FEI World Cup Dressage Finals

Isabell Werth and Warum Nicht FRH won the opening grand prix class of the FEI World Cup Jumping and Dressage Finals. Their performance started well with nines for the extended trot and half passes. Unfortunately the chestnut gelding was spooked by a camera part way through the test, to finish on 74.792%.

The America crowd was delighted when their own Steffen Peters and Floriano finished second on 72.875%.

Steffen said: “Floriano was not too keen to enter the arena and did a pirouette we didn’t ask for before we went in. The responsiveness and feeling he gave me during the test was very much like in Aachen. I was happy.”

British-based Kyra Kyrklund (FIN) finished third with Max. She scored exactly the same mark as fourth placed Imke Schellekens-Bartels and Sunshine, but took third place with better collective marks.

Kyra said. “I couldn’t wait to go for it today and I felt Max liked that too. He was sort of watching the crowds like he was saying, they payed a lot of dollars to watch me, let’s give them a show!”

This opening grand prix was the qualifier for the final, where the top 12 competitors will go head-to-head for the World Cup title with a clean slate. Britain’s only representative in the final, Wayne Channon and Lorenzo CH, scored 62% in the grand prix to qualify for the B-final.

Visit: www.worldcuplasvegas.com

Carol Phillips

H&H website editor

Carol is an experienced journalist and editor, who is also a passionate amateur rider and dedicated horse owner, having ridden since childhood. She has a particular interest in the emotional well-being and ethical training of horses, alongside veterinary matters, having garnered extensive first-hand experience of numerous equine health conditions through more than 30 years of horse ownership.