Over 80 percent for Isabell Werth and Wendy in the Grand Prix Special in Hamburg, dream round by Helen Langehanenberg

The question was not actually whether Isabell Werth and Wendy would win the CDI5* Grand Prix Special in Hamburg, but how. The answer: with over 80 percent. The pair, who tried out a new tactic in Hamburg – less control, more “let go” – scored 80.021 percent for their performance. They had already been successful with this in the Grand Prix. The mare was more relaxed and supple and, above all, she performed clear one-tempi changes.

Progress despite mistakes

Today in the Special she was not quite as relaxed as in the Grand Prix – perhaps also due to the windy and cold weather – but it was precisely at these moments that it helped when Werth took the reins in one hand and gave her a reassuring tap. The pair also made mistakes today in the double changes, where a single crept in (Werth: “I got in well, but then got a bit of a crosswind and then unfortunately gave the help for the single. That was of course stupid, but I tried to find my line again – it’s not that easy with one hand and praise in between.”), and in the ones she jumped a short change, but the changeover lines were less tense than we have seen from the pair recently. And the singles between the pirouettes went clear, which made Werth particularly happy: “I’ve never crossed the center line better!”

Remembrance of “the doctor”

She came up with the idea of trying it with one hand through discussions with her trainer Götz Brinkmann and national coach Monica Theodorescu, as well as through memories of old times. “I often rode Fabienne (with whom she won her first World Cup in 1992, editor’s note) with one hand in the changes because she got a bit hot sometimes. That’s when I went back to the doctor. He said you have to change your focus and with one hand, as a rider you are also busy maintaining your balance and direction.”

The next stop is now Balve, then Hagen and then Werth wants to see whether she might ride another show before the World Championships in Aachen, because she has noticed that the show rhythm is also good for both of them.

The Rappen trio complete

As in the Grand Prix, Isabel Freese’s Olympic partner Total Hope presented himself today as slim, fit and in the best of moods. And once again the last piaffe on the centerline was one that deserved top marks. With a faultless, harmonious round – which one would have wished for a more open canter angle from time to time – the designated Norwegian World Championship pair took second place with a score of 74.808 percent.

Leonie Richter was delighted with third place on her Louisdor Prize finalist Lord Europe after a strong performance. The Lord Leatherdale son finds it difficult to pick up the pace in the piaffe. But at least in the first one you could see that he is already making progress here. And the passage reprises and series changes were among the most beautiful of the test.

Alice Schwab at E couldn’t quite warm to the pair and only gave them 66.915 percent (sixth place). Dr. Evi Eisenhardt opposite her in the B class took a very different view: 74.043 percent (third place). The average score was 70.553 percent, narrowly beating Fabienne Müller-Lütkemeier and her committed Vitalis daughter Valencia As. Here the score at the start of the test was 70.468 percent.

Audience Award for Helen Langehanenberg and Daniela

Anyone who wants to remember what it actually looks like when a horse goes into a Grand Prix completely relaxed could watch Helen Langehanenberg and the Damsey daughter Daniela today. The 13-year-old Hanoverian mare is not only a daughter of Langehanenberg’s former successful stallion, she was also bred by his owners, the Leatherdale family.

It was the first time that the mare had ridden in front of a backdrop like the one in Hamburg, her five-star premiere. This motivated her so much that she showed eleven instead of nine single changes on the center line. Daniela is certainly not the horse with the most impressive uphill movements, but she glided smoothly and willingly from one lesson to the next, always in front of the driving aids, always fine in hand and with her nose in front of the vertical. The judges awarded her 68.894 percent – actually quite low for this beautiful ride.

The spectators liked it too. When it came to voting for the winner of the Harmony and Fairness Award, they chose Helen Langehanenberg and Daniela.

Special victory on top

That was not the only reason for joy for Helen Langehanenberg at her Hamburg premiere. This morning she won the Grand Prix Special with DSP Danny Cool with 69.638 percent. Hamburg was the Bavarian Danciano son’s first ever international show.

They were followed by Denmark’s Katrine Kraglund on the Johnson daughter Miss Holsteins Marikka (68.319) and Dorothee Schneider’s student Anna-Louisa Fuchs on her ten-year-old hope for the future Duvetico (67.915).

Dorothee Schneider herself came fourth with the Governor-daughter Karlijn V. They had won the Grand Prix. Today, the piaffe on the last centerline in particular depressed the score, as it had hardly been shown at all. Nevertheless, they still scored 67.83 percent.

You can find all the results here.