Norwegian Grand Prix rider Cathrine Rasmussen winner of 4 year old national indoor championship

Cathrine Rasmussen and Hesselhøj Gnags. Private photo.

Cathrine Rasmussen and Hesselhøj Gnags. Private photo.

Norwegian Cathrine Rasmussen is a very experienced Grand Prix rider with more talented young horses at her own stable at Kristiansand, and she is also a long time business partner and co-owner of more top horses from Helgstrand Dressage like the stallions Valverde and new World Champion Jovian.

Back in 2018 at Danish Warmblood spring auction which takes place during the stallion licensing in March Cathrine Rasmussen purchased the 2,5 year old Danish Warmblood Premium stallion Hesselhøj Gnags by Grand Galaxy Win / Tailormade Lancelot, bred by Dorthe and Hans Jørgen Hoeck, DEN.

Since the preparation for the stallion performance test last autumn pro-rider Allan Grøn has been responsible for the riding and baby education of Gnags, and they have been successful winning a preliminary round for the Danish national federation Young Horse Championship mid September, and were then qualified for the finals. At the finals mid October Hesselhøj Gnags and Allan Grøn were placed 7th.

Right after the Danish championships Gnags moved as planned to Cathrine Rasmussens own yard in Norway, and as Cathrine tells: “He is such a handsome young horse, well behaved, very nice to handle and not least quite easy to take over from Allan Grøn, who has done a great job with him. So when I realised this opportunity to start him, here in Norway at home soil, for the indoor national championship, it was an easy decision.”

Cathrine and Gnags won both yesterday’s preliminary test with 86,4% and today’s final with 87,2%.

Clip from today’s test:

🇩🇰Danish Dufour and Bachmann Andersen each with two horses in top 12 at FEI World Ranking

Historical FEI World Ranking with two Danish riders each with two horses in top 12

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Nice and easy CDI4 Grand Prix victory today for Hubertus Schmidt with Escolar

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Smooth and effortless test by Reitmeister Hubertus Schmidt with 10 year old Westfalian stallion Escolar. Nothing seems to difficult and the entire test is shown with nice forward flow, only minor issue is at the zigzag canter with a transition with a small change for one transition.

British Laura Tomlinson is ready with a very interesting just 9 year old mare by Bordeaux / Florestan I. Today with some judging disagreement, but for sure an interesting mare with top qualities and a real Laura horse.

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FEI PRESS RELEASE - Werth pips Dujardin in exciting second leg at Lyon

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It’s three-in-a-row at the French fixture for the defending series champion 

Germany’s Isabell Werth showed exactly why she is known as The Queen of international dressage when, on her debut in the 2019/2020 FEI Dressage World Cup™ Western European League at the second leg in Lyon, France today, she produced yet another of her right-royal victories.

Partnering the 13-year-old gelding Emilio she was pinned into second place in yesterday’s Grand Prix won by Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin and her latest shining star, the 10-year-old mare Mount St John Freestyle. But today the German legend did what she does best and fought back to win the Lyon leg for the third consecutive year when putting a massive 87.090 on the board.

There was great anticipation of the clash between Werth, who has taken the series title a total of five times including the last three in succession, and Dujardin who was twice crowned champion with the great Valegro. It was at the 2014 Final in Lyon that the British rider first lifted the coveted FEI Dressage World Cup™ trophy, and fans are super-excited to see her back fighting for the supremacy she held in the sport during the heady years before Valegro’s retirement in December 2016. She’s aiming for a spot at the 2020 Final in Las Vegas, USA next April so made a great start to her points-campaign when collecting the maximum 20 today - as defending champion Werth doesn’t need to collect points, instead she is only obliged to compete twice with her horse of choice in order to qualify. 

Werth is the ultimate competitor, already relishing the return of potentially her biggest rival over the coming season and beyond. She always says that competing against the best raises everybody’s game.

"Welcome back Charlotte! It’s good to have the best in the field, and that is also what the public like to see! It’s great to have Charlotte away from her island - now the World Cup season will be really exciting!"

