Werth and Don Johnson Make It Two at the 2019 CDI Fritzens

Isabell Werth and her soon to be retired 18-year old Hanoverian Don Johnson made it two at the 2019 CDI Fritzens on Saturday afternoon 29 June 2019. Bagging her second Grand Prix victory of the weekend, Isabell Werth shows she's in charge of the beautiful 4* show in the Tyrolean Alps.

Impeccably hosted by Klaus and Evelyn Haim-Swarovski at their equestrian centre Schindlhof just outside Innsbruck, Austria, the CDI Fritzens draws a large crowd of spectators. An audience of 1,000 came up the mountain to watch the world elite dressage riders compete and on Saturday there were even over 2,000 spectators to be counted at the event. 

Werth and Madeleine Winter-Schulze's Don Johnson (by Don Frederico x Warkant) won the Grand Prix for Freestyle with a score of 75.652%. They left the runners-up, German Stefanie Schatz)Weihermüller and her 12-year old KWPN bred C'Est La Vie (by Johnson x El Corona), far behind them in second place on 72.848%.

"Johnny was very focused today and did not pull any stunts," said Werth about her bay rascal, who booked his 52nd Grand Prix victory in his career! "In this shape we'll most definitely do one or two more shows and then it's enough."

Two more Germans followed in the ranking with Victoria Michalke on Novia in third place ( 69.913%) and Werth's student Lisa Müller on Dave in fourth (69.478%).

The top five was completed by 2018 Austrian Grand Prix Champion Belinda Weinbauer. She didn't bring along her number one horse, 17-year old Sohnlein Brilliant MJ who hasn't competed in a year since the 2018 CDIO Aachen. Instead she took rising star Fraulein Auguste (by Florencio x Worldly) to Fritzens and scored 68.761%. 

Photos © Selene Scarsi - No reproduction allowed without permission

Related Links
Scores: 2019 CDI Fritzens
Coverage of the 2019 CDI Fritzens on Eurodressage