Double victory for Isabell Werth in the CDI5* Grand Prix of Hamburg, decisive step towards the World Championships with Wendy

Over the course of the last few tournaments, the series changes had developed into a fear lesson for Isabell Werth and Wendy. Tension already arose in the corner before the diagonal. Wendy began to bounce, Werth countered. The canter jump became short, the changes went wrong.

Today in the Grand Prix in Hamburg, things went very differently. Even before the task began, Werth had the mare piaffe and passages with just one hand on the reins and repeatedly patted her on the neck to reassure and confirm. In the test itself, the contact became stronger again, but not as firm as had been seen at times. Even if there is still room for improvement here, the mare showed herself to be both lighter in the connection and more relaxed in the back over large parts of the test. Piaffe and passage are among her highlights anyway, as is the strong walk. Then it was time for the canter. A knot burst here today.

Werth briefly praised the mare once before the two-in-hand. The diagonal itself was faultless, but the execution of the flying changes itself was still a little wobbly. As she approached the single change, Isabell Werth took one hand off the reins again and tapped the mare, scratched her nose once and tapped Wendy again. It was like letting air out of a balloon. The tension eased and what emerged were jumped one-twos, each one accompanied by a tap on the neck. The pirouettes afterwards were also improved in the follow-through and performed with more composure. All in all, this was certainly one of the best Grand Prix tests the mare has ever shown. She was not only rewarded with thunderous applause, but also with an 81.043 percent victory.

Tactics: relinquish control

Isabell Werth later reported that her change in tactics was the result of a process of reflection: “If you keep making mistakes in the changes, even though there is no change problem as such, you ask yourself: How can I do it better? How can I change the fact that tension keeps building up?”

The one-handed riding and calming tapping helped. “I tried to get away from controlling her and let her be on her own more. That has worked well. She is much more relaxed now. I can get there much more casually and we both feel more comfortable, we both breathe more deeply.”

This feeling should also be an important step towards the WEG in Aachen. Werth: “We are not yet partners for life. It is still a development. You have to ride a few more competitions to find things out. I think we are now on a very good path.”

Piaffier machine Viva Gold

Today was a historic day, so to speak. Werth’s ten-year-old Oldenburg stallion Viva Gold was beaten for the first time in his still young Grand Prix career. In the meantime, he had already been considered as an alternative for Wendy in view of the WEG Aachen. However, today in the “stable duel” he still had to admit defeat to his more experienced colleague – although his piaffe and passages are really outstanding. In the second piaffe today, he briefly came behind the driving aid and lost his balance a little. But otherwise …

The pair had costly mistakes in the double-counting zig-zag traversals, where he did not immediately trigger the change when moving, and in the single changes, where he did not jump one. On the wish list: a calmer, happier contact and more impulsion in the extensions. The Vivaldi son came second with 75.783 percent.

Incidentally, he is performing his first freestyle this weekend – if the music is ready in time. It is to be a Neil Diamond medley. Wendy, on the other hand, should continue to gain confidence in the special.

Twice Isabel(l), twice Weihegold

The top three were completed by Isabel Freese and Total Hope. This test was also a small tribute to the great Weihegold OLD, as she is not only the dam of Total Hope, but also the granddam of Viva Gold, both of whom were born in the stables of Weihegold’s owner Christine Arns-Krogmann.

Even if the preparation of Isabel Freese and Total Hope, who is in stud, turned out to be not so easy (“He’s in love with Wendy! I don’t even have to see Isabell yet, I know that Wendy is about to come because he tenses up immediately.”), the Totilas son was fully on the ball in the test. No other horse piaffed as confidently on the spot and at the same time as active and relaxed as Total Hope today. The pair had further highlights in the canter tour. More frame extension in the reinforcements and a less tight head-neck setting in the traversal movements would probably have resulted in an even higher score than today’s 73.978 percent.

Where you simply love to look

Ingrid Klimke and the Fürstenball daughter First Class are a pair that you simply love to watch. Klimke had to leave Vayron, who was originally planned for Hamburg, at home because he had a substitution. First Class was a worthy substitute. If there is one example of a horse that becomes more beautiful and expressive through dressage work, then it is this actually quite inconspicuous 14-year-old Hanoverian mare. The two showed a harmonious, faultless test, which was scored 71.283 percent, fourth place.

Elegance and lightness also characterized the test of the two World Cup finalists Moritz Treffinger and Fiderdance today. You get the impression that the 17-year-old Hanoverian son of Fidertanz simply enjoys his job and his 22-year-old rider knows how to steer him through the difficulties of the Grand Prix with fine aids and a light hand. Small mistakes such as a short canter before the first trot traversal cost points, but not the harmony. They completed the top five with 70.196 percent.

You can find all the results here.