by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 8, 2023
Defending champion Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and TSF Dalera BB soared on a glittering wave of fluid movement and perfect harmony to take the FEI World Cup Dressage Final last night for the second time.
Although their mark of 90.482 percent in Omaha was more than three points ahead of runner-up Nanna Skodborg Merrald on Blue Hors Zepter, the astronomical score–with 55 marks of 10 from the judges–wasn’t even a personal best for Jessica, who won the Cup in Leipzig last year with 90.836 percent.
The German rider’s music left no doubt about her goal for next year: Dalera danced to “I Love Paris” and an Edith Piaf vocal. Jessica, the 2021 Tokyo Olympic champion, said the audio accompaniment gave her goosebumps as she headed down centerline at the end of her ride.
While it looks like she and Dalera are all ready for the 2024 Olympics in the City of Light, Jessica won’t be resting on her resume.
“It’s always a challenge to do it again,” she said, “to be in the here and now and have everything together again.” Then she added an understatement–“it worked out.”
Discussing the mindset of her elegant mare, Jessica said that as soon as she lifted her hand, the signal to start her music, “I knew she’s 100 percent there with me.”
Jessica called Dalera her soulmate, someone with whom she loves spending time, as she has over the past eight years. The rider decided to forego sightseeing in Omaha in favor of hanging out with her horse during the week.
“She loves me as much as I love her,” Jessica declared.
The competition was basically non-stop excitement for riders and spectators, with each entry putting their own stamp on riding to the music that defined the talents of their mounts.
Jessica von Bredow Werndl holds up the World Cup, flanked by Nanna Skodborg Merrald, second and Isabell Werth, third. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
The others who would share the podium with Jessica took a different approach from the winner, with horses that showed off their power. Nanna Skodborg Merrald, who rode last, said her 15-year-old chestnut gelding Blue Hors Zepter, “was really on fire. I had to be so careful all the way around. It was a bit difficult to come back after the extended canter, but I’m so thrilled.”
Nanna has been riding Zepter only fourth months, and this was just their third competition.
” I had the feeling that I can ask for so much more. I only pressed the accelerator at half. He’s amazing,” said the Danish competitor, who also qualified Zepter’s sire, Blue Horse Zack, for the Cup. (He did not attend.)
But while she called Zack “the king,” his son is still working on achieving what she believes is great potential. Even so, they achieved a personal best of 87.146 percent.
Nanna Skodborg Merrald and Blue Hors Zepter. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Isabell Werth is fondly remembered by those who came to Omaha for the 2017 finals, which she won with a flourish on Weiheigold OLD. Her fan club has grown this week, giving Isabell a standing ovation as she finished a compelling performance with DSP Quantaz, coming down centerline to the beat of “Nothing But a Heartbreak.”
Isabell Werth and DSP Quantaz. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
The spectators weren’t the only ones having a ball.
“I really enjoyed my ride and this crowd,” said the German star, who was awarded 85.761 percent, and her smile echoed her assessment of the ride: “It was fun.”
It was also technically complex; Quantaz put in 22 one-tempi changes on a bending line and showed immense control with a walk into a piaffe pirouette that led into a double canter pirouette
The top American was Steffen Peters on his longtime partner, Suppenkasper, better known as Mopsie. They were not far off the podium in fourth with a mark of 83.921 percent. The crowd loved Steffen too, clapping rhythmically as Mopsie showed off his extended trot.
Discussing the changes that were made in his music, Steffen explained, “We had to try and top it from Tokyo (where the U.S got the Olympic team silver in 2021). We made it a little better. That’s very hard because it was already such a good freestyle to begin with.”
Steffen Peters acknowledges applause from the crowd. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
His music was his familiar “We Can Dance,” with “Staying Alive” in the mix and a very personal note added at the end, a vocal rap-style addition that began, “I’m from California.”
Mopsie rose to the music.
“Sometimes he gets a little low in the bridle. Today he was up there looking for every ounce of energy. It felt amazing,” said Steffen.
When Steffen walked into his hotel after the competition, he was greeted with a standing ovation and applause. He definitely was moved by the appreciation, offering a big smile for those who gathered to salute him.
