Denmark has taken over the lead in FEI Nations Cup on home ground at the 2016 CDIO Odense in Denmark following the Grand Prix Special on Sunday afternoon 15 May 2016. Two riders per teams contested the Grand Prix Special and Danish Cathrine Dufour made it a double as she claimed her second, consecutive victory of the weekend.
There was a lot of tension and excitement among the spectators during the second phase of three which count for the FEI Nations Cup Dressage in Odense, Denmark. The home crowd was rooting for a victory and rose to their feet when Cathrine Dufour, 24, saluted the judge at C after a spectacular ride in the Grand Prix Special.
With her 13-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding Atterupgaards Cassidy (by Caprimond x Donnerhall) is very eager to work. Together with her coach Rune Willum, Dufour had a successful warmup which was perfectly timed. Cassidy performed an almost foot-perfect test with the piaffe and passage as highlights in their performance. The pair scored 75.961% from a totally unanimous judging panel. On Saturday the pair had won the Grand Prix with a total of 73.4%.
Cathrine began competing Cassidy first as a Junior winning medals at the European Championships in 2010. Then as a Young Rider she took silver at the 2011 Europeans before sweeping the European Young Rider Championships in 2012 and 2013. Dufour is on the Danish longlist for the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro together with teammate Daniel Bachmann Andersen, 26, riding Hotline into fourth place today with a score of 70.725%
The Swedish riders Juliette Ramel/Buriel K.K and Rose Mathiesen/Zuidenwind came in second and third in the Special with lovely, secure performances earning them 72.137% and 71.922%. Unfortunately for the Swedish riders this was not enough to maintain their lead in the FEI Nations Cup.
Denmark is in the lead in front of Sweden, Germany, Australia and USA. The FEI Nations Cup of Odense will be decided on Monday afternoon following the freestyle.
After three years of hosting pilot versions, the 2016 Nations Cup Series is in its first year as an official FEI annual event. The first event this year was the CDIO3* in Wellington, Florida at the end of March, won by the United States. Odense is the second leg in the series and next week the CDIO Compiegne will take place in France. Other competitions this year are in The Netherlands, Sweden, Germany and Great Britain.
The result of the FEI Nations Cup at Odense after the GP and GP Special:
- Denmark: 362,546
- Sweden: 360,779
- Germany: 340,513
- Australia: 338,129
- USA: 335,724
- Great Britain: 331,357
- Finland: 328,021
Related Links
Scores: 2016 CDIO Odense
Dufour Leads Danish Effort in Nations Cup at 2016 CDIO Odense