British international grand prix rider Emile Faurie has strengthened his bid for a place at the World Equestrian Games (WEG) this year, unveiling another exciting potential team ride.
Emile and Hof Kasselmann’s Dono Di Maggio achieved personal best scores of over 73% to win both the grand prix and the grand prix special at the weekend’s Aachen CDI3*. This was just the third CDI for the Emile and the 11-year-old Dimaggio x Santander I son, one of five horses he currently has competing at international grand prix.
The double win was a welcome boost for Emile, whose World Cup finalist, the 14-year-old De Niro stallion Delatio, suffered a minor injury in training last week and had to be pulled from the weekend’s final in Paris.
“After the massive disappointment of having to withdraw Delatio from the World Cup finals came consolation with Hof Kasselmann’s Dono Di Maggio winning both the grand prix and the special in Aachen,” said Emile.
“This majestic horse was so amazing in only his 3rd CDI!”
Emile has long touted Dono Di Maggio as the best of his current string, which also includes his 2016 Olympia ride Weekend Fun, his 2017 Bolesworth partner Bohemo Tinto, and his 2017 Gothenburg European Championship ride Lollipop 126.
The chestnut gelding is particularly talented in the piaffe and passage, and his grand prix score in Aachen would have been even higher had it not been for a mistake in the one-time changes.
He and Emile finished comfortably in front of their closest competition, Australia’s Mary Hanna (Boogie Woogie) in the grand prix, and Adelinde Cornelissen (Aqiedo) in the special.
The pair contested two CDIs in 2017 — at Fritzens-Schindlhof in Austria and Cappeln in Germany — but here beat their previous best scores by 3%.
If Emile is selected to represent Britain in September, it will be his fourth WEG appearance and his 10th championship.
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In this week’s magazine, full reports from the dressage and showjumping World Cup finals, out 19 April.
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