USA win Dressage Nations Cup in Wellington

The USA’s plan to finally beat Germany in the Dressage Nations Cup in Wellington was not actually under a particularly good star. At the last minute, Ben Ebeling, who was actually seeded, had to be replaced by Anna Marek with Fayvel. They had obviously set out to prove that it would have been better to nominate them straight away. With 69.435 percent, they delivered the best result for the team and came third in the individual classification.

Meagan Davis and her Totilas son Toronto Lightfoot followed hot on her heels with 68.544 percent. Ashley Holzer and the San Amour daughter Hawtins San Floriana came seventh with 67.652 percent. They could have scored even more points, but unfortunately 0.5 percent had to be deducted for going wide. The fourth man in the team was Jordan LaPlaca on the eleven-year-old Grey Flanell son Gold Play. With a score of 65.131 percent, they delivered the strike result.

Despite Holzer’s failure, the USA came out on top with a total score of 205.631 percent, leaving the German team behind. The German team scored 205.043 percent. The third team at the start, Canada, collected 204.196 percent. So it was an extremely close decision!

Wandres in front, Lienert top

Frederic Wandres and the ten-year-old Verrenberg by Vilancio were the best pair not only for Germany, but also for the competition. Last year, Wandres had tried to qualify the Oldenburg for the Louisdor Prize Final. That did not work out. However, the pair have already collected numerous ribbons in Wellington. In January, they even achieved a Grand Prix result of 71.326 percent. In subsequent tournaments, however, they always scored just under 70 percent, which is where they ended up today, at 69.913 percent. That was enough to keep them at the top, but not enough to pull the coals out of the fire for everyone else.

Although they were also top riders. Imagine riding your first Grand Prix for Germany in the national team and delivering a personal best. That was the case today for Emma Caesilia Lienert on the 16-year-old Johnson son Windermere J’Obei. The Rhineland champion was part of the Piaff-Förderpreis crew last year. She has been traveling in Florida since the beginning of the year to gain experience here. With “Joey”, she has the right teacher for this. The chestnut competed for New Zealand at the Olympic Games in Paris under his trainer Melissa Galloway. And he also gives his all for his current rider. The pair made their CDI debut at the end of February with a score of 67.543 percent. Today it was already 68.152 percent.

The third best pair was Lars Ligus and the Zonik daughter Zara K, bred by the Kasselmann family themselves, with 66.978 percent. Directly behind them was Michael Klimke, the team leader who had led the German team to victory every time in the five previous Nations Cups. Today was not to be. He scored 66.630 percent with the twelve-year-old Oldenburg Fado.

Team Canada

Riding for the third-placed Canadians were Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu on Jaccardo (third place, 69.435 percent), Camille Carier Bergeron on Finnländerin (fifth place, 68.261), Danielle Gallagher on Come Back de Massa (tenth place, 66.109) and Alexandra Duncan with Hitmaker (twelfth place, 62.957).

You can find an overview of the results here.