for Hannover’s dressage horse breeding in the Netherlands and is also having an increasing influence on Hannoveraner breeding. The breeders will be honoured during the dressage stallion licensing in November.

PODCAST med Gunilla Nyman daglig leder af Sanderum Rideklub

Med DRF´s forestående generalforsamling, hvor vi alle fornyligt havde mulighed for at følge med LIVE fra præsentation af kandidaterne til bestyrelsen, blev H2R nysgerrig på at fange op på der hvor det hele starter, nemlig på rideskolen.

Gunilla Nyman kender de fleste nok som dressurdommer, men hendes heste-CV spænder faktisk meget bredere.

I PODCASTEN her kommer vi omkring forskellige vinkler på det at drive rideskole anno 2024:

  • At gå til ridning er ikke kun at lære at ride

  • Kombination af sportslige ambitioner og bevare hyggen med hestene

  • Vigtigheden af det gode samarbejde med bestyrelsen

  • Sponsorer og frivillige

  • At kæmpe sammen på den gode måde

The FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final – a highly exciting mix (PRESS RELEASE)


The excitement is palpable as the lineup for the 37th FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final has been confirmed. Seventeen Dressage athletes from twelve nations are set to compete in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from April 16 to 20 for the coveted FEI Dressage World Cup™ trophy in 2024. What makes this final particularly thrilling is the diverse mix of finalists...

Two nations are sending three rider-horse pairs into the competition: Germany's Isabell Werth, Matthias Rath, and Raphael Netz from the Western European League (WEL), alongside Benjamin Ebeling, Kevin Kohmann, and Anna Marek representing the USA. Additionally, Belgium's Flore de Winne secured a spot in the WEL, while Larissa Pauluis received an extra starting place from the FEI.

The 2024 final field promises intrigue, with almost half of the athletes – eight out of 17 – participating in a FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final for the first time highlighting the influx of new talent.

Moreover, among the finalists are two athletes who, in terms of age, could also compete in the U25 riders' camp this year: six-time U25 European Champion Raphael Netz from Germany, who celebrated his 25th birthday at the end of March, and 24-year-old Benjamin Ebeling, who turns 25 in November. The son of Olympic rider Jan Ebeling is the youngest rider in the 2024 Final. With the 16-year-old Danish mare Indeed, which he took over from his father in 2022, Ebeling has won three stages of the North American League (NAL) and with the highest possible score, 60 points, took the lead in the NAL.
Both 'youngsters', Netz and Ebeling, are among the FEI World Cup™ rookies, as are both of Ebeling's final colleagues from the USA: 34-year-old Marek and 35-year-old Kohmann, the latter competing for the USA only since 2021, having previously ridden for Germany.

Leading the WEL rankings, Isabell Werth will be heading to Riyadh, with three wins and one second place accumulating a remarkable 77 points. This marks Werth's 25th appearance in the Final, but the first for her 18-year-old partner Emilio. Riyadh will serve as Emilio's final major sporting appearance, bidding farewell to the sport and retiring to Werth's riding center in Rheinberg, like all of Isabell Werth's sporting partners. Werth, a seven-time Olympic champion and the most experienced and successful World Cup™ athlete at the 2024 Final, has already clinched the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final title five times: in 1992 with Fabienne, in 2007 with Warum Nicht FRH, and three times in a row from 2017 to 2019 with Weihegold OLD.

The other World Cup™ finalists from the Western European League include last year’s runner up in the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final, Nanna Skodborg Merrald (DEN), and World Champion Charlotte 'Lotti' Fry from England. The 28-year-old is bringing the half-brother of her World Champion Glamourdale, Everdale, with her. Patrik Kittel (SWE) has also secured his place for Sweden, boasting eight FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final appearances, second only to Isabell Werth. His partner in Riyadh will be Touchdown, with whom the 47-year-old has already competed at the World and European Championships.

