Nanna Skodborg Merrald brought a sense of déjà vu to Neumünster (GER), clinching the FEI Dressage World Cup™ qualifier victory with Blue Hors Zepter, just as she did two years ago. It was a thrilling showdown with Isabel Freese (NOR) and Total Hope OLD. Freese narrowly won the Grand Prix, but Merrald had the final word in the Freestyle, with 81.465% she secured victory by a mere 0.2%. Completing the podium, Corentin Pottier (FRA) impressed with Gotilas du Feuillard to take third place.
With only two legs remaining in the Western European League before the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final, the competition for points is heating up. This weekend’s results caused a shake-up in the standings, with only Gothenburg (SWE) and ’s-Hertogenbosch (NED) left on the calendar. Merrald’s triumph, earning her 20 points, propelled her to sixth place on the leaderboard. Valuable points were also gained by Larissa Pauluis (BEL), Isabel Freese, and Raphael Netz (GER), setting up for an exciting finale.
Zepter’s experience and power
Skodborg Merrald has campaigned three different horses this FEI Dressage World Cup™ season but aims to qualify with either Blue Hors Zepter or Blue Hors Don Olymbrio. Which one will go to the Final? “I’m not sure yet. We’ll decide in March when we see who’s in top form,” Skodborg Merrald explained. The Danish rider, runner-up at both the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Finals 2023 in Omaha (USA) and 2024 in Riyadh (KSA), is well-positioned for another shot at the title.
Seventeen-year-old Blue Hors Zepter (owned by Blue Hors Aps) showcased his experience and power, though minor mistakes crept into both tests. “He felt fantastic in the warm-up, so I’m still wondering where those mistakes came from,” Merrald admitted. She shares a deep bond with Zepter:
“He’s had several riders before me, and I have huge respect for his career. He’s extremely powerful, very honest and loyal, but also sensitive. Now that he’s older, we don’t want to push him too hard. It’s most important for us that he enjoys his work.”
Nanna Skodborg Merrald
(DEN)
Silva de Oliveira gets the crowd on their feet
Neumünster’s Holstenhalle, known for its electric atmosphere, was packed to the rafters from the very first combination. The crowd, close to the action, created an intense and unforgettable ambiance.
One athlete who captured the audience’s hearts and put a smile on everyone’s face was Brazil’s Renderson Silva de Oliveira with Fogoso Campline. Riding a modern Freestyle set to rap and hip-hop, his vibrant performance had the crowd clapping along in the final centerline. He celebrated his 76.845% ninth-place finish with sheer joy, earning a roaring ovation from the crowd.
As the competition progressed, scores climbed steadily. Camille Judet Chéret (FRA) and Herelja Higgins produced an active, but sometimes a bit tensed, test featuring top-quality piaffe and passage, earning a new personal best of 77.905%. Ingrid Klimke (GER), a crowd favorite, followed with the elegant First Class 92 (owned by Gut Hülsen GmbH & Co.KG), scoring 77.100% with a harmonious performance, but the mare slightly struggled with the transitions out of the piaffe. Marieke van der Putten (NED) and Torveslettens Titanium RS2 N.O.P. (owned by Jacques and Saskia Lemmens) then raised the bar to 78.610%, finishing sixth overall. They showed great piaffe and passage, but overall the extensions had room for improvement.
Top 3 finish for Pottier
The final five pairs from the Grand Prix shook up the leaderboard. Corentin Pottier (FRA), aboard Gotilas du Feuillard (owned by Hervé Pottier), delivered a polished, error-free Freestyle showcasing Gotilas' remarkable collected work and scored 80.290%. The Paris 2024 Olympian found Neumünster equally thrilling: “The ambiance felt about the same. Riding this close to the audience is incredible. The crowd knows the sport, and you can feel it. A new personal best and a podium finish: I call it a good day,” he said with a broad smile.
Norway’s Isabel Freese and Total Hope OLD (owned by Paul Schockemöhle, Oivind Bache, and Lone Boegh-Hendriksen) followed. With three runner-up finishes -London (GBR), Basel (SUI), and Neumünster (GER)- Freese now sits eighth in the overall standings.
Pauluis on her way to her second final
Germany’s best-placed rider for the home crowd was Raphael Netz aboard Great Escape Camelot. Despite placing fifth with 78.665%, he dropped two spots from his Grand Prix top-three finish. Still, he was upbeat: “I am going home with a big smile, today showed everyone that our sport is alive.”
The penultimate rider, Merrald, delivered a compelling performance with Blue Hors Zepter, taking the lead. The suspense remained high until the final competitor: Belgium’s Larissa Pauluis and Flambeau (owned by Caroline Lepage). A finalist in Riyadh last season, Pauluis had scored over 80% twice this season and was eyeing a podium spot. However, a costly mistake in the one-tempi changes on her joker line dropped her to fourth place on 79.715%. Nonetheless, she now moves up to fourth in the overall standings.
With seven nationalities represented in the top 10, Neumünster showcased a wide variety of competitors. The Western European League now heads to Gothenburg (SWE) next week for the penultimate qualifier of the FEI Dressage World Cup™ season, so don’t miss a hoofbeat!