Isabell Werth and Wendy stand out in Stuttgart

Germany’s Isabell Werth added another prestigious victory to her record in Stuttgart, taking home top honours on Wendy de Fontaine on Saturday, 16 November 2024. Scoring an impressive 86.745%, Werth claimed the third leg of the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Western European League 2024/25, finishing over 6% ahead of her closest competitor. Just two weeks earlier, Werth triumphed in Lyon with her other mount, DSP Quantaz.

Werth remained well ahead of the competition in Stuttgart with Wendy dancing through the arena and excelling in the piaffe. The judges unanimously saw her as the winner. Belgium’s Larissa Pauluis made an indelible mark as the final rider of the evening, securing second place with Flambeau (owned by Caroline and Emmanuel Lepage and Jean and Marie C. Pauluis). With 80.395%, she was the only other combination to surpass the 80% mark alongside Werth.

Werth’s compatriot Bianca Nowag-Aulenbrock also made history, securing her first FEI Dressage World Cup™ podium finish in a Western European League qualifier, riding the mare Florine OLD (owned by Elisabeth von Wulffen). The pair’s score of 79.225% earned them third place, which was also enough to secure the lead in the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Western European League standings after her earlier triumph in Mariakalnok, Hungary.

German Dominance 

Stuttgart’s electrifying atmosphere tested the athletes to their limits, with several combinations struggling to remain error-free in the intense indoor environment. Ultimately, German athletes dominated the leaderboard, with five of the top six spots claimed by home competitors, showcasing the country’s impressive depth in Dressage.

Ingrid Klimke, one of Germany’s top Dressage stars, set the early benchmark for the evening’s competition. Riding the elegant mare First Class (owned by Gut Hülsen GmbH & Co.KG), Klimke earned a respectable 76.790%. Her mark would stand until Carina Scholz (GER), aboard the 17-year-old Tarantino (owned by Sportpferde Scholz), surpassed it with a solid 77.230%. Remarkably, Tarantino has a pedigree full of jumping-sires, but excelled in Stuttgart with effortless collected movements like piaffe and passage.

The next German athlete to challenge the leaderboard was Raphael Netz, who had competed in last year’s FEI Dressage World Cup™ final. Riding the talented Great Escape Camelot (owned by Sonja Kristiana Krall and Theres Boss), Netz earned a remarkable 78.015% for a brilliant freestyle performance that showcased his impressive half-pass work. Despite being only 25 years old, Netz’s maturity and skill were evident as he claimed fourth place.

Ultimately, the top three remained unchanged from the previous day’s Grand Prix, with Werth, Pauluis, and Nowag-Aulenbrock occupying the top spots.

Wendy ‘on fire’

For Isabell Werth, Stuttgart marked yet another unforgettable evening in her career. Last year, she claimed victory with Emilio, but this time, it was the turn of Wendy de Fontaine, the mare with whom Werth won Olympic team gold and individual silver at the Paris Olympic Games. Their flawless performance in the freestyle left no doubt that Werth and Wendy are one of the most exciting partnerships in Dressage today.

“I was thrilled with Wendy’s performance. In the Grand Prix, she was very focused, especially considering it was her first competition after Paris and the subsequent break. But today in the freestyle, with this incredible atmosphere, I could already feel in the warm-up that she was ‘on fire’,” Werth shared. “Despite her excitement, I really enjoyed the ride.

“She is such an exceptional horse, and I’m incredibly proud of her”

Isabell Werth, (GER)

Although Stuttgart wasn’t initially on Wendy’s schedule, Werth explained the last-minute change. “After the Olympics, she did some light work and spent two months relaxing in the paddock and fields. As I began training her for the Top 10 in Stockholm, she seemed almost bored at home and overly eager, so I last minute decided to bring her here. And I don’t regret it. We’ll take things step by step this season.”

The 80% Barrier 

Second-place finisher Larissa Pauluis was determined to break the 80% barrier, and she did it in style. With a score of 80.395%, she set a new personal best with Flambeau, becoming only the second Belgian combination ever to surpass the 80% barrier.

“I rode for my life! This score was something I really wanted, and I’m so proud of Flambeau for making it happen,” said Pauluis, whose Olympic partner Flambeau has taken her to both the Tokyo and Paris Olympics. She also hopes to compete in Los Angeles in 2028. “He can stay with me forever. He still improves a lot, so I definitely want to go for LA!”

While Werth and Pauluis were the only two to break the 80% barrier in Stuttgart, Bianca Nowag-Aulenbrock and Florine OLD were not far behind with 79.225%. The chestnut mare remains a true crowd favourite, with her striking front and happy attitude throughout the freestyle. Nowag-Aulenbrock praised her mare: “I am incredibly grateful to ride her. She does everything for me, and I’m so proud of her.”

The next qualifier for the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Western European League will be in Madrid (ESP) in two weeks’ time.

Feature image: Isabell Werth (GER) rides on Wendy de Fontaine – winner of the FEI Dressage World Cup 2024/25 – Stuttgart (GER)Copyright © FEI/Leanjo de Koster

Written by By Bettine Van Harselaar

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