Aachen, Germany – July 22, 2019 – Following a strong performance in the Grand Prix on Thursday, Isabell Werth returned to the Deutsche Bank Stadium on Saturday, July 20, to win the Grand Prix Special and lead the German team to their 38th Aachen Nations Cup gold medal in the CDIO5* Lambertz Nations Cup and continue their undefeated status since 2011. The win proved to be easy prey for the German team and their impressive 489.477 percent that was followed by a 457.515 percent from the team for Denmark and a 450.775 percent from the U.S. team.
The top three placings in the Grand Prix Special were duplicated from Thursday’s Grand Prix with all three riders maintaining their individual positions. Werth, again riding her 15-year-old Westphalian Belissimo M daughter, Bella Rose 2, was faced with strong competition from her own ranks in the form of the German Champions Dorothee Schneider and Showtime. Two of the judges even placed Schneider in front of the World Champions, however, Werth ultimately asserted herself with 84.447 percent after being showered with 10s and excelling in her piaffe passage. Werth explained that she had noticed Bella was pretty temperamental this morning, so she didn’t risk all. Sunday was Werth’s 50th birthday, made extra special when she won the Deutsche Bank Prize for the 13th time!
Schneider and Showtime took home the individual silver medal despite the 13-year-old Hanoverian-bred Sandro Hit son making two expensive mistakes: one in the transition from the passage into the extended trot and the other in the transition from the passage to canter. Their final score of 83.617 percent set a personal record for Schneider. The milestone was emotional for Schneider as Showtime, who she has ridden since he was three and a half years old, had been out of action for a while after a paddock injury in 2017.
The individual third place tittle went to Charlotte Dujardin (GBR) with the Trakehner Erlentanz, whom she is currently riding for her pupil Sonnar Murray Brown, who scored a 80.277 percent.
Denmark maintained their second place team position to finish with the bronze in the Nations Cup. A team total score of 457.515 percent Catherine Dufour and Bohemian, a 9-year-old gelding, led the team with a 78.809 percent to finish fifth individually. Daniel Bachmann Andersen finished sixth with the KWPN stallion Blue Hors Don Olymbrio, while Agnete Kirk Thinggaard and the 16-year-old gelding Jojo AZ scored 72.362 percent.
Representing the U.S. for the bronze medal was Adrienne Lyle and Salvino, an 11-year-old Hanoverian stallion. Lyle completed her test with a score of 76.745, earning seventh place. Teammate Steffen Peters scored a 74.872 persent aboard Suppenkasper, an 11-year-old KWPN gelding, and Katherine Bateson-Chandler and and the 14-year-old KWPN gelding named Alcazar scored a 73.766 percent in their Grand Prix Special. Shelly Francis and Danilo completed the team of four, finishing with a 65.532 percent.
FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE:
Isabelle Werth – individual leader
“I was absolutely satisfied, but it wasn’t the bees’ knees.”
Dorothee Schneider – individual second place
“It is very emotional for me to be back with this horse. Today’s last line was like flying. I am proud of this horse and at the moment also of myself because we have grown together so well over the years and performing so superbly meanwhile.”
Jessica von Bredow-Werndl – individual fourth place
“Apart from the two piaffes it was the best ride of my life!”
Results: CDIO5* Nations Cup Final Team Scores
Rank / Team / Grand Prix / Grand Prix Special / Total
1. Team Germany / 242.392 / 247.085 / 489.477
2. Team Denmark / 228.174 / 229.341 / 457.515
3. Team USA / 225.392 / 225.383 / 450.775
4. Team Sweden / 223.783 / 224.170 / 447.953
5. Team Great Britain / 223.630 / 224.256 / 447.886
6. Team Ireland / 212.891 / 215213 / 423.588
7. Team Spain / 211.652 / 211.936 / 423.588
Results: CDIO5* Grand Prix Special
1. Isabelle Werth / GER / Bella Rose 2 / 84.447
2. Dorothee Schneider / GER / Showtime FRH / 83.617
3. Charlotte Dujardin / GBR / Erlentanz / 80.277
4. Jessica von Bredow-Werndl / GER / TSF Dalera BB / 79.021
5. Cathrine Dufour / DEN / Bohemian / 78.809
6. Daniel Bachmann Andersen / DEN / Blue Hors Don Olymbrio / 78.170
7. Adrienne Lyle / USA / Salvino / 76.745
8. Therese Nilshagen / SWE / Dante Weltino OLD / 76.596
9. Judy Reynolds / IRL / Vancouver K / 75.894
10. Charlotte Fry / GBR / Dark Legend / 75.128
11. Helen Langehnenberg / GER / Damsey FRH / 75.043
12. Steffen Peters / USA / Suppenkasper / 74.872