Isabell Werth and Emilio dance to victory in the Grand Prix Kur to Music at the 2016 CDI Geneva on Saturday 10 December 2016. Dressage returned to the Geneva equestrian event at Palexpo after a 15-year break, and the first CDI was able to draw a top field of competitors. Werth and Emilio scored 84.025% for the trophy.
It was their first freestyle performance together and it turned out a winning debut. Isabell Werth and her 10-year old Westfalian gelding Emilio (by Ehrenpreis x Cacir AA) made no mistakes and the test was awarded with 84.025%. Highlights in their freestyle were the piaffe and passage. The enthusiastic crowd of 6,000 spectators cheered for the world number one ranked rider.
Isabell said afterwards: “It was a great pleasure to be here in Geneva, the crowd is fantastic. We are not used to have such an atmosphere during the show. So this was a big challenge and I think I showed good sport to the public. Emilio was really calm and concentrated in the arena. I hope I can come back here next year.”
Home country dressage hero Marcela Krinke-Susmelj landed second place on her Danish warmblood gelding Smeyers Molberg (by Michellino x Rambo). The combination scored 76.750% with a faultless test. Spain’s Beatriz Ferrer-Salat finished closely in third place aboard her Westfalian bred Sir Radjah (by Sir Donnerhall x Radjah Z) with 75.725%. The test was very energetic with highlights in the changes.
“The premiere of WDM Geneva was an emotional moment for many of the Swiss dressage fans. The house was packed with people that witnessed the extraordinary performance of one of their own, Swiss rider, Antonella Joannou who finished in 4th place in the Kur. After 15 years, dressage returned to CHI Geneva and we feel very proud and grateful to be part of that,” said WDM managing director Camil Smeulders.
Earlier in the morning the stands were already well filled with enthusiastic dressage fans for the Grand Prix Special. Scoring 69.392%, French Marc Boblet won the Special aboard Noble Dream (by Caprimond x Donnerhall) after placing 9th in the Grand Prix (67.280%) the day before. The pair had a one year break from international competition and returned to the arena in October at the CDI Le Mans. Geneva was their second internationa since then. Despite mistakes in the two and one tempis in the GP Special, they showed some real highlights, especially in the passage-extended trot tour.
Germany’s Ulla Salzgeber finished second on her 8-year old Westfalian bred Sir Simon (by Samarant x Florestan I) with 68.745%. They showed a lot of potential in the piaffe-passage tour and Ulla's experience will certainly give this horse a chance for the future. They will head to Frankfurt next week to contest the 2016 Louisdor Cup finals for developing Grand Prix horses, even though the horse is already competing on the senior international Grand Prix show circuit.
Swiss pair Alexandra Zurbrügg and her light-footed mare Get Time were third with 68.255%. Elasticity and energy were rewarded and with an improved piaffe this combination scored higher marks than in the Grand Prix (65.560%).
Photos © scoopdyga.com
Related Links
Scores: 2016 CDI Geneva
Isabell Werth and Emilio Top the Board in the 2016 CDI Geneva Grand Prix
2016 CHI Geneva Adds Dressage to Its Program