A huge mixed collection from 2 year old to Prix Sct. Georg level horses for the collection
The video presentation of the 2 year old stallions does unfortunately not give any real impression as they are lunged in a closed lunging arena.
H2R favorites are:
Just missing the video of this mare!
Champion stallion Kattenau by Honoré du Soir/Perechlest
Most expensive stallion sold for 270.000 euros:
Most expensive by not licensed stallions:
Most expensive riding horse sold for 130.000 euros:
Most expensive foal sold for 15.000 euros:
Most expensive mare sold for 25.500 euros:
Live stream schedule at Clipmyhorse:
From the videos there are more very interesting young stallions for this years licensing in Verden, but the best impression will for sure be Thursday afternoon when you have the opportunity to see the young stallions by lunging. And at the same time the stallions just for licensing are without videos.
Here you find the entire collection for the licensing.
Helgstrand Dressage has managed to set new standards within the dressage world; with the employment of FEI World Ranking no. 5, the very talented dressage rider, Cathrine Dufour. Helgstrand Dressage has now secured another strong profile for the future.
At Helgstrand Dressage the stable houses more than 300 horses, of which 250 are under saddle every day. With an increasing need for top dressage horses, the company has now secured a new strong rider to join the team, which at the moment is 21 riders.
- I am incredibly proud to have this opportunity. For many years, I have been in close dialogue with Andreas Helgstrand, said Cathrine Dufour. Being able to train some of the world's best horses would be an honour to me and I'm looking forward to getting started, adds Cathrine, who sees the employment as a natural continuation of their current cooperation.
In spite of her young age, Cathrine Dufour is a well-known name on the international scene. With numerous wins at international Grand Prix level and a FEI World Ranking as no. 5 with Atterupgaard's Cassidy, she belongs to the world elite. In addition, Cathrine has on several occations passed the magic 80% barrier and, as one of the few, managed to beat Isabell Werth.
- We are delighted that Cathrine has chosen to join our team. She has managed to train horses up to Grand Prix and her many victories speak for themselves. She has incredible discipline and work ethic and I am sure that this is the reason she has won more than most riders in only 26 years, said Andreas Helgstrand proudly, remembering the magnificent tribute she and Cassidy got at Herning Horse Show earlier this year.
Cathrine became a part of the Danish national team at only 12 years old. Also, as a young rider, Cathrine had a great talent and she has won the Danish Championship no less than 14 times. As a 24-year-old, she participated at her first Olympic Games on Cassidy, where she placed 13th. 2017 she won two individual bronze medals and team silver at the European Championship. In 2018, she managed to qualify for the World Equestrian Games in Tryon but unfortunately had to cancel. Now she is focusing on qualifying for the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2020, hoping to secure Denmark another medal.
Cathrine runs her own dressage stable, Dufour Dressage, in Roskilde, Denmark. Where she trains as well as offers training to new upcoming talents. The agreement is that Cathrine will continue in Roskilde, where she will train horses from Helgstrand Dressage. The stable will act as a new sales stable. Alongside running the sales stable, Cathrine will continue her current activities, including her fan club named Dufour Club as well as training Cassidy and her new upcoming talents.
Cathrine Dufour and Atterupgaard's Cassidy from the Danish Championship at Broholm.
Source: Helgstrand Dressage.com
Daniel Bachmann Andersen (28) and Blue Hors Zack were definitive winners of today’s first leg of the new FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2018/2019 Western European League season on home ground in Herning, Denmark. All five judges put the Danish duo into pole position while Germany’s Helen Langehanenberg (36) steered Damsey FRH into second spot ahead of Sweden’s Tinne Vilhelmson Silfven (51) and Don Auriello in third.
“It was a fantastic Freestyle today - no mistakes and very easy, very light and smooth. Yesterday Zack felt tight during the Grand Prix and we had a few mistakes. But today he was suppled up a little bit more and that paid off a lot”, Bachmann Andersen said.
Langehanenberg won yesterday’s Grand Prix ahead of Vilhelmson Silfven in second and Bachmann Andersen in third. But the Danish rider who became part of the Blue Hors Stud team four years ago was determined to do better.
