news

Friday 3rd March – CDI 5* GRAND PRIX

Isabelle Werth emphasized why she is current world number one rider with a spectacular win on Don Johnson Frth in the CDI 5* Dressage Grand Prix at CHI AL SHAQAB.

 But the heat is on for Werth for the Freestyle tomorrow. Catherine Dufour for Denmark, finished a small margin behind on 76.820%. Her horse Atterupgaards Cassidy has partnered the 25 year old from Junior level. Together they won two European Young Rider Championships in 2012 and 2013 and finished 13th individually in Rio 2016.

Third place went to another Danish rider Anna Kasprzak who rode Donnperignon to score a percentage of 73.560%

Werth is something of a Maestro in the sport of dressage. She is not only current world leader but set a record for the rider winning the most Olympic medals ever, in equestrian sport. Her team gold and individual silver medals won in Rio 2016 took her total to 10 medals. In addition she has won two individual golds and three teams golds at the World Championships. With Don Johnson FRH she finished 6th in the World Cup Final in 2016 and helped Germany win team gold at the European Championships, finishing 7th individually. The pair have also won a number of World Cup qualifiers in Europe.

Speaking after her test Werth said:

“I’m really happy. He was very controlled, very serious and without mistakes. Everything was really focused. Good pirouettes and changes and the half pass. Maybe the second piaffe could have been a bit quicker but I’m very happy. It's a fabulous show and I am really happy that we came"

Speaking on her current world number one horse Weihegold Old (not competing at CHI AL SHAQAB). “My horse is number one in the world ranking and she has had really great performances in the last three months. She started the World Cup season with a super Freestyle win in Lyon and again in Amsterdam. She is on a super way and at the moment I think she is a horse with maybe the best piaffe, passage. She was the one in the lead at the moment but you always feel the breeze of the other ones.”

The popular British rider Carl Hester brought his stunning chestnut stallion Wanadoo to compete but had to settle for sixth place. The Hanoverian stallion is a useful described as a “fun little horse” by Hester who has had several Grand Prix wins at CDI 3* level with the horse.

Speaking after his test “It was really good. Really happy with him. He is 16 years old, been there done it. He travelled really well and he went really well. I’m a bit disappointed with our marks but he’s not a big mover.

Hester helped Britain to team gold in London 2012 and team silver in Rio 2016. He is also well known for his involvement in finding and training the extraordinary Dressage pairing Valegro and Charlotte Dujardin. In 2016 he received the 216 Global Dressage Visionary Award and was name “Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire” (MBE) in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List.

CHI AL SHAQAB has always been happy hunting ground for Sweden’s Patrik Kittel with his winner from last year, Deja. He won both the Grand Prix and the Freestyle test here last year but finished fifth here today