Another Californian, Anna Buffini, reached new heights with FRH Davinia La Douce. They poured every ounce of athletic endeavor into the music from “Top Gun Maverick,” a favorite movie of Anna and her family, especially because of her late grandfather’s military service. She was sixth with a score of 77.843 percent.
Anna Buffini and FRH Davinia La Douce. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
“I’m thrilled. I couldn’t have asked for more. I couldn’t have asked for a better test. We were on purpose conservative on the first day (the Grand Prix) to have a clean test and we pushed more today. And to still have a clean test when taking more risk is everything you could want,” she said.
Anna, who is a singer, did the vocal portion of the music that played during the walk break in the freestyle.
She was thinking of the audience, saying, “I hope they loved it as much as I did. We made this for them and I hope we made them proud.”
The third American competing, Alice Tarjan, bounced back from last place in the Grand Prix to ninth with a mark of 75.207 percent on U.S.-bred Serenade MF, a mare she brought along through the levels to the top of the game. The Grand Prix problem involved a miscommunication that led to Serenade stopping twice in the piaffe.There was no such error this time.
Alice Tarjan and Serenade MF. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Even so, “It’s still a work in progress,” said Alice of her freestyle.
“I’m really happy. The horse was super good, like she always is, and handled the atmosphere great.”
She was, she mentioned, sorry not to have pulled off a double pirouette to the (tempi) changes.
“I can’t count to two apparently. I did a single and I was worried, `Maybe I went around two times?’ and you can’t do three. `I better get out of here now,'” she thought and left it at one pirouette.
Her trainer, Marcus Orlob, offered some advice before she went in the ring, warning her not to focus on being perfect, which she tends to do. He told her, “Make it look easy, pretty. Smile, have fun.” And she did.
Marcus Orlob, Debbie McDonald and Alice Tarjan’s husband, Dennis Sargenti in the “kiss and cry” stand. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Debbie McDonald, the U.S. technical advisor for dressage, was thrilled by the performance of her riders.
“In my opinion, Steffen kind of won the crowd tonight.” When that happens, “No matter where you finish, you won. Anna was amazing. Alice did a great job, her first time here, amazing.”
The evening was filled with emotion, but perhaps one of the most poignant moments was Justina Vanagaite’s one-handed ride on Nabab down centerline toward the finish, as a dramatic Ukraine war song was playing. We all knew her sympathies; the first Lithuanian ever to compete in the final was wearing a light blue and yellow ribbon in honor of Ukraine on her shsadbelly.
“I am supporting the Ukraine with all my heart.You can hear it with my music. It’s nonsense what’s going on now,” she declared about the war. Justina finished 11th with 73.693 percent.
The field for the freestyle was reduced to 13 when Torveslettens Titanium RS2, a son of Totilas, had to be withdrawn after suffering signs of colic. He was ridden by the Netherlands’ Marieke van der Putten and finished eighth in the Grand Prix Wednesday.
He was the third horse to leave the line-up this week. Hermes NOP, another Dutch horse, was declared not fit to compete and did not start. Franziskus FRH, the mount of Germany’s Ingrid Klimke was fourth in the Grand Prix but was withdrawn from the freestyle after a “misstep.”
Even though the field was diminished in numbers, it was not diminished in quality. The overall standard should be given a mark of 10.
Betsy Juliano, whose Havensafe Farm sponsored the dressage in Omaha, said she backed the show because. “I felt that it was very important for this United States-based event to have a United States sponsor, and I’m proud to be that sponsor. It should not be underestimated, the inspiration and the fantastic enlightenment that everybody in this crowd saw with these riders over the last two days of competition. It’s really important to our sport in the world, in the United States, and this region.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 7, 2023
The deck was shuffled in the second jumping competition at the Longines FEI World Cup Finals in Omaha, with two riders on the move tied at the top, while Wednesday’s leader, world champion Henrik von Eckermann of Sweden, found himself demoted to third. A downed rail kept him out of the eight-horse jump-off, an uncharacteristic mistake with the superb King Edward.
Richard Vogel of Germany, who ended Wellington, Florida’s Winter Equestrian Festival with a win in the featured $500,000 5-star Rolex class on Cepano Baloubet, topped last night’s test with United Touch S, an 11-year-old Westfalen stallion he saved for his Cup campaign.
Despite his victory, he is fourth in the overall standings.