The bar was raised to over 80 percent by six-time Olympian, Vilhelmson Silfven, when third-last to go with her 16-year-old gelding. The pair finished second at the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final in Gothenburg (SWE) two years ago and were on the Swedish team that finished fourth at last month’s FEI World Equestrian Games in Tryon, USA.
However their mark of 80.90 was immediately bettered by London 2012 Olympic team silver medallist Langehanenberg whose brilliant record at the FEI Dressage World Cup Finals includes victory with Damon Hill NRW in 2013. A score of 81.40 with the 16-year-old stallion Damsey FRH put her out in front when second-last into the arena today, but her advantage was short-lived.
Big marks included two scores of 9.9 for Degree of Difficulty from judges Katrina Wuest (GER) and Mariette Sanders-Van Gansewinkel (NED) as Blue Hors Zack soared to the top of the leaderboard on a final tally of 83.37 for victory. Bachmann Andersen was delighted with the horse who he says has “an amazing temperament, he’s sharp and yet he’s still very calm”.
And Zack is also special because he’s blind in one eye. “There were a few issues to work on and a lot of bumps along the way, and he was actually 12 years old when he made his debut at this level of of the sport but he just got better and better from show to show after that”, Bachmann Andersen added.
However after today’s great result, Zack will take a break because he’s had a busy year, finishing seventh at the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final 2018 in Paris (FRA), competing successfully in Aachen (GER) in July and finishing 10th individually in the Grand Prix and 17th in the Special at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ last month.
“My plan now is to give him a rest until the qualifier in Amsterdam (NED) in January, and I definitely want to make it to the Final in Gothenburg with him” the Danish rider said this evening.
Watch highlights here
Results
Blue Hors Zack (Daniel Bachmann Andersen) DEN 83.3752.
Damsey FRH (Helen Langehanenberg) GER 81.4053.
Don Auriello (Tinne Vilhelmson Silfven) SWE 80.900
Blue Hors Zack with Daniel Bachmann Andersen and mail sponsor ECCO represented by Hanne Toosby Kasprzak.
Coming from third place yesterday taking the victory today
It is not very often that there are much rotation in the top ranking after the World Cup Grand Prix, but this fact Danish Daniel Bachmann Andersen and Blue Hors Zack changed today.
Going into today’s World Cup freestyle with a very different attitude and power from Blue Hors Zack just made the difference. Daniel was able to ask for more and Zack responded in a positive and forward thinking way all the time today. High degree of difficulty combined with power and accuracy brought them to the top of the World Cup podium for the first time, and at the same time scoring personal best with 83,575% - great start of their World Cup season.
The goal for this season for Daniel is the World Cup final and then also a spot at the podium, Daniel told at subsequent interview with national broadcaster.
Helen and Damsey FRH showing a great freestyle, and actually nice to watch a freestyle where the extended canter not is with transition to double pirouette, but instead making the difficulty with one times at the centerline going into double pirouette.
Sweden Tinne Vilhelmson Silfven and Don Auriello showed their strongest test for at long time. It was for sure Anton back is his “old” top shape.
Danish debutants
Anna Kasprzak as Saturday evening said goodbye to her international top partner Donnperignon, showed her 10 year old Rock Star for the first time in the World Cup. Rock Star is still very inexperienced at international level, as Anna just showed him three times last year at international level. They showed a very nice test today with some minor baby issues, and still lacking more strength. Superb extended walk, good double pirouettes and nice series on curved track.
Also Carina Cassøe Krüth and May-Day Graftebjerg made their World Cup debut this weekend. They were showing very nice flow for the trot tour, and with same combination of half passes in passage with transition to half passes in trot like Anna Kasprzak also showed successfully. Small tensions for the walk tour, good canter tour with a small error for the two times.
Young Victoria E. Vallentin with Ludwig Der Sonnenkönig also showed a nice test, but it looked a bit like Ludwig was lacking more power for the final part, as there crept in some unbalanced steps.
Even though the flags are a bit mixed up, it is the correct placements for today’s World Cup qualifier.
