Hagen
With 49 combinations for the CDI3 Grand Prix in Hagen, the first 41 were scheduled for Thursday and then the last 8 for Friday morning.
Danish top combination Blue Hors Zepter and Nanna Merrald were yesterday at start for the first time since Lövsta Top 10 in Stockholm back in December last year.
As Zepter earlier this year suffered from a hoof abscess everyone were looking forward to their “comeback”.
For Nanna and her long time trainer Michael Søgaard the plan was clear, an error free performance without asking to much. No doubt the entire dressage world were online to follow one of best combinations in the world.
“How does he look? Is he fit? Do they need to prove themselves?” - a lot of questions to be asked, and no doubt Nanna for sure also felt the pressure. But they went into the arena did their things together with top qualities, no mistakes and winning the class with a clear 78,739% performance, 4% ahead of Jovian and Patrik Kittel. They are definitely back and with the message of today that they will not be at start for Grand Prix Special in Hagen, is with only 50-days to go before the Olympics a very wise decision for the Danish team.
Blue Hors Zepter, MSJ Freestyle and Vayron are the current Danish top contenders for the Olympics, and at the end of the day the best combinations fit to compete will make the team.
Sweden and America
The picture for the Swedish team also slowly getting more clear and besides anchormen Kittel and Nilshagen, Sofie Lexner with Inoraline W and Maria von Essen with Invoice look like the current contenders for the 3rd spot. Nothing decided yet and still time for a few important observation events for each country.
All american long list riders were at start with Steffen Peters and Suppenkasper in top placed 3rd and at start this morning. They showed a strong performance and scored just below 73%, which look like their current level.
Adrienne Lyle has two horses for the long list, Lars van de Hoederheide and Helix. With Lars she choose to retire from the test yesterday when she was doing the two times as she felt he wasn´t really up for the job (stated on FB). Together with Helix she was placed 5th with 72% follow by countryman Endel Ots with Bohemian scoring just below 72%. For both horses a bit short and tight frame makes the overall picture and at the same time with easy and effortless performances.
Danish Warmblood mare Fiontini with Anna Buffini were in day two part of the Grand Prix with start this morning. And from an overall picture, with suppleness, balance, power, elasticity, super frame and quality they were actually more like judge at B, Alice Schwab (AUT) saw them for 73,9% - they finished 7th with 71,783%.
Here you find the entire results.
