Isabell Werth (GER) made an immediate impact on her first FEI Dressage World Cup™ appearance of the season, taking victory in the Basel qualifier Freestyle with Wendy de Fontaine on 86.155%. The score was not a personal best, but it proved comfortably enough for a clear win and marked Werth’s second consecutive victory in Basel.
Swiss rider Charlotta Rogerson (SUI) delivered one of the standout stories of the weekend, finishing runner-up with Bonheur de La Vie on 81.290% after producing personal bests in both the Grand Prix and the Freestyle. Raphael Netz (GER) and DSP Dieudonne completed the podium in third, strengthening Netz’s lead in the FEI Dressage World Cup standings.
Basel crowds build as Swiss riders deliver
With dressage now firmly established in Basel’s programme, the St. Jakobshalle again drew a strong audience, with home support particularly vocal as three Swiss athletes took to the arena.
Delia Eggenberger (SUI) and Fairtrade (owned by Isabelle Ros) produced a solid Freestyle, with a small mistake after the final extended canter on the joker line. Their piaffe and passage showed clear expression, and the pair finished eighth on 73.185%.
Morgan Barbancon (FRA) and Sir Donnerhall II OLD (owned by the rider and Marie Carmen Mestre Pons) earned warm applause with a French-themed Freestyle. The 20-year-old stallion looked very much on form, and despite moments of slightly unstable contact, the combination placed seventh on 74.930%.
Personal bests and polished tests in the middle of the order
Dominique Filion (NED) continued an impressive start to her World Cup campaign with The Boss (owned by Bas Reesink). After placing fifth in the Grand Prix, the Dutch rider moved up to fourth in the Freestyle with a new personal best of 76.785%.
Svenja Kämper-Meyer (GER) finished fifth with her home-bred mare Amanyara M FRH (owned by Hans-Jürgen Meyer) on 76.420%. The harmonious picture was underlined by a one-handed final centre line.
Bettina Kendlbacher (AUT) and Broadmoars Don Alfredo AWÖ (owned by Broadmoar KG) rounded out the top six on 74.995%. The chestnut continues to develop strength in piaffe and passage, though small canter-tour errors affected the technical score.
Rogerson: “a dream coming true”
Rogerson and Bonheur de La Vie (owned by the rider and James Rogerson) drew some of the loudest applause of the day, with their 81.290% representing the highest Swiss Freestyle score in many years.
“It’s incredible. I still don’t really realise what’s going on. Bonheur is an amazing horse and we are starting to understand each other better and better in the arena. I’m so grateful to have this opportunity, grateful for this horse… this is a dream coming true. I still need to pinch myself,” Rogerson said.
Werth back on top with Wendy de Fontaine
Werth described the mare as more settled in the Freestyle than earlier in the weekend.
“Wendy was really on fire yesterday. I’m happy that today she was so much more focused. We only started a little bit tense in the canter. I think we need a few more competitions in a row to get where we want to be. The piaffe, passage and canter pirouettes were fantastic today. Her little sneeze in the one-tempis caused a mistake, but today I got my two-tempis right,” Werth said.
Werth indicated her next planned World Cup starts include Amsterdam with DSP Quantaz, before travelling on to Wellington. If all goes to plan, she is targeting the Final in Texas with Quantaz.
Netz consolidates his World Cup standings lead
Netz and DSP Dieudonne (owned by Sonja Kristina Krall) impressed with improvements in piaffe and passage, while the extended gaits of the 13-year-old gelding stood out as a highlight. After Basel, Netz sits on 59 points in the World Cup standings.
“We really enjoyed our freestyle. Today Dieudonne was focused, which isn’t always the case. This is only his second World Cup competition and he still needs to get used to arenas like this and such big crowds. I enjoy riding this amazing horse every single day,” Netz said.
The next FEI Dressage World Cup™ qualifier takes place in Amsterdam on 23 and 24 January.
