CDI3* Lier Grand Prix

41 pairs were on the starting list today for the Grand Prix in Lier, including several Louisdor Prize finalists from last season. One of them is Escolar’s Emil, who finished a strong second behind Viva Gold in Frankfurt in December.

First international victory

When Thomas Wagner and the eleven-year-old Escolar-Contender son logged the first 70 percent score in Lier shortly after 4 p.m., he would probably never have dreamed that he would still be at the top of the rankings six hours later, but that’s how it was. With 70.5 percent, the highly elastic and always well-oriented Rhinelander won his first international Grand Prix, thanks in part to beautiful traversals, pirouettes and a good final line. For even higher scores, the pair still lack ease and naturalness – but also experience.

Incidentally, it was also Thomas Wagner’s first international Grand Prix victory in a long time. The last time he led the lap of honor, Escolar’s Emil had just been born: in spring 2015, when he won on Amoricello in Vidauban at the beginning of March. Nine days later, his “Emil” was born, who carried him to another international first place today.

Lisa Müller in second and third place

Lisa Müller had brought two horses with her to Lier and finished a close second and third with them. She scored 70.217 percent with the eleven-year-old Millennium Mondrian and 70.022 percent with the Dante Weltino son Dantiamo. Too bad for both horses: For all the talent they bring to the table, they didn’t really come into their own. Dantiamo fell on his forehand in the trot extensions and had rhythm problems. The judges gave them scores ranging from 5.5 to 7.5. Two judges ranked them first, while one judge ranked them 13th.

“Spezi” fourth

Katharina Hemmer and the Oldenburg stallion Special Gold by San Amour out of Weihegold OLD finished the season in fourth place in the Louisdor Final last year, and they started it again today in fourth place at the international Grand Prix premiere. The trot extensions were still ridden with clearly slowed down foam. The first piaffe-passage tour was a success with a fairly consistent rhythm, but Hemmer seemed to know exactly that she shouldn’t push the stallion too hard in the piaffe. The second was much better. The walk tour went well, as did the double changes. Remarkable: In the singles, Special Gold had to fulfill an urgent need at the beginning of the diagonal. Hemmer waited until he was ready and despite the late start, they still managed to conjure up 15 faultless changes on the line. The piaffe and passages on the final line were a nice finish to an overall score of 69.978 percent.

Who else stood out

Seventh place with 69.696 percent went to another Louisdor pair: Tobias Nabben with the eleven-year-old Finest son Forster. In the final in Frankfurt, the pair were quite off their game. Today, the slender black stallion was back to his usual self: Always ready to give everything for his rider. The piaffe and passages were among the best seen today.

The beautiful Oldenburg mare Dante’s Pearl was actually also qualified for the Louisdor Prize. However, her rider Charlott-Maria Schürmann had to cancel her start because the Dante Weltino daughter had contracted an infection. This made it all the more exciting to see how she would fare against her but-not-quite rivals from Frankfurt today. She got off to a great start with wonderful reinforcement and traversals and, in contrast to various other horses, was very happy with her contact. Unfortunately, she didn’t quite find her rhythm in the piaffe today and Schürmann didn’t manage to bring balance into the walk, neither in the strong nor in the collected walk – all problems that are doubly expensive. She finished 14th with 68.109 percent.

Even before that, another Louisdor alumnus was able to hold his own: Fabienne Müller-Lütkemeier’s now 15-year-old Westphalian Valesco. The Vitalis son had not been on an international showground since May 2025. Just a few days ago, “Fabi” got him in the right mood for his first international appearance today in Ankum. They scored 68.109 percent.

You can find all the results here.