Isabell Werth (GER)

said the lady who is herself a longtime legend, with more medals in her trophy cabinet than any other athlete in the history of equestrian sport. 

When she came into the ring, fifth-last to go, she was chasing the leading score of 80.015 set by compatriot, Frederic Wandres, riding Duke of Britain. And the crowd were clapping even before she started. “It was a wonderful crowd, the stands were full and the atmosphere was great. This is the second time I rode this Freestyle with this music and I really like it. I’m really happy and proud of Emilio. When you ride the last line and the crowd starts to clap you know you are in a good position!” Werth said after putting that 87.090 up in lights, despite taking the time out during her test to signal, on three occasions, for her music level to be turned up.

She was still holding sway when, last to go, Dujardin came into the ring, aware that her mare was more tense today. “Yesterday at the prize-giving she was quite stressed and today when she saw so many people she thought we were doing another prizegiving. I felt her stressed and a little worried going into the arena but I’m very proud and happy with how she behaved. She lacks experience and I have to keep her with me, but this was super experience for the future and I think she will become hard to beat!”, she said after putting 83.925 on the board for runner-up spot.

Dujardin is already looking down the road to the series Final, and the experience her mare can pick up along the way. “I will go to Olympia (London, GBR) and this will again be a big show with a big crowd and a great atmosphere. Then I plan to go to Amsterdam and hopefully Las Vegas!” she pointed out.

Third-placed Wandres, who posted a mark of 80.015, was delighted with his result. “When I saw the rider-list here I thought it could be difficult to do well, but now being third behind the two Dressage Queens is fantastic! With Duke it is special as we learned together. It is now our second Grand Prix season and we keep progressing”, he said.

Today’s winning Freestyle score was just fractionally below a personal-best for Werth and Emilio as a combination, and the lady who is in the privileged position of having multiple top-rides including her two super-mares Weihegold and Bella Rose is delighted that the 2019/2020 Western European League is off to such an impressive start. “Herning (the first leg in Denmark) has already taken place and the level was already very high. It is not only Charlotte but lots of good riders taking part, so it will be interesting to see what will happen in Vegas”, said the rider on whose home ground in Stuttgart (GER) the third round of the 11-leg league will take place in two weeks’ time.

Result here

WEL Standings here 


Charlotte is back!

Photo credit: PSV

Photo credit: PSV

Press release from Longines Equita Lyon, Concours Hippique International

FEI Dressage World Cup Grand Prix presented by CREARA // CHARLOTTE IS BACK !

British rider Charlotte Dujardin was the fourth rider to enter the dressage arena for the FEI Dressage World CupTM Grand Prix presented by CREARA, and she managed to put in a great performance to hold off the competition. Taking first place in the provisional ranking with 79.978%, she held on to her lead throughout the class, even finishing ahead of Isabell Werth, who scored 77.826%.

This morning's result in Lyon represented a major comeback for the English star. Indeed, she had not competed in Lyon since 2014, riding her famous Valegro. Today, Charlotte Dujardin introduced the ten-year-old Mount St John Freestyle to the judges. It was a first for her horse, which was participating in its first FEI World Cup class. “I’m so happy. This was Mount's first indoor World Cup class. She is really courageous and has worked a lot for this event. I felt great and I think it was one of the best dressage tests we have done together. Looking forward to tomorrow, I adore Freestyle and I love my music - The Snow Queen! - and my horse loves it too! This is the second time that I'll be presenting this routine. It's great music for horseback riding."

The event was also a first for Anne-Sophie Serre and her very young mare Actuelle de Massa. Tenth in the final ranking with a score of 70.565%, the French rider can be extremely proud of her performance. The couple performed a very pretty, fluid routine, under the watchful eye of the French coaches. When she left the arena, Anne-Sophie could not hide her joy: "This is a first for me and my horse in a World Cup! I am really happy about the way I felt in the arena and with how Actuelle behaved. She was really concentrated despite her young age and the little experience she has at this level. This is just our fifth Grand Prix together, so she is newcomer at this elite level. So, I am really pleased to be part of the event and with my horse's performance. Tomorrow I'll be doing my third Freestyle to music test, but I was particularly under pressure today, because the first class is often decisive for the rest of the competition. So, I have done what I set out to do, so far. I did a little over 70% by doing a routine without pushing things too much, so now it's just about having fun!"  

