Herning CDI 3* Grand Prix : Isabell Werth shows her strengths for the future

Slightly calmer week on the international calendar, with the CDI in Herning and a World Cup in Motesice, Slovakia. While the highlight of the day will come later this afternoon with the highly expected meeting between Cathrine Laudrup Dufour & MSJ Freestyle and the return to her homeland of Wendy de Fontaine partnered with Isabell Werth, the German rider took also advantage of the trip to compete in the 3* with her very promising horse, Viva Gold Old.

He already has quite a resume: at 10 years old, Viva Gold Old had never before competed in a CDI ; a first today, for the son of Weihegold, his rider's former top horse, after having nevertheless won the Louis d'Or Final in December. The expressive chestnut is already positioning himself as a serious contender for the title of Isabell Werth's top horse and who knows, maybe the best horse of her career. Very inexperienced in competition, Viva Gold Old showed signs of tension, visible in a quality of contact that could sometimes be improved, a difficulty in maintaining attitude in his flying changes, which were nevertheless very uphill, and his piaffes, which were otherwise on the spot and active, but he also offered a flawless, elastic test, particularly with very easy canter pirouettes, a pace in which he was sometimes a little too closed in the front. Scored at 77.500% and with a 74.783% from the German Ulrike Nivelle and an enthusiastic 80.761% from the Dane Susanne Baarup, Viva Gold achieves the best first Grand Prix in CDI than Weihegold (73.780%), Bella Rose (75.298%) and Wendy de Fontaine (72.739% with Andreas Helgstrand then 74.348% with Isabell Werth) !

Germany also brought out the big guns with Leonie Richter & Lord Europe; a pair to keep an eye on for the future. The stallion by Lord Leatherdale, sold for €800,000 at the Hanoverian stallions sales in 2018, began his international competition with a clear round. Cautious in his extended the trot and canter, the stallion occasionally showed some resistances, notably opening his mouth in the passage-to-canter transition. Lacking a bit of relaxation at the extended walk, and likely with his haunches to the right at the collected walk, Lord Europe was scored 70.109%.

Annabella Pidgley & Gio were 3rd with 69.978%, after faulty the two times flying changes and some tensions in the canter part.

Full results HERE