Germany rallies for short-handed victory in Budapest

Team GERMANY wins the FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ 2023, Budapest (HUN) - Chef d'Equipe BRINKMANN Fritz (GER) - STIEGLMAIER Franziska (GER) - WIDMANN Rudolf (GER) - MÜLLER Lisa (GER) - pc FEI/Łukasz Kowalski

FEI Dressage Nations Cup 2023, by Catie Staszak Germany entered the FEI Dressage Nations Cup of Hungary with a bit of added pressure. Prepared to start with a full team of riders, the squad was left short-handed following the late scratch of Lisa-Maria Klössinger. But no drop score would be needed, as Team Germany, with just three riders, recorded a comfortable victory under the tutelage of Chef d’Equipe Götz Brinkmann. The trio of Rudolf Widmann (Ferrari OLD), Franziska Stieglmair (Samurai 504) and Lisa Müller (Gut Wettlkam’s D’avie FRH) finished on a…

Carl Hester claims 1st and 2nd in Somerford Grand Prix

Carl Hester & Fame. Image credit Lucy Hall Photography

Carl Hester claimed 1st and 2nd in the Somerford Park Premier League Dressage Grand Prix sponsored by LeMieux on Saturday, May 27th with the super-talented Fame (77.98%) and his Tokyo ride En Vogue (74.54%). Fresh from success at Hickstead and proving back on top form after a rest from competition in 2022, Carl commented: “They’re very ‘goey’ horses, that’s how I would describe them, they’re brilliant horses to ride, I’m so lucky to have two horses to ride of this calibre, especially at this stage in my life!” On his…

A Premier Line-Up for Somerford’s Premier League Dressage

Carl Hester & Hawtins Delicato Win Somerford Park Grand Prix. Image credit Lucy Hall/Somerford Park

Action is set to get underway at Somerford Park’s Premier League Dressage in Cheshire (26 – 28 May), and the organisers have revealed visitors are in for a real treat. Set in the stunning Cheshire landscape, Somerford Park is widely regarded as a jewel in the crown of Britain’s equestrian landscape. Offering superb facilities, the venue will play host to 400 horses throughout the three days of competition across the bank holiday weekend. There is so much to watch, not least multi Olympic medallists Carl Hester and Charlotte Dujardin, who need…

Charlotte Dujardin scores 83.200% for another win at RWHS

Charlotte Dujardin, winner of The Defender CDI4* FEI Dressage Freestyle at Royal Windsor Horse Show @RoyalWindsorHorseShow/Peter Nixon

Charlotte Dujardin continued her Royal Windsor Horse Show success, claiming victory in The Defender CDI4* FEI Dressage Freestyle to add to Wednesday’s Grand Prix win. In doing so, she repeats her dual triumph from 2019 – the last time international Dressage was held at the Show. Kathleen Kröncke took an early lead as third to go. With music that suited her horse perfectly, Kröncke received excellent artistic scores of over 80% to contribute to an overall mark of 76.365%. Laura Tomlinson riding Fallatijn, a horse she has produced since 2016,…

Charlotte returns with a textbook performance at RWHS

Charlotte Dujardin and Imhotep greeting her new daughter Isabella, after winning in The Defender CDI4* FEI Dressage Grand Prix at Royal Windsor Horse Show @RoyalWindsorHorseShow/Peter Nixon

Charlotte Dujardin returns with a textbook performance at Royal Windsor Horse Show (RWHS) The Defender CDI4* FEI Dressage Grand Prix kicked off proceedings at The Royal Windsor Horse Show yesterday (10.5.23), helping celebrate the show’s 80th year. Twelve combinations contested the class, including three of the four British FEI World Championship squad who claimed team silver in Herning last summer. Boasting a strong British contingent, the competition ensured great excitement for the home crowd. A fantastic first test from Royal Windsor debutant Lewis Carrier scored an impressive 70.435% with Diego…

Carina Cassoe Krüth Leads Denmark to Victory

FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ 2023 - Compiegne (FRA) Anna KASPRZAK of Denmark riding ADDICT DE MASSA, Carina Cassøe KRÜTH of Denmark riding HEILINE'S DANCIERA and Lone Bang ZINDORFF of Denmark riding THRANEGAARDENS ROSTOV

