World Dressage Championships results: Nanna Merrald Rasmussen

Danish rider Nanna Merrald Rasmussen leads the grand prix World Dressage Championship results halfway through day one — Nanna Merrald Rasmussen and Blue Hors Zack take the lead in the World Dressage Championships grand prix

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Home side rider Nanna Merrald Rasmussen has stormed into the lead in the grand prix opening day at the Blue Hors FEI World Dressage Championships.

Nanna and the 18-year-old stallion Blue Hors Zack delivered a stunning test to post 76.72%, a personal best grand prix score.

“He has done so many shows, so he has to be a little bit hungry to go out. If I do too many shows with him he gets a little bit bored with it. He has to be really fresh and happy to go out, and that was really the plan here. It’s why I didn’t take him to Aachen; I did the Danish Championships [in June] and that was a ‘Maybe it will be fun to go’ – and he was on fire. Then we thought ‘Ok, maybe if we do the same routine for here’, no shows before and a lot of normal work at home.”

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Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.

Danish rider Nanna Merrald Rasmussen takes the lead in World Dressage Championships grand prix

Nanna, currently ranked 10th in the world, said she was “thrilled” with Zack.

“My favourite part was the overall impression, there were no big mistakes. It’s really so expensive to make mistakes,” she said.

“He was fresh and I was maybe a little bit careful in the beginning. In the extended trot I was not going for a nine, but slowly building it up. I’m so proud of him and myself that we could do it.”

Zack, the former ride of Nanna’s teammate Daniel Bachmann Andersen, has only made one international appearance since his Tokyo performance last year.

“He has been very busy breeding,” explained Nanna, who added the lack of outings had been part of the plan.

The home crowd showed appreciation for Nanna’s test, rewarding her with an applause as she made her way down the final centre line.

“I’m super proud. It was a super atmosphere – [the crowd] supporting me like crazy. My tears were almost coming out, it was really nice,” said Nanna.

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