For Melissa Galloway from New Zealand the 2024 FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final will be a première. With the 14-year-old Windermere J'Obei, who was bred in New Zealand, the 31-year-old won the League Final in Cambridge-Takapoto, New Zealand, and secured the only place in the Final of the Pacific League (PAL). In 2022, the pair were already among the World Championships 2022, and in 2023 they dominated the New Zealand Dressage Championships and set the latest New Zealand records in Grand Prix with 73,456 and Freestyle with 80,120 percent.

A sensational dual leadership took Alisa Glinka from Moldova and Justina Vanagaite from Lithuania in the Central European League (CEL). Both collected 80 World Cup™ points with four wins each – that's as good as it gets. For both riders, it will be their second participation in the Final, their horses Abercrombie and Nabab, on the other hand, will be making their FEI World Cup™ Final debuts. In total, twelve of the 17 horses in the Riyadh-Final will be competing for the first time in a FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final – another number that may come as a surprise.

The level of competition is expected to be intense, with seven pairs already achieving impressive scores above the 80 percent mark in their previous World Cup™ appearances. The best qualification result of all the finalists was achieved by Charlotte Fry and Everdale with 88.18 percent, closely followed by Isabell Werth and Emilio with 87.950 percent.

As the event draws closer, the excitement heightens, with a mix of new talents and seasoned riders preparing for what promises to be an electrifying FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final in Saudi’s capital Riyadh.
 
List of Athletes for the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final 2024
Western European League
1 Isabell WERTH - Emilio 107 – GER
2 Charlotte FRY - Everdale – GBR
3 Patrik KITTEL - Touchdown – SWE
4 Matthias Alexander RATH - Destacado FRH – GER
5 Nanna SKODBORG MERRALD – Blue Hors Don Olymbrio – DEN
6 Morgan BARBANÇON - Sir Donnerhall II OLD – FRA
7 Raphael NETZ - Great Escape Camelot – GER
8 Borja CARRASCOVA - Sir Hubert NRW – ESP
9 Flore DE WINNE - Flynn FRH – BEL
 
Central European League (2 slots)
1 Alisa GLINKA - Abercrombie – MDA
2 Justina VANAGAITE - Nabab – LTU
 
Pacific League (1 slot)
1 Melissa GALLOWAY - Windermere J’Obei W – NZL
 
North American League (3 slots)
1 Benjamin EBELING - Indeed – USA
2 Kevin KOHMANN - Duenensee – USA
3 Anna MAREK - Fayvel – USA
 
FEI Extra Starting places (Non-League and Title Defender)
1 Thamar ZWEISTRA - Hexagon’s Ich Weiss – NED
2 Larissa PAULUIS - First-Step Valentin – BEL

The 2024 FEI World Cup™ Finals for dressage and jumping are scheduled to be held April 16–20, 2024
(MaBo/EquiWords)

Saudi Arabia, renowned for its equestrian heritage, proudly welcomes the FEI World Cup™ Finals in 2024. Riyadh, the vibrant capital, hosts this prestigious event, uniting riders, spectators, and exceptional horses worldwide. With state-of-the-art facilities and warm hospitality, Riyadh epitomizes Saudi Arabia's commitment to equestrian excellence and cultural heritage.  
 
The Finals of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ and the FEI Dressage World Cup™ will take place at the Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center between 16 – 20 April 2024 and will mark the conclusion of the 2023–24 Dressage and Jumping FEI World Cup™ Seasons. 
 
It will be the first time in history that the FEI World Cup™ Finals will be held on the Asian continent for Dressage and for the second time for Jumping after the finals in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 2006. It will be the first time that the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ and the FEI Dressage World Cup™ are taking place in the Middle East region.
 
The hosting of the FEI World Cup™ Finals reflects Saudi Arabia's dedication to promoting the equestrian arts and celebrating competition. Join us in Riyadh to celebrate the enduring legacy of Saudi Arabia's equestrian heritage and experience the captivating future of this remarkable city. 

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