2023 FEI Dressage Nations Cup Krüth, Denmark cruise in Compiègne – written by by Catie Staszak Carina Cassoe Krüth could not be beaten in Compiègne (FRA), leading Denmark to victory in the nation’s first outing of the 2023 FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ season.  Under the tutelage of Chef d’Equipe Anne-Mette Binder, the three-rider Danish squad of Krüth (Heiline’s Danciera), Anna Kasprzak (Addict de Massa) and Lone Bang Zindroff (Thranegaardens Rostov) did not finish outside the top 12 across the CDIO5* Grand Prix, CDIO5* Grand Prix Special and CDIO5* Grand Prix…

Jessica von Bredow-Werndl Reclaims FEI Dressage World No.1

Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (GER) with TSF Dalera BB at the FEI Dressage World CupTM Final in Omaha (USA) - FEI/ Liz Gregg

Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (GER) has reclaimed the top spot of the FEI Dressage World Ranking for Athletes, making her the new world number one with 2193 points. The achievement came following her stunning victory at the FEI World Cup™ Finals 2023 in Omaha (USA). Von Bredow-Werndl made a sensational return to top-level competition last October at the second FEI Dressage World CupTM 2022/2023 qualifier in Lyon (FRA) after a six-month maternity leave, winning both the Grand Prix and the Freestyle test to a new French-themed musical score featuring Edith Piaf’s “Je ne regrette rien”. …

Charlotte Dujardin confirmed at RWHS

Charlotte Dujardin Royal Windsor Horse Show

As excitement continues to rise for the Royal Windsor Horse Show (10–14 May 2023), organisers have announced their delight that Charlotte Dujardin will be taking part in the Defender CDI4* FEI Dressage aboard the striking chestnut gelding, Imhotep. The class will take place on Wednesday 10 May and Thursday 11 May, and will be the first international competition for Dujardin following the birth of her daughter, Isabella, in March this year. The Defender CDI4* FEI Dressage runs over two days and will welcome some of Great Britain’s best dressage horse…

It’s a back-to-back double for Jessica and Dalera

Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (GER) riding TSF Dalera BB, winners of the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final - Omaha 2023 Copyright ©FEI/Richard Juilliart

It’s a brilliant back-to-back double for Jessica and Dalera FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final 2023 – Omaha (USA), by Louise Parkes The German duo of Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and the fabulous TSF Dalera BB claimed the coveted FEI Dressage World Cup™ title for the second time in their spectacular career when winning the deciding Freestyle competition at the 2023 series Final in Omaha, USA tonight. They arrived at the American fixture as firm favourites but looked vulnerable in Wednesday’s Grand Prix when the 16-year-old mare was super-excited to return to competition…

FEI Dressage World Cup Final Grand Prix: Defending champions take the honours

Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (GER) riding TSF Dalera BB, winners of the Grand Prix at the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final - Omaha (USA) 2023 - FEI/Richard Juilliart

Defending champions win Grand Prix on a day with a few surprises FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final 2023 – Omaha (USA), written by Louise Parkes Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and TSF Dalera BB threw down the winning Grand Prix score as the FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2023 Final got underway in Omaha (USA) yesterday (5th April). But it was no walk-in-the-park for the pair that claimed the series title 12 months ago while on the crest of a winning wave. The 16-year-old mare was a little overwhelmed when entering the arena…

“He made me cry at the end,” says Jonty Evans

Jonty Evans Para-Dressage debut with his family and horse Cooley Rorkes Drift

On March 30th, Jonty Evans and his long standing equine partner, Cooley Rorkes Drift completed a rather emotional para-dressage test, leaving the eventer in tears. A master of his sport, Jonty spoke of his performance on the 2006 gelding: “The dressage at Solihull was good, I was in danger of forgetting how well behaved he [Cooley Rorkes Drift] is in the arena. He is fantastic to ride and the feeling of connection with him or any horse is like a drug, it is what you want over and over.” Just…

Jessica and Dalera bid for a back-to-back double

Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and TSF Dalera BB at the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final 2022 in Leipzig (GER) - © FEI / Richard Juilliart

FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final 2023, Omaha (USA, by Louise Parkes Following a baby-break that meant she didn’t compete at last summer’s ECCO FEI World Championships in Herning (DEN), Jessica von Bredow-Werndl returns to centre stage with TSF Dalera BB when the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final 2023 gets underway in Omaha (USA) next Wednesday. The German rider and her lovely mare were on a roll when taking the 2022 title on home ground in Leipzig (GER) last April, having already bagged a full set of Olympic and European medals over…

