-- FEI press release by Bettine van Harselaar, edited by Eurodressage - Photos © Lukasz Kowalski
Serial World Cup winner Isabell Werth began her 26th year of campaigning on this international winter indoor show circuit victoriously. In the second leg of the 2024-2025 Western European League in Lyon (FRA), Werth and the DSP bred Quantaz were considered the best of the day in the freestyle with a score of 84.70%.
With a reverse order of go from the Grand Prix, the favourites again competed last in the Kur, setting the stage for higher scores. The class was judged by an often seen panel of five, including Mariette Sanders-van Gansewinkel, Susanne Baarup, Raphaël Saleh, Frederico Pinteus, and Katrina Wüst.
Of the top three from the Grand Prix, France's Pauline Basquin was the first to enter the arena. The audience cheered her on even before she began, but her partner, the 14-year old Zangerheide registered gelding Sertorius de Rima Z (by Sandro Hit x Voltaie), remained unphased. Light-footed and elegant, the duo danced to 81.915%, setting a new personal record.
Directly after her, second-placed Grand Prix finisher and defending World Cup Champion Patrik Kittel entered with 12-year old Swedish warmblood Touchdown (by Quaterback x Sack). The Swede rode his thrilling James Bond-themed freestyle and scored 81.975%, staying just a few hundredths of a percentage point ahead of Basquin.
“He was extremely focused today. For the first time, he waited for me with each movement. Two years ago, I’d have never had him back with me so quickly after a disruption like that, but now I did,” she said, seeing the positive side. For Werth, it was her seventh World Cup victory in Lyon.
In Pursuit
Dutch rider Hans Peter Minderhoud set an impressive benchmark aboard the 13-year old Hanoverian stallion Toto Jr. (by Totilas x Desperados). Riding to a medley of French chansons, Minderhoud captivated both the French audience and the judges. Scoring 80.04%, he and Toto Jr, his Olympic partner from Paris, were one of four riders to crack the 80% marker in Lyon.
German rider Sönke Rothenberger took to the arena after Minderhoud, delivering a strong performance with his always-eager partner, the 10-year old Danish warmblood Kjaerholm's Fendi (by Franklin x Diamond). The pair rode to Cosmo's music, which earned Rothenberger kur silver at the 2017 European Championships. With Fendi he scored 78.865% in Lyon.
Dutch Olympian Dinja van Liere and Jan Pieter Dalsem's 12-year old KWPN gelding Hartsuijker (by Johnson x Scandic), faced a minor setback. After placing fifth in the Grand Prix, the Dutch world number three dropped to sixth in the freestyle, her score of 77.485% reflecting a costly mistake in the one-time changes in her first World Cup™ leg of the season.
Dressage Thrives in France
The freestyle drew a sell-out crowd to the Equita Lyon equestrian event in the normal seats, while the VIP stayed empty. Nevertheless with big crowds paying a ticket fee to come and see top sport dressage, it proves the popularity of dressage sport in France.
Werth noted the growing enthusiasm for Dressage in France, where the Olympics on home turf last summer have undoubtedly played a role.
“Dressage is alive here this year; it’s wonderful to see this enthusiasm growing. Every year I come to Lyon, I see that the number of visitors has grown. Now it was even a full house with the ambiance of a football stadium," said Isabell.
Runner-up Patrik Kittel (SWE) also received enthusiastic support from the French audience. He expressed his satisfaction with the competition in Lyon: “To be honest, I was very happy with my horse. We have been working on the self-carriage since Paris, and I think he improved a lot.” Following his start in the World Cup leg in Herning two weeks ago and today’s ride in Lyon, Kittel, as defending champion, is now assured a place at the Final in Basel next April.
Basquin Brings the Audience to Its Feet
“I’m very happy today. Since Paris we haven’t competed and to score two personal bests here after a three-month break is fantastic," said Basquin. "I’m delighted with our third place, even though we were so very close to second."
The action continues in Stuttgart in two weeks, where the next round of the Western European League 2024/25 takes place on 15-16 November 2024.
-- Photos © Lukasz Kowalski
Related Links
Scores: 2024 CDI-W Lyon
Eurodressage Coverage of the 2024-2025 World Cup Qualifiers and Finals