At the occasion of the World Cup show in Herning, Danish Warmblood has launched a new foal auction. With 83% of the foals sold for an average price of 11,867 EUR the concept is a proven success
A continuously growing demand for Danish Warmblood foals has resulted in an expansion of the concept of the foal auctions which was originally based on the DWB Elite Foal Auction in August and two regional foal auctions in the month of September. In 2017, the Nordic International Sales at Helgstrand Dressage was added to the concept as a new and highly successful auction taking place in May/June.
The latest addition to the Danish foal auctions is the DWB World Cup Foal Auction scheduled for 19 October 2018. Despite the late time of year, Danish Warmblood’s auction committee had managed to put together a collection of 20 foals of very high quality in terms of type, functionality and performance bloodlines.
A success to be repeated
Taking place at the World Cup show in the MCH Messecenter Herning the auction attracted a massive audience in the Nathalie Horse Care Arena and among them were several foreign buyers. 18 foals came under the hammer of auctioneer Casper Cassøe, and 15 of them sold for a total price of 178,000 EUR resulting in an average price of 11,867 EUR.
– A foal auction in the autumn is a brand-new concept for us but it worked, and once again, the auction proved that show jumping foals of interesting pedigrees with strong performances in the dam line will always sell, states head of the auction committee Ulrik Kristensen and adds:
– We had foreign guests in the arena and on foreign buyers on the phones, and consequently four foals were sold abroad. We are extremely content with the outcome of the auction and hope to be able to repeat the success next year.
Foals with attractive performance pedigrees
First foal to go under the hammer, Worres Nina by Franklin x Aquilino (bred by June and Mogens Worre-Jensen) became the auction highlight with a knock-down price of 23,000 EUR selling to Andreas Helgstrand who is a frequent customer at the Danish Warmblood foal auctions.
Most expensive show jumping foal, Counter Strike by Clarimo x Coronado (bred by Anne Mai Arvesen) was also acquired by a recurring Danish Customer who has bought several foals and horses at the Danish Warmblood auctions and has had great success in developing them into magnificent sport horses. Counter Strike fetched a price of 19,000 EUR.
A highly esteemed German stud purchased the dressage filly foal Overgaard's Australia by Blue Hors Farrell x Blue Hors Zack (bred by Ove Møller Nørgaard) for 18,000 EUR. This filly is closely related to the popular young stallion Blue Hors Zackerey and is out of one of the most sought-after dam lines which has also produced the triple world champion for young horses, Fiontini and the successful Olympic and WEG contestant, Gørklintgaard Dublet.
For the price of 16,000 EUR Danish buyers secured the dressage filly foal Hesselhøj Vamilja by Vitalis x Sir Donnerhall II (bred by Dorthe and Hans Jørgen Hoeck) whose grand dam is the dam of the internationally popular stallion Hesselhøj Donkey Boy who won bronze at the WBCYH in Ermelo last year.
Donnperignon and Anna Kasprzak - photo credit: H2R
The 19-year-old Donnerhall son Donnperignon said goodbye to his fans and his glorious career together with his owner Danish international rider Anna Kasprzak.
Pepe made his debut at international Grand Prix level back in 2008 with his former rider Christoph Koschel, and has been at international Grand Prix start 114 times over 10 year.
Anna and Pepe made their debut together back in February 2012.
Damsey FRH with Helen Langehanenberg - photo credit: Koen Gomes
Damsey FRH GER - good halt, power extension, good half passes lack bit carriage, superb halt with rein back, super extension, nice transition to passage, some uneven passage steps tensions hind, good piaffe and good transitions, superb extended walk (2 x 10)!, good collected walk, bit tense passage, nice piaffe, bit tense transition to canter crop high, super quality 2 times (no more than 8)?, good extended canter, super nice zig-zag, nice one times, good quality pirouettes, 2nd slightly big, good transition to trot, nice extension, good final piaffe slight forward, lacking final meters of the passage. 75,652%
2nd placed Sweden Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven and her long time partner Don Auriello showed strong form.
3rd placed Daniel Bachmann Andersen with Blue Hors Zack. They showed a solid test with some minor issues. From the sideline it was not a Zack back in top form after a well deserved break after WEG, but still great overall qualities.
Danish debut combinations placed
For Danish Victoria E. Vallentin with Ludwig Der Sonnenkönig it was their World Cup debut, like Anna Kasprzak was also showing her Rock Star for the first time in World Cup. Both combinations with nice performances with minor things, and looked mostly like lack of experience for the horses.