The top French rider in the ranking was Morgan Barbaçon-Mestre on her faithful Sir Donnerhall II Old, with 72.109%. The couple finished eighth in the class. Finally, a quick word about the third French couple involved. Despite their 13th place with a score below 70 (69.739%), Amorak and Stéphanie Brieussel completed a nice, smooth dressage test. "I am very happy with the performances of all three of them, since they managed to complete the tests without making any faults, as they say," said Emmanuelle Schramm, Deputy Technical Director in charge of dressage for the French Equestrian Federation.

1 – Charlotte Dujardin (GBR) and Mount St John Freestyle – 79.978%

2 – Isabell Werth (GER) and Emilio – 77.826%

3 – Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (GER) and Zaire-E – 76.435%



VIDEO of the entire class - Dujardin beat Werth for today's World Cup Grand Prix at Lyon

Winner Mount St. John Freestyle and Charlotte Dujardin

Winner Mount St. John Freestyle and Charlotte Dujardin

Super sharp field for today’s World Cup Grand Prix with just 14 starters

Danish combination Ulrik Mølgaard with Michigan had to withdraw before the trot up, as Micky unfortunately had an accident at the stables and did look 100% fit, Ulrik told.

No doubt about today’s winner combinations, and with almost 80% there is still room for improvement for Dujardin and Freestyle.

Personal best and place 4th today was Dutch Emmelie Scholtens with her 11 year old KWPN stallion Desperado N.O.P. with 76,283% - not just personal best score but also personal best test from H2R point of view. Overall good power, suppleness and obedience from the big black stallion all the way, and it was of course also a very please and happy Emmelie after today’s test. Seen from the “sideline” the placement was more like a second place like judge at E French Isabelle Judet saw them.

Desperado N.O.P. NED - super halt, power diagonal, nice uphill crossing half passes, super halt with good rein back, good diagonal, super into passage, nice piaffe keeping the activity and good transitions, 77% trending after trot, super extended walk, active collected walk, nice into passage, nice 2nd piaffe with good active passage, good into canter, super nice 2 times, power diagonal extended canter super back for the change, super zigzag, superb flow forward 1 times, tiny active 1st pirouette, huge sit small jump to the side at final for 2nd pirouette, good into trot, super diagonal, nice final centerline with good transitions. 76,282%

Best ever test from H2R point of view 👌🏻

Werth and Emilio showed a strong test but struggling a bit with the full relaxation for the halts and the collected walk today.

Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and Zaire-E showed a strong and very harmonious performance today.

Both Swiss combinations showed good performances with very good quality horses, but at the moment they are both lacking a bit more experience and top timing for their tests.

New at the World Cup scene today was the just 9 year old Lusitano mare Actuelle de Massa with French Anne Sophie Serre. A very interesting mare showing top qualities all the way, with only the walk as a bit weak point today. This combination made their international Grand Prix debut in August this year in Nice.

Morgan Barbancon with Sir Donnerhall II getting there, better and better every time. The only issue now is the piaffe tours, but today Morgan manage to maintain the energy in the piaffes.

Top 3 H2R comments during the tests: (all comments available via H2R Facebook)

Mount St. John Freestyle GBR - good halt but small unbalance, power diagonal WOW, well balanced half passes small tension left end, super halt with rein back, power diagonal, into smooth passage, bit forward piaffe and lack bit clear beat for the begin, super nice transitions, good walk tour, nice into passage, nice 2nd piaffe keep the flow and rhythm, good 2 times, good extended canter, super zigzag, good 1 times, super balanced pirouettes, WAUW 2nd!, super into trot, power diagonal, very nice final centerline. 79.978%

Power controlled test with some tiny issues.