Andreas Schou of Denmark, third in the class, with the Holsteiner Darc de Lux is tied overall at the top of the standings on 0 penalties with Switzerland’s Pius Schwizer (Vancouver de Laniore), who was fourth in the class. They are two points ahead of Henrik, and five ahead of Richard, in the Cup’s complicated scoring system. I won’t even try to explain it; all I was told was that “fractions are rounded down” in determining placings.
Andreas Schou and Darc de Lux. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Interestingly, although Richard was advised by McLain Ward to come to Omaha (where McLain won the Cup in 2017), he couldn’t enter until someone else scratched.
Training with McLain was important for Richard’s success in Florida.
“Every step he takes, he thinks about first and that helped me a lot, because I am naturally more an instinct rider and don’t try to over-think it, so it’s a very good combination for me and I benefitted a lot from his support,” Richard explained.
Richard Vogel and United Touch S. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
United S was second at the German young horse championship, which gave him his claim to fame. But Richard pointed out, “To be honest, everyone thought he was a bit too slow. Scopewise, of course, he can jump everything, but was he clever enough in technical courses?”
I guess we now know the answer to that one.
“So I am happy that we have such a good relationship and he helps me out enough times and I try to help him as much as I can,” Richard continued. I
“It works very well, and we had some great results indoors and outdoors, so I think we have a very good partnership,” added Richard about the horse he started riding six months ago.
Richard’s fault-free jump-off round in 35.11 seconds was just a narrow 0.14 seconds ahead of second-place finisher Harry Charles of Great Britain on Balou du Reventon. If that horse’s name sounds familiar, it’s because until the end of last year, he was ridden by Brian Moggre of the U.S., who competed in the 2022 world championships on him. And if Harry’s name rings a bell, it might be because he’s the son of Peter Charles, a member of Britain’s 2012 Olympic gold medal team.
Switzerland’s Pius Schwizer on Vancouver de Lanlore. (P)hoto © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
A lost stirrup probably affected Harry’s time, the top Under 25 rider said, also noting that his mount is “not really a horse, he’s Pegasus.”
Hunter Holloway with the clever Pepita con Spita is still the highest-placing American, fifth overall, while Devin Ryan, on the comeback trail with Eddie Blue, is tied for ninth with Britain’s Scott Brash (Hello Jefferson) and Norway’s Victoria Gulliksen (Equine America Papa Roach). They all have 10 penalties. But enough of the numbers; my head is spinning.
Hunter Holloway and Pepita con Spita. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Hunter, whose family is in Kansas, two hours from Omaha, is a regular at the Omaha Equestrian Foundations shows in this city, so she’s at home here.
Calling her mare “stronger than ever,” Hunter noted she “has really come this week to play and she’s definitely top of her game and I’m just trying to keep up with her. Round one was super today and she jumped great again and fought hard for me and we had an unlucky rail when I was a little deep in the jump-off, but she was excellent.
Devin hit the heights in 2018 when he came from seemingly out of nowhere to finish second at the World Cup finals in Paris before going on to ride on the U.S. gold medal team at the 2018 World Equestrian Games. An injury to Eddie took Devin off the Olympic shortlist for Tokyo.
Devin Ryan and Eddie Blue. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
But they’re back now, though Devin makes sure not to overuse his horse of a lifetime. Naturally, he was hoping to jump double-clear (Eddie can handle big fences, but he’s not a speed demon). The back rail at the final fence in the tiebreaker derailed Devin’s otherwise perfect trip as Eddie twisted in the air a little over the obstacle and touched the pole with his back toe. Devin felt in retrospect it would have been better to do seven strides to that oxer rather than eight. Nothing like 20/20 hindsight, as every rider can testify. True to form, he wasn’t fast, finishing on four faults in 38.95 seconds.
I saw Devin having a post-competition conversation with U.S. coach Robert Ridland, so that should tell you something about the future of this combination.
The course built by Bernardo Costa Cabral of Portugal used a lot of solid-colored rails, which can be harder for horses to see than poles with a pattern or stripes. There were also a couple of airy verticals, and even an airy wall (solid on top, pillars on the bottom).
Richard called the first round “pretty technical, there were enough short lines.” He termed it, “a tough enough class. Not too easy, not too soft. I think the course builder did a good job.”
