Mattias Alexander Rath and Sterntaler Unicef were the champions of the show, winning the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special and beating the German Olympic team riders at the same time.
Isabell Werth confessed that she hadn't practised the Grand Prix Special for a while, which could explain why she finished second with Warum Nicht.
Heike Kemmer and her Hanoverian gelding Bonaparte (by Bon Bonaparte) back in the show ring since the 2008 Olympics.
Team mate Nadine Capellmann had a few hiccups in the Grand Prix and a big spook when a catering cart crashed. Capellmann has made much progress on Elvis since she started training with Klaus Balkenhol. In the Grand Prix Special, Capellmann stayed fault-free but the piaffe could have been better as Elvis did lean on the bit now and then, but the contact was mostly very good and it was an expressive ride.
Capellmann has been spending the winter and spring not at her home in Aachen but at Gestut Ammerland in Bavaria. She's been at Ammerland since February 2009 with a couple of horses as she has close friends there. Capellmann will be back in Aachen for the summer.
All photos copyrighted Barbara Schnell
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Related Link
Scores and Show Report from the 2009 CDI Dortmund
