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.
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