Emilio GER - bit tense halt, well balanced diagonal, good crossing but lacking bit mor carriage for both half passes, good halt bit resistance for rein back, nice diagonal, smooth transition to passage, easy in and out 1st piaffe with piaffe at the spot, need more let go for the extended walk bit unbalanced rhythm, small steps for collected walk, ready at M super passage, easy 2nd piaffe, super transition to canter, good 2 times, nice extension, good zigzag, bit short one times, very sharp 1st pirouette, 2nd bit bigger, good transition to trot, nice diagonal, super final centerline. 77,826%

Expensive entering halt and the small steps for the collected walk kept her away from Dujardin today.

Zaire-E GER - good halt, nice diagonal, good flow half passes, bit open halt with tiny resistance rein back, good diagonal, nice transition to passage, tiny forward piaffe good transitions, good passage, good walk tour, direct into passage, nice 2nd piaffe with smooth transitions, good transition to canter, bit swing 2 times, good extended canter, well balanced zigzag, good 1 times, good pirouettes in nice balance, good transition to trot, good diagonal, smooth final centerline. 76,435%

Well balanced test with nice overall expression.

Watch the entire class here below - winner performance move the timeline to 29.30 to watch Dujardin with Freestyle.

See the entire results here.

Huge Danish entrylist for CDI3 at Blue Hors 8 - 10 November

When stud Blue Hors will be hosting their annual CDI3 event it will be with a huge list of Danish international combinations.

Some with huge experience such as Mai Tofte Olesen with Rustique and Helene Melsen with Aston Martin, and some quite new at the international scene like Carina Cassøe Krüth with the top talented mare Heiline´s Danciera and Anna Kasprzak with her new Grand Prix horse Addict de Massa, and not least a comeback for the high quality gelding Blue Hors Zepter with Daniel Bachmann Andersen which we haven’t seen since December last year at Frankfurt due to an injury.

There will be live streaming provided by Zibrasport.tv for Saturday and Sunday (price 99 dkr about 13 euro).

International competition schedule:

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Judging team:

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What happened at HANN auction today - most expensive stallion sold for record price 1.890.000 euro

No 54 by Cadeau Noir / Licosto - photo: Ernst

No 54 by Cadeau Noir / Licosto - photo: Ernst

The top price stallion was Outstanding from first step at the presentation video till the final step at the auction today. So much stallion look, superb modern with power and super suppleness and all the time with nice judiciously overview.

There was an online video from the entire auction of no 54

One thing is sure, the auction of this most expensive stallion with no 54 by Cadeau Noir / Licosto did end before the ultimate final bit. The entire auction of this stallion was actually caught by one from the audience and was just online at Youtube for a few hours until is was made “private”. The final moments clearly shows that 1,2,3 is missing and hammer is actually done already after 1!

Prices for the Premium Stallions:

  • 44 by Benicio x Lauries Crusador xx - sold for 34,000 euro

  • 48 by Bon Coeur x Licosto - sold for 50,000 euro

  • 54 by Cadeau Noir x Licosto - sold for 1,890,000 euro to Gestüt Bonhomme

  • 73 by For Romance II x Davignon - sold for 240,000 euro to Landgestüt Celle

  • 82 by Fürstenball x Weltmeyer - sold for 160,000 euro

  • 84 by Londontime x De Niro - sold for 55,000 euro to Norwegian Kristin Andresen

  • 92 by. Quantensprung x Sandro Hit - sold for 44,000 euro

  • 94 by Schwarzgold x Don Frederico - sold for 160,000 euro to the Netherlands Theo Driessen

  • 98 by Vitalis x Bon Bravour - sold for 720,000 euro to Glock Horse Performance Center

  • 100 by Vitalis x Floriscount - not for sale

Top prices by other licensed stallions:

45 by Benicio x De Niro - sold for 100,000 euro to Bernadette Brune

65 by Don Nobless x Fidertanz sold for 90,000 euro

78 by Fürst Romancier x Sandro Hit sold for 90,000 euro

Full list of auction prices today:

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Premium stallions with top qualities today at HANN stallion licensing

Photos by Ernst.

