Hagen Nations Cup: Germany far ahead
- il y a 19 heures
- 2 min de lecture
Germany shone on home soil yesterday at the Covalliero Dressage Days, securing an emphatic victory in the Hagen Dressage Nations Cup—the first event of its kind to be held at the venue.
With the World Championships just a month away, Germany demonstrated its competitive strength by delivering a solid performance. Led by Chef d'Equipe Klaus Roeser, the quartet—comprising Semmieke Rothenberger & Farrington, Raphael Netz & Great Escape Camelot, Frederic Wandres & Bluetooth Old, and Isabell Werth & Wendy de Fontaine—finished with a total score of 230.834 points. Spain placed second with 212.892 points, trailing by more than 17 points. The battle for second place was tight, with the United States finishing third, less than two points behind (210.957).
"The World Championships are a different event, but this one was important," noted Monica Theodorescu, the German national coach. "It’s another key step toward the championship; regardless of the upcoming championship, the process remains the same."
German riders posted the top three scores in the CDIO4* Grand Prix, and all four team members scored above 71%. Nine-time world champion Isabell Werth took the win with her Paris Olympics mount, Wendy de Fontaine, scoring 80.051%. "I was really pleased with Wendy. It’s always a bit harder having to wait all day—until the evening—before competing, but she stayed very focused and diligent," she said. "She was very relaxed and performed some beautiful movements. I really enjoyed the piaffe and passage. The walk phase was very calm, and I’m happy with my pirouettes... Throughout the test, I was able to stay balanced, take my time, and really enjoy it." They were the only pair to outperform Frederic Wandres & Bluetooth Old. Delivering a strong performance for their team, the latter pair scored 76.087%. Despite a mistake in the two-tempi changes, "Bluetooth is now a very consistent team horse; he always posts good results," explained Frederic Wandres. "We worked on several aspects at home: the halts, the piaffe to some extent, and the pirouettes. All these elements improved today, and I am very pleased."
The FEI Nations Cup series will conclude on Saturday, July 11, in Falsterbo, Sweden.
Full results HERE
crédit photo : FEI/ Stephan Lafrentz