McLain dropped from 11th–theoretically in striking distance of victory–to 30th, the cut-off to qualify for Saturday’s final competition. He toppled three rails with Callas and collected a time fault.
Even so, “It felt like quite a nice round,” McLain reflected.
“I could maybe fault myself a little at the first oxer (at fence 6). I was a little worried about the front rail and pulled her a little bit off the floor and she didn’t finish.
“She felt a little bit tired tonight,” he mentioned.
McLain Ward and Callas. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
“She hasn’t done back-to-back days since I’ve been riding her. I thought the course was really good, I thought it was a much better course tonight than last night (Wednesday), which I thought was not challenging enough.
“The ground (footing) is average and I think that affects the horses a lot ,” noted McLain, who believes that may have caused Callas’ fatigue. Henrik had mentioned last night that he felt the footing was deep and tiring in spots.
Friday is all about the dressage freestyle. The jumpers have the day off and will come back on Saturday night for the two-round finale. Click here for the results of Thursday’s class. Click here for the overall Cup standings. Want to see the course? Click this link.
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 6, 2023
If you wanted to pick a winner in the opening classes of dressage and show jumping at the FEI World Cup classes, very little handicapping was required.
Hours after defending dressage Cup champion Jessica von Bredow-Werndl of Germany topped the field in the Grand Prix (see second story on this page), world champion Henrik von Eckermann took the speed round in show jumping.
Henrik von Eckermann takes a victory gallop, followed by Scott Brash. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
When last he was at the CHI Health Center arena in Omaha for the Cup’s first run in the city in 2017, Henrik finished third behind Romain Duguet of Switzerland and winner McLain Ward of the USA. At that time, the Swede was a fresh face for me; not on my radar. He had worked for German star Ludger Beerbaum before going out on his own in 2016.
So his 2017 Cup placing was important for him, he explained after last night’s victory, because it was an achievement that contributed to the success of his new business.
Henrik, a 2020 Olympic team gold medalist ranked number one in the world with his partner, King Edward, had the advantage of going last in the Cup’s 40-horse field over a course laid out by Bernardo Costa Cabral of Portugal.
(Ironically, at the draw ceremony for the order of go on Tuesday, it was McLain who plucked the 40th spot out of a basket for Henrik.)
One of the complex course’s most interesting features was a “double of doubles,” a vertical/oxer one-stride (10A and B) on the long side of the ring that was four strides from an oxer/plank-topped vertical. On the opposite side, there was another double, 7A and B, two verticals that caused less trouble for competitors.
The time to beat was 59.23 seconds set by Britain’s 2012 Olympic team gold medalist Scott Brash on Hello Jefferson, 13th to go. The fact that it stood up until the end of the class spoke volumes, and Henrik only beat it by 0.14 seconds. Leaving the fences up was key, naturally, but that was doubly important because each dropped rail added three seconds to a score.
Henrik has a great love for King Edward (very understandable), noting that outside of the ring, he’s like a pet you could bring in the house (though that might get messy!)
“The horse, as most people know, is an unbelievable, fantastic horse and he’s done so many great things, and thanks to the owner Georg Kähny, I can ride him,” said von Eckermann of the 13-year-old gelding, a former 1.40-meter amateur mount originally bought for Henrik’s wife, Janika Sprunger.
“It was love at first sight. At home and to take care of, he is like a dog,” he observed, but added that when the Belgian warmblood gets to a competition, the easy-going part is over.
His nerve shows, and “he has incredible power. He’s a small horse, but somehow the engine he has behind is unbelievable, and that’s why he can jump such big jumps — and of course, he’s very careful.”
His task was made more difficult, Henrik said, by the fact that “the ground (footing) was not great,” explaining it was “deep in the corners.”
Scott first saw Hello Jefferson jumping in Peelbergen with Charlotte Philippe.
“It took a bit of time to buy him, she was very attached to him,” Scott said.
That was five years ago, and the two have a great understanding now.
“He’s strong minded, so it’s taken a bit of time to grow the partnership,” Scott observed, “but I feel it’s there now and he’s an amazing horse. in
They enjoyed support from the spectators in what Scott called, “Great atmosphere. It’s nice when the crowd cheers for us Europeans, too.”