Premium stallions:

  • No 44 Benicio / Lauries Crusador xx

  • No 48 Bon Coeur / Licosto

  • No 54 Cadeau Noir / Licosto

  • No 73 For Romance II / Davignon

  • No 82 Fürstenball / Weltmeyer

  • No 84 Londontime / De Niro

  • No 92 Quantensprung / Sandro Hit

  • No 94 Schwarzgold / Don Frederico

  • No 98 Vitalis / Bon Bravour

  • No 100 Vitalis / Floriscount

No 54 showed already himself by the video presentation ahead of the licensing, but at hard surface he showed something special, at the lunging he showed superb balance for the trot and good canter, but today at free presentation he showed top balance for the canter. Really stallion look and showing superb overview.

No 73 very modern and long legged stallion, superb look, super balance and expression all the way and today with great overview for the free presentation.

No 82 a pure pretty boy from the video presentation and showing himself all the way as a really stallion. Super nice round and active hindlegs and superb walk.

No 100 a real charmer and the absolute highlight of the outstanding Vitalis sons collection. This boy look like the champion stallion. (He will not be available at the auction tomorrow).

H2R might “forgotten” 94, but not really feel for this stallion.

VIDEOS - Hard surface and lunging of HANN stallions today - Vitalis sons showed something extra

Already from this mornings presentation at hard surface some of H2R favourites showed themselves as very interesting candidates.

45 Benicio / De Niro - super well balanced both for trot and canter.

54 Cadeau Noir / Licosto - did not disappoint:

82 Fürstenball / Weltmeyer - well balanced presentation for both hard surface and lunging.

90 Morricone / Fürstenball - very handsome and powerful stallion:

100 Vitalis / Floriscount:

101 Vitalis / Foundation - best canter of the day.

103 Vitalis / Fürstenball - expressive supple stallion.

104 Vivaidi / Desperados - impressive trot but lacking more balance for the canter.

Live streaming program for Friday and Saturday:

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FEI Press Release - It’s a Bohemian Rhapsody for Denmark’s Dufour at first leg in Herning

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Germany’s Werndl and Langehanenberg finish second and third

Denmark’s Cathrin Dufour stole all the limelight when dominating both the Grand Prix and Freestyle at the first leg of the FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2019/2020 Western European League on home ground in Herning (DEN) this weekend. Riding her exciting young Westphalian gelding Bohemian, she posted a whopping 83.022 to win yesterday’s Grand Prix. And today she posted the winning Freestyle score of 88.191 which left her well clear of her nearest rivals, Germany’s Benjamin Wendl with Daily Mirror 9 and Helen Langehanenberg with Damsey FRH who slotted into second and third.

“It’s quite incredible!” said Dufour this evening, delighted with the performances of her super-talented and ultra-promising nine-year-old horse.

"Yesterday was the highlight because he was super-brave in front of a full-on crowd and everything came together! And today he brought out his “A” game again - imagine what he can do when I start to push him a bit more - he’s going to be unbelievable!"

Cathrine Dufour (DEN)

This first round of the 14-leg league from which nine riders will qualify for the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final 2020 in Las Vegas (USA) next April, attracted a cracking field of 15 combinations from eight countries. And Denmark held the lead at the halfway stage when Agnete Kirk Thinggaard and Jojo AZ posted 77.630. It was a big moment for this pair as they were making their final appearance together at top level, with retirement now beckoning for the 16-year-old horse that represented Denmark at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and helped secure team silver at the FEI European Championships in Gothenburg (SWE) the following year.

Last year’s Oslo winners, Daniel Bachmann Andersen and Blue Hors Zack, went out in front when first to produce a score over 80 percent, but Dufour blew that away when following with a mark of over 88 percent for a test that had the spectators on the edges of their seats. Bohemian finished fourth in the Freestyle and fifth in the Special as well as contributing to Denmark’s second-place finish in the team event at the prestigious German fixture in Aachen this summer. And the crowd rose to their feet again, just as they did yesterday, when the pair drew to a halt in the full knowledge that they had taken a significant lead. 