At 18, Simone Pearce qualifies for first World Cup Final

Simone Pearce and Fiderdance in Aachen (GER) - © LL-Foto / Gestüt Bonhomme

Pioneering Pearce qualifies for first World Cup Final… doing it her way! By Louise Parkes Australia’s Simone Pearce’s courage and determination know no bounds.  It takes a lot of courage to leave everything you know behind and cross the world to chase a dream, especially when you are just 18 years old and you are completely alone. But for Australia’s Simone Pearce, courage and determination know no bounds.  Focused, ambitious, naturally talented and highly intuitive, the 31-year-old athlete will stride into the ring for next week’s FEI Dressage World Cup™…

Countdown to Paris

Paris Olympics Equestrian Disciplines

Countdown to Paris: 500 Days to the XXXIII Olympiad, Written By Catie Staszak The road to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games has hit another milestone: There are 500 days before the XXXIII Olympiad, which will host equestrian sports 27 July through 6 August at the iconic Palace of Versailles. For athletes in the Olympic disciplines of Dressage, Eventing and Jumping, the biggest objective on the road to Paris remains qualification. With 500 days to go, some key nations—including host nation France—have secured their quota places, with these National Federations focused…

Charlotte Fry and Glamourdale take last-leg win

Charlotte Fry (NED) rides on Glamourdale - winners of the FEI Dressage World Cup 2022/23 - ’s Hertogenbosch (NED) Copyright ©FEI/Leanjo de Koster

Charlotte Fry wins exciting season-closer at Den Bosch; Final now in full focus – by Louise Parkes Great Britain’s Charlotte (Lottie) Fry and her superstar stallion Glamourdale won the eleventh and last leg of the FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2022/2023 Western European League at the Dutch Masters in ’s-Hertogenbosch (NED) today.  On an afternoon that proved challenging for a number of horse-and-rider combinations, the reigning double-individual world champions quickly recovered after a surprising moment of discord during canter half-pass to post the winning score of 86.835. The Netherlands’ Dinja van…

Charlotte Dujardin gives birth to baby Isabella Rose

Charlotte DUJARDIN (GBR) & Imhotep - Grand Prix - Dressage - FEI World Championships Herning 2022. Image credit British Equestrian / Jon Stroud

British Dressage Legend Charlotte Dujardin gives birth to baby Isabella Rose Double Olympic champion, Charlotte Dujardin and her long term partner, Dean Golding, have joyously welcomed the safe arrival of their daughter, Isabella Rose on 6th March 2023. Dujardin’s PR agent has said “On behalf of Charlotte Dujardin, we are delighted to say that Isabella Rose has entered the world safely and to the delight and joy of both Charlotte and Dean,” “Isabella was born yesterday, 6th March, at 9.48am and is already surrounded by immense love and excitement from Charlotte, Dean and…

Carina Cassøe Krüth and Danciera make it a double in Gothenburg

Carina Cassøe Krüth DEN Heiline's Danciera (DWB Mare black 12 years by Fuerstenball OLD – De Niro Owner: Poul Thøgersen), , winners at the FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2022/2023 Western European League – Göteborg (SWE)

FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2022/2023 Western European League, written by Louise Parkes Carina Cassøe Krüth and the fabulous mare Heiline’s Danciera posted their second victory of the FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2022/2023 Western European League season in Gothenburg, Sweden today. The dynamic duo who helped clinch team gold for Denmark on home soil at last summer’s ECCO FEI World Championships in Herning kicked off with top spot at the opening round in Aarhus, Vilhelmsborg last October where Danish riders were completely dominant. Their winning score that day was 85.925, and all…

Germany Secures Three-Peat in Season Opener

Longines FEI Dressage Nations Cup. Wellington (USA) Felicitas Hendricks (GER) riding Drombusch 2, competing at the Longines FEI Dressage Nations Cup. Wellington (USA)

FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ 2023, written by Catie Staszak As the 2023 FEI Dressage Nations Cup series commenced Friday in Wellington (USA), Team Germany found themselves in a familiar position. For the third consecutive year at the venue, the German squad was on top of the podium, getting the better of a rallying home nation. The four-person team of Frederic Wandres (Harrods 3), Michael Klimke (Harmony’s Sanrino RHP), Felicitas Hendricks (Drombusch 2) and Anna-Cristina Abbelen (San Donnerhall) extended Germany’s winning streak at the Global Dressage Festival with a point tally of 437.844.  A personal…