Under the Cup scoring system, Henrik leads with 41 points, followed by Scott with 39. Germany’s Daniel Deusser who was third with Scuderia 1918 Tobago Z (59.45 seconds) is one point back of that, and so on down the list.
Hunter Holloway is the highest-placed American on her reliable Pepita con Spita with 33. She was eighth after posting a 61.35-second trip.
Hunter Holloway and Pepita con Spita. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Her family has a farm in Kansas, two hours from Omaha, and before she came to the show she was doctoring sick calves. Hunter is a woman of many talents who has been a regular at shows in Omaha.
McLain, seeking another Cup title, has 30 points to stand 11th after a 61.69-second trip. He rode Callas, a mare he characterized as “not probably the speediest horse in the whole world. I hope the jumps get a lot bigger and it gives us some room to climb.”
McLain Ward and Callas. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
He said since it was his first championship with her, he erred on the conservative side and could have left out another stride.
McLain added, “Her greatest quality is that she’s totally predictable. To be honest, you really have to make a mistake to screw something up.”
Devin Ryan, whose top level career was launched by a second-place 2018 Cup finish in Paris, stands 21st with Eddie Blue after a fault-free effort in 64.62 seconds.
“Everything came up nicely, but there wasn’t much of an option,” he observed.
“The couple of inside turns, you had to do them. Sometimes it’s fun when there’s an option where you can leave out (a stride) with a big-strided horse, but that wasn’t part of the course.” (Click here to read more from Devin)
Interestingly, the designer did such an artful job that no one was eliminated. It’s quite a task to build a layout suitable for the top of the sport while seeing that those of far less experience don’t come to harm. The field is quite diverse, with riders from the Middle East and Asia in the mix.
Shout-out to Nurjon Tuyakbaev of Uzbekistan, who turned in a careful round with just one fence down to stand 30th on Lancelotta. It is the first time I have ever seen a show jumping competitor from that country.
Nurjon Tuyakbaev of Uzbekistan on Lancelotta.( Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
The competition continues tonight with a time first jump-off class.
Click here for results. Click on this link for overall standings.
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 29, 2023
There’s a reason why it’s not wise to assess the quality of an event’s entry until the closing date has passed. We had some late starters for next month’s 5-star Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event, and they are special. Not sure why so many waited until yesterday’s deadline to declare, but the end result is a very intriguing field.
First and foremost is world champion Yasmin Ingham of Britain and Banzai du Loir, who was an unknown when she came to Kentucky last year. The British rider was, in fact, so unknown that many people passed up a press conference with her on one of the dressage days; after all, everyone was busy and who had ever heard of her?
Yasmin Ingham and Banzai du Loir at Kentucky. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
Now we’ve all heard of her, and it will be interesting to see if she can improve her second-place finish from her Kentucky debut. Other Brits joining her include Zara Tindall, a former world champion, with Class Affair and Tom McEwen (JL Dublin). Three-time Kentucky winner Oliver Townend is no longer on the list.
Three-time winner William Fox-Pitt also will be on hand with Grafenacht. Another three-time winner, Germany’s Michael Jung, is not making the trip this time, but there will be plenty to keep track of without him.For other bits of international flair, France will be well represented by the very veteran Maxime Livio (Carouzo Bois Marotin), while Germany’s Sandra Auffarth also is competing.
Phillip Dutton, the last American to win the fixture in 2008, is in with Z, while perennial crowd favorite Boyd Martin has two options with the reliable Tsetserleg and a newcomer to this level, Contessa. Doug Payne, who always does well at Kentucky, is riding Quantum Leap. Other big names from the U.S. include Will Coleman (Off the Record, Dondante and Chin Tonic), the top American finisher in the world championships last year; Liz Halliday-Sharp, Buck Davidson and Tamie Smith.
Will Coleman and Off the Record. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
If the 5-star isn’t enough action for you at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, there’s also a 4-star eventing competition and a 3-star show jumping competition.
On the Thursday, there will be a 6 p.m. celebration of the life of Jim Wofford, the great eventer and author we lost in February. Everyone is invited to attend at Spindletop Hall, just down the road from the Horse Park.
If you want to see the Kentucky action in person, buy tickets at this link.