Danish Carina Cassøe Krüth with May-Day Graftebjerg were just outside the ranking today with a few minor issues. Atterupgaards Orthilia and Agnete Kirk Thinggaard were unfortunately lacking more flow and security for their test today.
See the entire results here.
You can find all comments during the test via H2R Facebook.
Blue Hors Don Olymbrio and Daniel Bachmann Andersen - photo credit: H2R
Today Dufour and Bachmann swapped placements
Still the two young Danes in top of the class, today with a bit sharper performance from Daniel and Don O than for Dufour and Bohemian, but still top top qualities for the young combinations.
Again today with personal best from Germany´s Kathleen Keller with San Royal and again today they were showing a very solid test without weaknesses. Unfortunately Kathleen started her half pass to early which means a deduction with a total of 2%!
Blue Hors Don Olymbrio DEN - small unbalance in entering canter, good halt, expressive diagonal, nice go and flow half pass left, good transition to passage at C, super power for extension at long side, supple smooth half pass to right, easy in and out from passage, good transition to walk with good relaxation and stretching, good collected walk, lack a tiny bit of energy for piaffe but nice at the spot keeping a good balance for both piaffe tours, unbalanced transition to canter, nice canter half passes, lovely uphill active 2 times, bit early start of 1 times but well performed, nice extended canter, good pirouettes, small tensions for 9 one times, 2nd pirouette with best quality, good transition to trot, super long side extension, very nice final, Daniel just reminds Don O to continue to final halt - very well managed.
Bohemian - good halt, nice diagonal with good expression, small disturb by transition at A, very regular and smooth passage sharp on the letters, good extended walk, good collected, easy smooth 1st transition into super 1st piaffe, 2nd piaffe superb, easy transition to canter, nice balance for canter half passes, nice 2 times bit hind vertical, error mid 1 times bit hind vertical, becomes short in the neck collecting from extended canter, superb control quality for both pirouettes, good 1 times, final extension gets bit into the hand at transition, superb final centerline (missing some more 9´s).
Also Danish at 4th place today with Lone Bang Larsen with Bakkely´s Onandt
Bakkely´s Onandt DEN - good halt, nice power for extension, supple forward half pass left, nice clear transition to passage at C, good extensions and nice transition back to good passage with nice elevation and clear rhythm, could show a bit more let go for extended walk, good collected walk, good 1st piaffe huge sit and easy out, 2nd piaffe lack bit more activity, bit resistance for transition to canter, bit early end of first canter half pass, nice series, nice extended canter change bit small, bit behind aides for 1st pirouette and lost balance, 2nd pirouette better, nice 1 times, nice final centerline.
All comments about all combinations on H2R Facebook.
This is a great story about Cathrine Dufour and her way from dreaming about the big goals as a young girl, and then over the years with hard work, dedication and full support from her family and team reaching her goals.
Today she is in the league among the top riders in the World.
Great news for all dressage fans outside Denmark
Today’s FEI World Cup Grand Prix is available via live stream at Zibrasport, but only for users outside Denmark.
The price is 49 kr. (6,5 euros).
Click at the link below an get direct access.
Start list:
Two of Denmarks absolute top riders are ready with their next super stars
It is not about they will be stars - they are already stars, today with 8 year old Bohemian and Cathrine Dufour with impressive 76,587% and 10 year old Blue Hors Don Olymbrio with Daniel Bachmann Andersen in the saddle scoring 75,543%.
About Bohemian it is still a bit early talking about development as he is still very young at this top level, but the way Cathrine is able to show him both without any technical issues and at the same time without tension - that’s just something very special.
For Blue Hors Don Olymbrio it looks like a very nice development combined with more strength, security and overview by every single exercise.
Also Kathleen Keller with her just 11 year old San Royal is showing great form and lovely development.
H2R comments during the tests:
Bohemian DEN - superb halt and forward, good diagonal, nice balance and flow for both half passes, good crossing, superb halt for rein back good rein back, easy transition to passage, nice flow and activity for passage and piaffe, smooth transition, could stretch a bit more fore extended walk, nice collected walk, good transition to passage, well balanced 2nd piaffe with nice transitions, good transition to canter, nice 2 times could be more uphill, nice zig-zag need bit more uphill trend, nice 1 times, superb sit and quality for both pirouettes, good transition, nice extension, superb final centerline, piaffe at the spot!
