Aachen, Germany – July 19, 2018 – In an exciting turn of events, The Dutta Corp. U.S. Dressage Team took the lead after the first day of the CDIO5* Grand Prix in Aachen, Germany, surpassing the German dressage team on their home turf with a total score of 231.988. Heading into the competition, all eyes were on the rivalry between U.S. anchor rider Laura Graves and No. 1 ranked rider in the world, Germany’s Isabell Werth.
Graves and her 16-year-old KWPN gelding Verdades led the charge in the Grand Prix with a score of 80.606 percent, the highest individual score of the day. Despite a few lower scores in the extended walk and one piaffe, the pair redeemed themselves after receiving 9s for her trot half-passes, passage to piaffe transitions and pirouettes.
Fellow team rider Kasey Perry-Glass earned a score of 76.801 percent in her Grand Prix aboard the 15-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding Goerklintgaards Dublet, coming in fifth place individually.
Adrienne Lyle and Salvino, an 11-year-old Hanoverian stallion, finished their test with a score of 74.581 percent, while Steffen Peters and Rosamunde, an 11-year-old Rhinelander mare, scored 71.335 percent to help contribute to the team’s leading position.
The team from Germany finished the day in second place in their home country on the first day of the CHIO Aachen World Equestrian Festival. Helen Langehanenberg returned to the ring for the first time after her maternity leave, yet she was the highest scoring German rider aboard Damsey FRH, a 16-year-old Hanoverian stallion owned by Louise Leatherdale and Susanne Meyer, finishing third individually with a score of 77.034 percent to contribute to the strong team placing. Teammate Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and TSP Dalera BB, an 11-year-old Trakehner mare, followed close behind Langehanenberg with a score of 76.848 percent.
Dorothee Schneider finished in sixth in the Grand Prix aboard Sammy Davis Jr., a 12-year-old German Sport Horse gelding, with their score of 75.916 percent. Werth and Emilio 107, a 12-year-old Westphalian gelding, shocked the audience at the Deutsche Bank Stadium by becoming the drop score for the team’s average after earning a score of 72.717 percent due to errors in their piaffe and two-tempi changes.
Rounding out the top three team placings was Team Denmark with a score of 223.106. Danish rider Catherine Dufour finished second in the Grand Prix aboard Atterupgaards Cassidy, a 15-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding, scoring 78.494 percent. Daniel Bachmann Andersen and the 14-year-old KWPN stallion Blue Hors Zack, contributed to the team’s score with 74.177 percent. Anna Zibrandtsen and Arlando, a 13-year-old KWPN stallion, scored a 70.435 percent, while Anders Dahl and the 14-year-old Hanoverian gelding Selten HW scored a 70.093 percent.
Competition at the CDIO5* Aachen Nations Cup will resume at 8:30 CEST on Saturday, July 21, with the Grand Prix Special.
FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE:
Laura Graves – individual leader
On riding at Aachen:
“I’m always very happy to be invited to ride at Aachen. It’s a real privilege. I’m very excited for us this year with a very strong American team — and hopefully using this as a stepping stone to get us to Tryon. For me, this is definitely the last show unless of course we are selected for the team in Tryon. This is the last competition for selection, so I think we can expect the week after we leave here there will be an announcement for the team.”
On Verdades’ development:
“When you get a horse to this point, they know the job. They know all the tricks and it just really becomes about these half-point marks and trying to boost your horse’s confidence. My horse tends to lack confidence, but it’s just small details. We took what we learned in Paris and I was really pleased because sometimes you are able to develop that in training, then you go back into the show arena and it’s back to where you were before. I was especially pleased with him today and how we both brought our new education into the test.
“He’s 16 this year, and he’s a really tricky, sensitive horse. He puts so much pressure on himself, most of my job is helping him take that pressure away. If anything he tries too hard and makes a mistake, so he’s really trusting me to say that’s enough and he’s learning to wait. That for him is the challenge.”
Cathrine Dufour – second place individually
On her horse spooking in her test:
“I’m not sure what happened — he spooked for a half second, but besides that he was really super today. For the first time I felt going into that arena he coped with the atmosphere. He is usually on his toes, but this year he was like ‘Ok, I’m here.’ It was a nice feeling.
Helen Langehanenberg – third place individually
On returning to the ring after her pregnancy:
“I think I should ride less! Why do I train so much? It was absolutely amazing what has happened today. Today is today and I will enjoy it until Saturday and then Saturday is a new day and we will see what happens.”
On her expectations:
“I expected nothing to be honest. I had a really good feeling at home and in the training and it encouraged me to compete here. If the feeling in the training had not been good I would not compete at Aachen, but it was my dream to compete him here. When I was named to the Nations Cup team I stopped breathing for a moment! I think Damsey did a super job and we have developed so well over the last 2.5 years. I only hope we can continue a little like that because he has a really strong character. I hope I can keep him on my side and he continues fighting for it and loving to be in the arena and do his job like he loves to do.
Results: CDIO5* Nations Cup Team Day 1 Standings
- Team USA: 231.988
Laura Graves / Verdades / 80.606
Kasey Perry-Glass / Goerklintgaards Dublet / 76.801
Adrienne Lyle / Salvino / 74.581
Steffen Peters / Rosamunde / 71.335
- Team Germany: 229.798
Helen Langehanenberg / Damsey FRH / 77.034
Jessica von Bredow-Werndl / TSF Dalera BB / 76.848
Dorothee Schneider / Sammy Davis Jr. / 75.916
Isabell Werth / Emilio / 72.438 - Team Denmark: 223.106
Cathrine Dufour / Atterupgaards Cassidy / 78.494
Daniel Bachmann Andersen / Blue Hors Zack / 74.177
Anna Zibrandtsen / Arlando / 70.435
Anders Dahl / Selten HW / 70.093
- Team Netherlands: 221.087
Emmelie Scholtens / Apache / 74.627
Madeleine Witte-Vrees / Cennin / 73.618
Hans Peter Minderhoud / Zanardi / 72.842
Anne Meulendijks / MDH Avanti N.O.P. / 71.304
- Team Spain: 218.090
Severo Jurado Lopez / Deep Impact 3 / 74.161
Beatriz Ferrer-Salat / Delgado/ 73.059
Claudio Castilla Ruiz / Alcaide / 70.870
Jose Antonio Garcia Mena / Benzi Landro / 66.413
- Team Sweden / 217.532
Therese Nilshagen / Dante Weltino OLD 75.373
Rose Mathisen / Zuidenwind 1187 / 72.407
Jeanna Hogberg / Duendecillo P / 69.752
Results: CDIO5* Grand Prix
1. Laura Graves / USA / Verdades / 80.606
2. Catherine Dufour / DEN / Atterupgaards Cassidy / 78.494
3. Helen Langehanenberg / GER / Damsey FRH / 77.034
4. Jessica von Bredow-Werndl / GER / TSF Dalera BB / 76.848
5. Kasey Perry-Glass / USA / Goerklintgaards Dublet / 76.801
6. Dorothee Schneider / GER / Sammy Davis Jr. / 75.916
7. Therese Nilshagen / SWE / Dante Weltino OLD / 75.373
8. Emmelie Scholtens / NED / Apache / 74.627
9. Adrienne Lyle / USA / Salvino / 74.581
10. Daniel Bachmann Andersen / DEN / Blue Hors Zack / 74.177
11. Severo Jurado Lopez / ESP / Deep Impact 3 / 74.161
12. Madeleine Witte-Vrees / NED / Cennin / 73.618