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 12, 2023
Have you been looking for something new to do with your horse, something that isn’t hunters, jumpers, reining, endurance, eventing or any of the other disciplines that first come to mind when considering the options?
Why not take a look at Western Dressage, which is increasing in popularity for many reasons. It works with any type of horse (you don’t need to import one from Europe), equipment can be purchased for a reasonable price and the atmosphere is friendly and low-key.
It is a welcome hybrid. As the Western Dressage Association of America puts it, the discipline combines the “western traditions of horse and rider with classical dressage.”
Erin Gale and I’m Willy Hot doing their dressage test. (Photo by Victoria Morano Photography)
WDAA’s roots stretch back to 2010, when a group of trainers realized “there were some core concerns shared by everyone involved in today’s horse industry.”
Together with representatives of the Western Horseman magazine, they saw the need for founding an organization to “honor the horse in its rightful place as the living symbol of the American West, value the partnership between the horse and rider, and also celebrate the American West as the beautiful and legendary place where it all began and continues today.” Everyone agreed the discipline should be built on love of the horse.
Are you intrigued? Want to learn more? There will be an opportunity on Saturday, April 15 to see the first recognized Western Dressage show at the Horse Park of New Jersey in Allentown, at 9 a.m. The show is approved for points by WDAA, the American Quarter Horse Association and the East Coast Regional Dressage Association. WDAA also is an affiliate of the U.S. Equestrian Federation.
Not only that; after the show at 12:30 p.m., a clinic in the discipline will be held, featuring Lynn Newton, an R-rated judge. She also is one of the judges for the WDAA 2023 International World show in Oklahoma in September, which last year included over 1,200 rides. Admission for those who want to audit the Horse Park clinic is $20/person.
“This is an up-and-coming sport,” said Mary Alice Goss, the show manager. It was pointed out that having a show at the Horse Park is an opportunity for people from the region who otherwise likely would be traveling a distance to participate, to get to a WDAA show in a nearby venue because of the Park’s central location.
Erin Gale, a vice president of the Horse Park who is also a Western Dressage competitor, said this show and others could pave the way for even more at the Park, depending on the turnout.
She mentioned that grading work and general improvements to footing have been made to rings at the Park over the winter, saying, “I’m hopeful people will acknowledge the difference. We’re using the surface we have for maximum performance.”
Any breed of horse, such as this Arabian, can compete in Western dressage. Note the dressage whip with the western saddle in this salute. (Photo courtesy WDAA)
From a personal standpoint, she observed how complementary Western Dressage is to the other riding interests she has involving her mare, I’m Willy Hot.
“I also show on the AQHA cicuit and I do the Ranch Riding,” said Erin.
“I felt that incorporating dressage into my everyday training really helped me in my other disciplines. My horse really excelled, it was really comfortable for her to do Western Dressage and so we started making a more conscious effort to focus on it.
“We’re excited about the growth we see in Western Dressage as a whole, not only as a competitor, but also being involved with the Horse Park. I’m thrilled we’re hosting one of the events.”
.
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 5, 2023
Consider it almost a foregone conclusion: Olympic champion Jessica von Bredow-Werndl of Germany won the Grand Prix at the FEI World Cup Dressage Finals today, earning 79.22 percent on her dependable16-year-old mare, TSF Dalera BB.
Defending her 2022 Cup title, Jessica was marked in first place by each of the seven judges on the elastic 16-year-old Trakehner, whose steps were light, a perfect complement to her supple movement.
The judges loved the performance. She got a total of 12 marks of 10, which is perfect, including for piaffe and transitions, as well as buckets full of 9s.
“Dalera was on fire,” said Jessica. “A little bit too much energy for today, but the good thing is, we could all see she is in top form. I definitely enjoyed the ride.”
The competition is great, but it would have been even better had world champion Lottie Fry been able to come with Glamourdale. But he’s a breeding stallion, and his handlers didn’t want him to miss part of the season, so that matchup will have to wait. The two didn’t meet up at last year’s world championships because Jessica was pregnant and didn’t compete.
Jessica von Bredel-Werndl and TSF Dalera BB. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Right behind Jessica was that World Cup veteran of veterans, her countrywoman, Isabell Werth. She has been to the finals 24 times and was the winner in Omaha when the competition was last held at the CHI Health Center in 2017. Isabell’s ride, Quantaz, a German sport horse, was marked at 77.485 percent.