Blue Hors Don Olymbrio DEN - bit unbalanced halt, nice extension, supple half passes, nice halt with rein back, nice extension direct to passage, nice balanced piaffe with smooth transitions, good relaxation for extended walk, very nice collected walk, direct to passage, easy balanced 2nd piaffe, good passage, nice transition to canter, nice 2 times, good extended canter nice transition and change, super balanced zig-zag, nice 1 times, huge sit for pirouettes with good quality, good final centerline.
San Royal GER - bit unbalanced halt. good diagonal, nice flow and balance for half passes, tensions for rein back, good passage/piaffe/passage tour, good walk tour, 2nd pi/pa tour ditto, small error 2 times, good control zig-zag, very nice 1 times, good control for both pirouettes, smooth transition to trot, expressive extension, very nice final centerline.
Comments about all combinations are available via H2R Facebook.
Placed 4th was another Danish combination Lone Bang Larsen with Bakkely´s Onandt. Lone has been struggling a bit with some errors during her latest shows, but today she managed to show Onandt in a both clear and expressive test with very nice qualities.
Danish Claus Thinggaard did his debut with the experienced Jojo AZ today and they showed a solid test, with just minor issues.
Unfortunately were Danish Ditte Mikkelsen with Don Rohdian eliminated after their test as Don Rohdian bit himself in the lip.
13 combinations at start with just 2 foreign combinations for the Prix Sct. Georg
Shared victory for Danish Kathrine Lindbøg Lang with Onassis and Germany´s Kathrin Lohmann with Lauderdale.
The overall impression from this amateur Prix Sct. Georg test today was nice riding, and from the placed combinations also with good qualities.
More of the Danish combinations were earlier this year at start at Almased Dressage Amateurs tour at Equitour in Aalborg.
Both Kathrine Lindbøg Lang with Onassis and Simone Lunding-Hoppe with Heimdals Champ showed solid tests without any technical issues.
Placed as no 4 Camilla Bekkevold med Fældgårdens Dia-Lou showed a very nice balanced test with a light and easy frame, unfortunately Dia-Lou showed some tensions with small trot steps for the extended walk tour.
FEI PRESS RELEASE
The Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), the global governing body for horse sport, has ventured into the new evolution of esports launching its first official digital fan series in partnership with SAP, the world’s largest enterprise application software company. The FEI eLeague Dressage debuts at this weekend’s opening qualifier of the FEI Dressage World Cup™ series 2018/2019 in Herning (DEN), giving fans the opportunity to engage with the sport on a higher level.
The FEI eLeague Dressage is the expansion of the well-established Spectator Judging® app, the state-of-the art-mobile application which enables fans to get in the judge’s seat, creating audience scores and rankings in real time. SAP, as the Official Analytics Sponsor of the FEI Dressage World Cup™, has built upon the success of the Spectator Judging® app making fans an integral part of the overall series.
The innovation of the FEI eLeague Dressage relies on a new gamified ranking functionality, as users collect points by participating in Spectator Judging® throughout the 2018/2019 FEI Dressage World Cup™ Western European League season, both onsite and online by watching FEI TV. Additional options to collect points will be added over time, for example by interacting with the FEI channels or posting individual user-generated content. The Live-leaderboard on the FEI website will display the current ranking of the eLeague participants as well as in the Spectator Judging® app, so fans can truly enjoy watching their progression on the leaderboard.
The overall winner will be announced after the last qualifier in the Western European League season, held at ‘s-Hertogenbosch (NED) 14-17 March 2019. They will receive an exclusive VIP trip for two persons to the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final in Gothenburg (SWE) 3-7 April, and will have the chance to go behind the scenes, meet the athletes and enjoy the Finals with all the additional excitement this immersive experience brings.
“The FEI eLeague Dressage is the future of fan engagement,” FEI Commercial Director Ralph Straus said. “Fans will participate actively in the series, not only by judging, but also by sharing content. Together with SAP we are committed to audience engagement and we hope that equestrian fans all over the world will enjoy this exciting opportunity.”