Germany’s Werndl and Daily Mirror put 84.545 on the board before 2013 series champion Helen Langehanenberg posted a mark of 83.360 with Damsey FRH. So when the final partnership of Severo Jurado Lopez and another nine-year-old, Fiontini, finished fractionally further behind on 83.320, then the Spanish pair had to settle for fourth place. 

As Dufour returned to the arena for the prize-giving there was a sense that a new champion has been born. The Danish rider’s career highlights have mostly been recorded in her partnership with the fabulous 16-year-old gelding Atterupgaard’s Cassidy who has carried her from Young Rider European gold to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and on to team and Freestyle bronze at the 2017 Senior Europeans and bronze in the Special again at this summer’s European Championships. Bohemian looks like his perfect successor, and Dufour acknowledged that today.  

She is much lauded for her hugely sympathetic riding style which allows her horses to develop at their own pace.

"They are my team-mates, and I respect them in the ring. If they say they can’t do something then I say ‘maybe next time’. I never push them and that gives them great confidence. I love my ponies, I’m really just a pony girl inside!!"

Cathrine Dufour (DEN)

She is not going to try to qualify Bohemian for the Las Vegas 2020 Final, because she says it will be too much for him in a short space of time, especially when she has the 2020 Olympic Games in her sights. “I want to have both of them (Cassidy and Bohemian) ready for Tokyo. I’ve taken it quite easy on Bohemian to improve his frame and his strength, I’m just still trying to balance him. But the day I can start really riding him forward - I can only imagine what he can do!”

Result here 
 


VIDEO - Bohemian and Cathrine Dufour with clean sweep at first leg of FEI World Cup season 2019/2020

Cathrine Dufour again at top of the podium with Bohemian.

Cathrine Dufour again at top of the podium with Bohemian.

Opening leg of the new World Cup season with come crowd favourite victory

Everyone was blown away after yesterday’s outstanding performance from the young Danish combination, and today they did not disappoint their come crowd.

Lovely flow and power for their freestyle, and again the judges were ready to reward them. And today the audience were respectfully waiting with the applause until the final halt.

Benjamin Werndl and Daily Mirror were shining again today with a powerful and supple test, and today’s piaffe tours were much more settled than for the Grand Prix. Well deserved 2nd place.

Helen Langehanenberg and her 17-year-old Damsey FRH were showing a strong test, but for some moments the final motivation from Damsey was somewhat limited and at the end he becomes very strong in the contact.

Today’s 4th place was another 9 year old horse, Danish Warmblood mare Fiontini with Severo Jurado Lopez, showing a strong test with just a minor issue for the final of the one times. The margins for the results were today in favour of Helen and Damsey with just a difference of 0,040%. The harmony and obedience was clearly a 3rd place worth for Severo and Fiontini today.

Daniel and Zack was not really rocking together today, as Zack was not really in the mood for the piaffe tours. There also crept in an error for the series. And it was a clearly disappointed Daniel leaving the arena, but still scoring 80.485% which is a really impressive score.

H2R comments during the tests:

Bohemian 🇩🇰 - super halt tiny backwards trend, lovely passage/piaffe work, clock work piaffe and transitions, good walk, tiny double pirouette with huge sit, dropping pole slightly for 2 times, take self change between canter half passes, super double pirouette, nice 1 times, wauw piaffe pirouette, super final. Audience on their feet again!

Daily Mirror GER - super strong test, lots of suppleness and a pleasure to watch. Much better piaffe tours today than in the GP.

Damsey FRH GER - resting hind for entering halt, lack balance half pass to left, lot of nice things but lacking bit more lightness, looks a bit hard work for Helen, at the end of the test loosing the collection and attention today.

Fiontini ESP - super supple trot tour, lovely passage, good piaffe tour, power extensions, super walk tour, strong canter tour with high degree of difficulty, 2 times on curved track, lovely ability to do smaller steps for pirouettes, small error at the end of one times, bit tensions for final transition to piaffe. Standing ovation for the "Danish" star Severo.

See the full results here.