German duo Benjamin Werndl and Daily Mirror became the winners of the Central European League World Cup qualifier hosted at the Lewada riding club in Zakrzow, Poland, on 22 - 25 October 2020.
In a respectable field of 16 competitors with riders mainly from central and East Europe, the German A-squad listed rider made a clean sweep in the big tour division. Only fellow German A-squad rider, Frederic Wandres, was able to give Werndl a run for his money whereas the rest of the pack followed in their wake.
First 2020-2021 World Cup Win for Werndl
Werndl and Flora Keller's 16-year old Westfalian gelding Daily Mirror (by Damon Hill x Florestan) won the warm-up Grand Prix with 76.761% and topped the board in the Kur to Music with 82.475%, just five weeks after Werndl fractured his collar bone at the German Dressage Championships.
Wandres and Hof Kasselmann's 13-year old Hanoverian gelding Duke of Britain (by Dimaggio x Rubinstein) were second in the Grand Prix with 75.174% and second in the freestyle on 80.7575%.
In the Grand Prix, Belarus Olga Safronova and the 12-year old Oldenburg bred Sandro D'Amour (by San Amour x Rubinstein) were third on 70.522% but they dropped down to an 8th place in the freestyle with 71.300%. German Carina Scholz and the 13-year old Hanoverian Tarantino (by Toronto x Carbid) were 5th in the Grand Prix on 6.065%, and surged to a third place in the freestyle with 77.250%.
Isachkina Leads Central European League Ranking
In the Kur the Russian duo Maria Klementieva and Regina Isachkina completed the top five. Klementieve and her American bred 12-year old Hanoverian Doctor Wendell MF (by Don Principe x Sandro Hit) were fourth on a personal best score of 75.900%, while Isachkina and her 11-year old Rhinelander stallion Sun of May Life (by San Amour x Rubioso N) slotted in fifth with 74.275%.
Isachkina is currently standing in the lead of the 2020-2021 Central European League World Cup ranking with 35 points, achieved at the CDI-W's in Minsk, Fot and Zakrzow.
Following her in second place at the moment is Hungarian Csaba Szokola on his own and Julia Nagyhazi's 12-year old Hungarian, show jumping bred Enying (by Balou de Rouet x Acorn) with 28 points. He competed at the CDI-W's in Brno, Fot and Zakrow.
Small Tour action
The 2020 CDI-W Zakrzow posted an action packed programme with classes from pony to Grand Prix level.
At small tour level a threesome of riders battled it out throughout the weekend for the top slot. The Prix St Georges and Intermediaire I were won by Carina Scholz on the 8-year old Hanoverian mare Quadrophenia (by Quasar de Charry x Hochadel), scoring 71.324% and 72.088%.
They opted not to ride the Kur and paved the wat for Lithuanian Sandra Sysojeva to win the freestyle on her 12-year old Westfalian gelding Furst (by Florenciano x Furst Piccolo) with 75.535%.
Dutch pair Jessica Leijser and the 12-year old KWPn mare Djamabala (by Santano x Democraat) were three times second.
Photos © Lukasz Kowalski
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