“This is our second big project together with the FEI, following the success of the Spectator Judging app, which was also implemented at this year’s FEI World Equestrian Games in Tryon,” Henrike Paetz, Global Head of the SAP Equestrian Programme said. “We are excited to collaborate with the FEI and we look forward to creating more fan experiences in the future.”
14 combinations for tonights international Prix Sct. Georg
From watching the entire class Marianne Helgstrand with Super Mario was today’s winner, but today’s championship rider Daniel Bachmann Andersen brought for sure some extra championship points.
Even though Marianne had two errors and a not top collected walk tour, she still show great qualities with suppleness and expression, while Daniel today was missing a bit more flow and let go the entire test, and with some moments during the canter tour where Zee Me Blue is lacking more power and balance.
Placed 3rd today was the Polish combination Przemyslaw Kozanowski with Zome Zin. A lovely supple horse, but seen from the “sideline” the overall picture was for most of the trot tour with the pole behind the vertical.
Danish Allan Skov with Midtgaardens Showhit showing a solid test with easy flow for the trot tour, superb extended walk and smaller tensions hind for the canter tour but still an error free test.
It was international debut for both Helen Langehanenberg with Bryan and Maria Anita Andersen with Præsteskovens Raquel, with a huge surplus for Maria, unfortunately not reflected at the scoreboard today.
H2R comments during the tests:
Blue Hors Zee Me Blue DEN - open halt, small lack of beat at diagonal, good flow trot tour, good collected walk lost bit balance 2nd walk pirouette, good extended walk, bit tense change between half passes, good 1st pirouette, bit on two tracks into 2nd pirouette, small tensions for series. 73,971%
Super Mario DEN - good halt and forward, nice go and flow for trot tour with nice expression, collected walk lack more clear collection, super supple extended walk, good quality and control for both pirouettes, error end 4 times, nice 3 times. 72,108%
Zome Zin POL - nice flow and balance for the trot tour but very short neck for more moments, lack bit balance for collected walk, clear canter tour lacking a bit more forward flow. 70,637%
Midtgaardens Showhit DEN - good halt, well balanced trot tour, collected walk lack bit activity, supple extended walk with nice stretching and over track, 1st pirouette becomes bit hind the riders aides, 2nd better control, nice series but slightly crop high. 69,902%
Bryan GER (Helen Langehanenberg) - bit unbalance picture for the trot tour, looks like some extra contact on right rein all the way, some tensions for the walk tour, good qualities for the canter tour. 69.902%
Præsteskovens Raquel DEN - good halt direct forward, super expressive diagonal, good flow and balance for trot tour, good collected walk nice walk pirouettes, could show more relaxation and over track for extended walk, bit unbalanced end 1st pirouette, 2nd pirouette with nice control, error 4 times. 68,676%
With just 11 dressage foals for the upcoming DWB World Cup Foal Auction it is quite easy to look through the entire collection.
A collection of very well moving foals with very interesting pedigree.
Sport breeding
With Hesselhøj Vamilja you have the successful Vitalis as sire and on the dam line you have the grand dam which is the dam of of recent three times national champion for Young Horses Hesselhøj Donkey Boy.
An extraordinary dressage filly. Very expressive, refined, feminine and incredibly well-moving in all gaits. Absolutely extraordinary in her movement. Very exciting bloodlines deriving from one of Denmark’s strongest mare line.
Granddam Søbakkehus Kamilja is the mother of the gold medal stallion Hesselhøj Donkey Boy. She is competing at highest level in dressage and is sold to Switzerland. Donkey Boy´s sister is competing at highest level in the United States.
Donkey Boy has a full-brother competing at international level and was sold to England. To mention a few among all the highly successful sports horses from this damline is the OG horse Lucky Star as well as the former Danish champion Fitou L.
Zibrasport.dk will be streaming from the entire event, except the World Cup Grand Prix Saturday (will NOT be possible to follow live) and World Cup Grand Prix freestyle which will be available via FEI-tv as usual.
The price for all days of non World Cup is kr. 89,- (about 12 euros) at Zibrasport.