FEI Dressage Nations Cup Commences in Wellington

FEI Dressage Nations Cup 2022 Wellington (USA) DUTTA Susan (USA) riding DON DESIGN DC (FEI/Richard Juilliar

Depth defines FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ opener as competition commences in Wellington (USA) FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ 2023 – written by Catie Staszak All eyes will be on Wellington this week as the FEI Dressage Nations Cup 2023 series kicks off on Thursday, 23 February at the Global Dressage Festival with six teams—double the number that lined-up a year ago. Wellington will commence a season of six legs across as many nations, from February through July. A series champion will be crowned at Falsterbo (SWE)—a fitting finale, given Sweden is the defending…

Skodborg Merrald and Zepter reign supreme in Neumünster

Denmark’s Nanna Skodborg Merrald and Blue Hors Zepter reigned supreme at the ninth leg of the FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2022/2023 Western European League in Neumünster, Germany today. (FEI/Stefan Lafrentz)

FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2022/2023 Western European League, Written by Louise Parkes The knowledgeable crowd in the Holstenhalle in Neumünster, Germany showed their appreciation today when Denmark’s Nanna Skodborg Merrald and the fabulous Blue Hors Zepter reigned supreme at the ninth leg of the FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2022/2023 Western European League. The 15-year-old gelding, previously competed by both Sweden’s Patrik Kittel and Denmark’s Daniel Bachmann Andersen, has quickly established a strong relationship with Skodborg Merrald since she took up the reins just a few short months ago. “He’s simply wonderful!”,…

International Dressage Returns to Hickstead

Gareth Hughes, winner of the Grand Prix at the I.C.E. Horseboxes All England Dressage Festival in 2022 (c) Elli Birch/Boots and Hooves Photography CDI - International Dressage Hickstead

International dressage competition will return to Hickstead in 2023 and those at the top couldn’t be happier. Joining the I.C.E Horseboxes All England Dressage Festival this May (9-14), the addition of CDI and CPDEI classes will add an extra 3 days of competition to the already popular event. Launched in 2021 following the ease of lockdown restrictions, the I.C.E All England Dressage Festival held at the main Hickstead show ground, helped bridge the gap in competition after the closure of the International dressage ground in 2019. The 2022 running of…

Equestrian sport puts Omaha on world stage

McLain Ward (USA) celebrating with his mount HH Azur at the FEI World Cup™ Finals 2017

The FEI World Cup™ Finals first visited Omaha, NE in 2017. But the city’s history in equestrian sport spans years before it. Omaha, the largest city in the midwestern U.S. state of Nebraska, has established itself as a destination to showcase the United States’ niche sports. The city might be most well known as the annual destination for the College World Series in the sport of baseball, but the U.S. Olympic Swimming Team Trials called Omaha home in 2008, 2012 and 2016. It’s equestrian sport that has put the city…

Para Equestrian heads to Los Angeles 2028

Para Equestrian sport included on the LA2028 programme

The FEI has announced that the Para Equestrian arm of equestrian sports will be included in the Paralympic Programme for Los Angeles 2028.    The result of an extensive review process, which started in January 2022, Para Dressage will feature alongside 21 other sports confirmed by the IPC Governing Board when Los Angeles hosts the Paralympic Games in five years. The inclusion of an additional sport, put forward by the LA 2028 Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, is still under consideration with Para Climbing and Para Surfing…

Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and Dalera beat them all

The reigning series champions, Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and TSF Dalera BB, posted their second victory of the current season at the seventh leg of the FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2022/2023 Western European League in Basel, Switzerland today. (FEI/Stefan Lafrentz)

FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2022/2023 – Western European League – Written by Louise Parkes Top-class Dressage made its debut at the CHI Classics in Basel, Switzerland this weekend where, with all the flair, composure, and grace that is their trademark, Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and the elegant mare TSF Dalera BB danced to victory in the seventh leg of the FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2022/2023 Western European League this morning. The 2022 series winners already showed they have lost none of their edge when winning the second leg of the new…

Professional dressage rider jailed for neglecting young competition horses 

neglected young horse in open barn

A Grand Prix level dressage rider was sentenced at court yesterday (6/12/2022) after he was found guilty last month of causing suffering to and neglecting five young horses who were in his care. Sam Duckworth, Cambridgeshire – appeared at Kidderminster Magistrates Court and was given an immediate 18-week custodial sentence after he was found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to five young horses that were in his care. The professional dressage rider was also given a lifetime ban from keeping all animals with no appeal for five years. He was also…