Isabell, despite her mileage, knew she could have problems with Quantaz after two days in quarantine and what amounted to three days off. So she didn’t have a lot of time get him in shape for the Grand Prix.
“He has a strong temperament and is strong-minded and he was a bit scared in the first familiarization with the noise, and so that was not so easy for him to become more focused. I did not expect that it could work so good today. So I am totally happy that he was so focused.”
Isabell didn’t get any 10s, but she got 9s for the initial halt; Isabell always dots her i’s and crosses her t’s. She doesn’t lost points on neglecting the basics.
Isabell Werth was totally in control with Quantz. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Oh, here’s a cute story about Isabell. I asked her what she thought when multi-gold medalist Charlotte Dujardin named her baby daughter Isabella Rose. Isabell’s favorite horse is Bella Rose. When she got a call from a journalist asking her about it, Isabell said she got emotional. She still doesn’t know the whole story behind Charlotte’s decision, but she was delighted to get an instagram photo of Charlotte with the sort-of namesake child.
Back to the competition. The podium was completed by the powerful chestnut, Blue Hors Zepter, a 15-year-old Oldenburg ridden to a score of 76.165 by Sweden’s Nanna Skodborg Merrald. Her lowest marks were a series of 4s and 5s for the collected canter.
Nanna Skodborg Merrald and Blue Hors Zepter. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
In fourth was Franziskus FRH, who looked in fantastic shape, with a gleaming coat and powerful build. He was marked at 75.543 for his efforts under the guidance of Ingrid Klimke, daughter of the late Olympic champion and legend Reiner Klimke. But on Thursday, news came that the stallion has been withdrawn from the freestyle due to a “misstep.”
The top-placing American was Steffen Peters, who has been to the World Cup Finals six times and won in 2009. The Californian and Suppenkasper had an impressive performance to finish with 74.581 penalties.
Steffen Peters and Suppenkasper. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
As Steffen pointed out, whatever happens in the Grand Prix, there is “still a chance to win” the title, because the Cup is awarded based on the featured musical freestyle, which will be held Friday. The riders’ finish in the Grand Prix is used to determine order of go in the freestyle.
“To be fifth in this group is wonderful for our placing and for being the oldest rider here in this competition,” said Steffen, who is 58.
“After 50 years of being in the sport, it’s still very exciting to be part of this, and I’m thrilled.”
But as I wrote yesterday, Steffen told me he may consider retiring at age 60 after next year’s Paris Olympics, when Mopsie, as Suppenkasper is known around the barn, is 16. It certainly isn’t definite, and at the moment, he’s focused on the Cup.
Anna Buffini, another Californian, did herself proud, coming in ninth with a nicely modulated test on 70.047 percent with FRH Davinia la Douce.
Anna Buffini is always great about waving to the fans, one of the reasons she is a crowd favorite. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
“We did so much prep work, There isn’t anything we could possibly do more, I think I rode her six times in two days. It’s the best test she’s done in a big arena this electric, this nervous. To go in there and have a mistake-free test is everything you dream of.”
She will spend Thursday night with her family, watching “Top Gun Maverick,” which has become a tradition. That is the music for her freestyle, a tribute to her late grandfather who was in the military.
The third American in the competition, Alice Tarjan, had issues in the first piaffe when Serenade MF kept stopping. Alice explained that she had spent a lot of time practicing the halt, so Serenade was doing what she thought she was supposed to do. Her score was 67.065 to finish last of 15 horses.
“She’s super honest,” said Alice, who is riding in the finals for the first time. “She read my half-halt like a halt. I’m really happy. It’s the best she’s felt all week.”
An assortment of 1s and 2s from the judges for the piaffe and the passage-piaffe-passage transition meant that despite other good marks, her score would suffer.
Now that Alice had competed in the ring, she feels like the pressure’s off and she’ll spend Thursday preparing for the freestyle, done to music arranged by Boy DeWinter.
The field was supposed to be 16 entries, but Dinja van Liere of the Netherlands withdrew Hermes NOP, saying he was “not fit to compete” but did not elaborate on why. The stallion was unruly in the horse inspection on Tuesday and was put in the holding box before being passed by the ground jury.
Click here for results.