Nathalie Horse Care Arena M
18:00 CDI3 Prix Sct. Georg
Jyske Bank Boxen
7:30 Almased Dressage Amateurs Bronze Tour (PSG)
9:15 Almased Dressage Amateurs Silver Tour (Int A)
10:05 Almased Dressage Amateurs Gold Tour (Int II)
11:00 CDI3 Grand Prix
13:10 DWB presentation of foals for the auction
Nathalie Horse Care Arena M
17:00 DWB World Cup Foal Auction
Jyske Bank Boxen
10:00 CDI3 Grand Prix Special
13:00 FEI World Cup Grand Prix
Nathalie Horse Care Arena M
18:30 CDI3 Intermediaire I
Jyske Bank Boxen
14:30 FEI World Cup Grand Prix freestyle
Nathalie Horse Care Arena M
8:00 Almased Dressage Amateurs Bronze Tour (Int I)
10:00 Almased Dressage Amateurs Silver Tour (IntII)
10:50 Almased Dressage Amateurs Gold Tour (GP)
Contenders have their strategies planned as the new FEI Dressage World Cup™ Western European League season gets underway this weekend in Herning, Denmark. There are 10 qualifying opportunities in eight countries over the next six months, and all eyes are fully focused on a place at the Final in Gothenburg, Sweden next April.
The Grand Prix movements have been fine-tuned and the Freestyle floor-plans perfected, so now it’s time to get back on stage with those “dancing horses"…
For the top names it’s about holding form, and some are spoiled for choice. The defending champion and three-time winner, Germany’s Isabell Werth, has three of the top four horses in the World Rankings and is unlikely to hand over her crown without a serious fight. In the number 2 spot she has the 13-year-old mare Weihegold with which she claimed her second consecutive title at the Final in Paris (FRA) earlier this year and who also carried her to triple gold at the Longines FEI European Championships in 2017 and team gold and individual silver at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Add to that her world no. 3 ride, Emilio who is so very consistent, and her personal favourite Bella Rose who is in number 4 spot and who helped secure team gold and the Grand Prix Special title at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ (WEG) in Tryon (USA) last month, and Werth’s chances of reigning supreme once again seem rock solid.
However there’s a bit of unfinished business out there, because the Freestyle was cancelled due to the weather conditions in Tryon. So there are unanswered questions about whether the world no. 1 partnership of America’s Laura Graves and Verdades would have given the German duo a run for their money, and how much of a challenge would have been presented by Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin and Mount St John Freestyle. At just nine years of age, the British rider’s super-exciting mare looks to have a world of possibilities ahead of her, and the sport can hardly wait to see just how far this pair can go.
The highest-ranked rider in Herning will be 2013 World Cup champion Germany’s Helen Langehanenberg. She’s currently eighth in the world with the 16-year-old stallion Damsey FRH who was also on that gold medal winning European team in 2017 where they also finished individually fourth. And she’ll be in good company this weekend alongside European team silver medallists Agnete Kirk Thinggard and Anna Kasprzak from Denmark and seven-time Olympian Tinne Vilhelmson Silfven and Rose Mathisen who were on the European bronze medal winning Swedish side 14 months ago.
After this weekend’s first leg, the action moves on to Lyon (FRA), Stuttgart (GER) and Madrid (ESP) in November and then to Salzburg (AUT), London Olympia (GBR) and Mechelen (BEL) in December. The new year will begin in Amsterdam (NED), and then it’s a race to the line with just two more chances to pick up those precious qualifying points in Neumunster (GER) and ’s-Hertogenbosch (NED) in February before the Final which will run from 3 to 7 April.
Ireland’s Judy Reynolds is looking forward to lining out a little later in the season.
"I really enjoy competing in the Western European League because the shows are all in fantastic venues and it’s a whole lot of fun! When I finished fourth at the Final in Omaha in 2017 I was very close to the podium and I loved every minute of it - I can’t wait to get back out there again this season to show what we can do!"
Judy Reynolds (IRL)
She’s not the only one, and it all gets underway in Herning with the Grand Prix on Saturday at 11.00 local time and the Freestyle which begins at 14.30 on Sunday - don’t miss a piaffe or a pirouette, it’s going to be great!
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