As the calendar closed on July 2024, so did the Paris 2024 Olympics schedule for Grand Prix Dressage. Day two of competition saw more international stars enter the ring at the Château de Versailles and the level of energy ramped up even further as did the scores. Luckily the day wasn’t quite as hot as yesterday, but after a grey start this morning, the sun did reappear and temperatures soared near 88.
Three more groups (D, E, and F) of ten horse and rider combinations took their turn performing the FEI Grand Prix Test, which serves as both a team and individual qualifier. The team medals will be decided by the Grand Prix Special (top ten teams including any ties for tenth place qualified from today) on Saturday, August 3. Then, the top 18 horse and rider combinations (including any ties) after today will return to contest individual medals in the Grand Prix Freestyle on Sunday, August 4.
Countries represented in the competition today were: Australia; Austria; Belgium; Canada; Denmark; Dominican Republic; Ecuador; France; Finland; Great Britain; Germany; India; Luxemburg; Morocco; New Zealand; the Netherlands; Norway; Poland; Portugal; Spain; Sweden, and USA.
The current reigning World Champions and two-time Olympian, Charlotte “Lottie” Fry (GBR) and the 13-year-old KWPN stallion Glamourdale were first in the ring this morning to begin the first group of 10, Group D. They haven’t competed much this year, so it was a treat to see them perform again. Many scores in the 8s, 9s, and even 10s, started flashing on the live scoring display. Though their test was not without a few mistakes, it was fun to watch and the crowd and judges appreciated the performance. Their score was 78.913 percent, which by the end of the day put them fourth highest in the Grand Prix.
Four rides later, and also in Group D, Denmark’s Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour and Freestyle, a 15-year-old Hanoverian mare, eclipsed Fry’s and Glamourdale’s score by several points (80.792). Laudrup-Dufour is a first-time Olympian, but was a member of the gold-medal-winning Danish Team at the 2022 FEI World Championships in Herning, Denmark. Looking at their judges’ score sheet from today, a sea of mostly 7, 8s and 9s dominate the marks. The only exception was test movement number 23, which is the one-tempi canter lead changes and collected canter that received 5.5s and 6s from the judges. Overall, their super score ended up being second best of the two days of Grand Prix.
Five rides later in the final performance in Group D, it was Germany’s Isabell Werth’s turn to perform with a fairly new ride for her, the 10-year-old Danish Warmblood mare Wendy. The seven-time Olympian did not disappoint, masterfully guiding the young horse through a stunning test, scoring 79.363 — the third highest score of the two days of Grand Prix.
Group D qualified four riders. In addition to Fry, Laudrup-Dufour and Werth qualifying for the individual finals from the group, Isabel Freese and Total Hope OLD from Norway scored 76.397 to move on as well. Total Hope is a 12-year-old Oldenburg stallion by Totilas.
Riders who qualified to move on to the individual finals from Group E included: the Netherland’s Emmelie Scholtens riding Indian Rock, 74.581; Austria’s Victoria Max-Theurer riding Abegglen FH NRW, 74.301; Sweden’s Therese Nilshagen riding Dante Weltino OLD, 73.991, and Poland’s Sandra Sysojeva riding Maxima Bella, 73.416.
The final round of ten riders, in Group F, took their turn in the ring this afternoon. The group included the USA’s Steffen Peters and Four Wind Farm and Akiko Yamazaki’s 16-year-old KWPN gelding Suppenkasper going eighth in the order. The beginning of their test showed some very nice moments, including their signature lovely lateral work. But, they had problems in the halt and rein back and later, as they traveled down the centerline to finish, in the piaffe and final passage. The unfortunate result was a score of 66.491 percent to end their Paris 2024 Olympic run. The pair has given fans so many things to enjoy over their years, so their partnership representing the USA is to be celebrated.
The final rider of the day was one the fans had been waiting for, the reigning Olympic Champions Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and the 17-year-old Trakehner mare TSF Dalera BB. They took the ring to thunderous applause and sailed through a beautiful test to an 82.065 percent, the best score of both days. Though the test wasn’t perfect (they scored 5s and 6s on their collected walk), nearly all of their other individual marks were 8s, 9s and 10s. Obviously, this qualified them for the individual finals on Sunday and it boosted the German team over Denmark in the standings, too.
Also qualifying for the individual finals from Group F was Frenchwoman Pauline Basquin riding Sertorius De Rima Z, a 14-year-old Zangerheide gelding. They scored 73.711 percent. Basquin is one of the riders at the famous Cadre Noir School in France. Obviously, she has the support of her home-country crowd as she competes in her first Olympic Games. Her score moved France up the list to compete in the team finals on Saturday.
Riders qualifying from yesterday’s Group A were: Denmark’s Nanna Skodborg Merrald riding Zepter, 78.028; the Netherland’s Dinja van Liere riding Hermes, 77.764, and Great Britain’s Carl Hester and Fame, 77.345.
Those qualifying from Group B were: Denmark’s Daniel Bachmann Andersen riding Vayron, 76.910; Germany’s Frederic Wandres riding Bluetooth OLD, 76.118, and Finland’s Emma Kanerva riding Greek Air, 73.680.
Rounding out the 18 horse-and-rider combinations going to the individual finals on Sunday (August 4) are two riders from Group C. They are: Becky Moody and Jagerbomb from Great Britain, 74.938, and Patrik Kittel and Touchdown from Sweden, 74.317.
Read the recap of day one here.
The ten teams qualifying for Grand Prix Special next Saturday (August 3) to determine the team medals are (in current order of the standings): Germany, 237.546; Denmark, 235.730; Great Britain, 231.196; the Netherlands, 224.923; Sweden, 219.861; Belgium, 217.686; France, 214.673; Austria, 213.493; Finland, 209.938, and Australia, 209.115.
The seven judges were treated to quite a show over the last two days; they were: Judge at C, Susanne Baarup (DEN); Judge at K, Mariette Sanders (NED); Judge at E, Raphaël Saleh (FRA); Judge at H, Michael Osinski (USA); Judge at M, Magnus Ringmark (SWE); Judge at B, Henning Lehrmann (GER), and Judge at F, Isobel Wessels (GBR).
The dressage horses will now take two days off while the jumpers take their turn. Dressage will return on August 3 and 4 for the team and individual finals and medal ceremonies.
◆ Dressage Grand Prix Qualifier Summary
◆ Start List for Dressage Grand Prix Special (Team Final)
◆ Start List for Dressage Grand Prix Freestyle (Individual Final)
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