
Reigning European and Olympic champion Jessica von Bredow-Werndl concluded a roller coaster week at the 2023 CDIO Aachen with a third victory of the week in the Grand Prix Kur to Music on Sunday morning 2 July 2023.
Riesenbeck Fever
For many nations the 2023 CDIO Aachen was a team selection trial for the 2023 European Championships in Riesenbeck later in September so performances there carried much weight and the atmosphere was electric as usual in a sell out stadium of 6,000 fans clapping and cheering for every rider that entered, but a little bit more the Germans on home turf.
It was a drama filled week for the Germans with Sönke Rothenberger and his very young, 9-year old Kjaerholm's Fendi, now able to pull the same stunt he did in Balve and beat Von Bredow-Werndl in the Grand Prix. The horse was overwhelmed by the challenge and the partnership crumbled in the first ride, but made a strong recovery in the Special to a 74.830% and a team nomination.
Roller Coaster Saturday
In the Grand Prix Special, Von Bredow and Dalera did not bring the same perfection to the table that is expected of them. The 16-year old Trakehner seemingly developed a new habit in Aachen not to stand square nor immobile in the halt at entry, but she lifts her right hind leg high. In the Special the judges still scored thid flawed halt between 6.0 and 7.0 (!!). The transition into the first piaffe as well as the rhythm was hesitant (6.5 - 8.0) and the one tempi changes on the centerline didn't work out (4.0 - 5.0). Too many small imperfections tainted a test with many highlights. Only judge Maria Colliander had her glasses on and scored the ride 77.979% (3rd place) while the others were between 80.31% and 82.660% (1st or 2nd).
Wearing an earpiece is forbidden by the FEI and results in elimination. However, Werndl was not eliminated and seemingly no national federation filed a complaint to insist on the strict application of the FEI rule. It led to a lot of speculation and debate behind the scenes with murmurs of favouritism and speculation of weak FEI stewarding. However, one can argue it was just rubber (and no electronic advice) similar to riding with ear plugs or cotton wool to muffle sound. Werndl went on to show the next day and sweep the Aachen Grand Champion's title.
Padam Padam
A freestyle rarely offers big surprises in the ranking and riders who dominated the first two rounds of the competition are usually also the winners in the Kur. It was no different for Jessica and Dalera who scored a winning 90.820%. All five judges (Eduard de Wolff van Westerrode, Isobel Wessels, Ulrike Nivelle, Raphaël Saleh, Kurt Christensen) ranked her first.
Werndl concluded a highly charged week in Aachen with the Aachen Grand Champion's title, which was immediately engraved on the Wall of Fame near the show jumping stadium.
Blue Hors Zepter Wields the Axe of Power
Critical voices believed that Danish duo Nanna Skodborg Merrald and Blue Horse Zepter (by Zack x Wolkentanz II) should have won the Special, but instead they were third. They climbed the ladder to second place in the freestyle and showed that they are definitely a pair to watch for Riesenbeck as a new king in town could wield the scepter.
"He has a big heart and always want to fight for you," Merrald said. "That is what makes him so special. I now just have to figure out how much I can ask of him and what is too much. I actually found some new buttons here in Aachen. No, I don’t think we have reached the limit in his potential yet.“
Exceptional Piloting Skills
Former double Olympic champion Charlotte Dujardin has proven time and again that she is no one-hit-wonder. After Valegro she rode Mount St. John Freestyle to WEG bronze and Gio to Olympic bronze. Now she has Carl Hester and Coral Ingham's 10-year old KWPN gelding Imhotep (by Everdale x Vivaldi) as her next medal magnet.
“Pete is a very young, inexperienced horse, so I am delighted with the result. But there is more to come," Dujardin stated. As a youngster "Pete" was so wild that Dujardin and her trainer Carl Hester decided it would be best for him to live out 24 hours a day. “He bucked everyone off,” said Charlotte, confirming that he still lives out in the field round the clock together with a friend.
Like Father, Like Son
Fry seems to have very similar sounding freestyles in her drawer as Everdale's one is the default version I remember her riding to all the time. As Everdale was her team ride for the Olympics and European Championships in 2021, it has done its job at several CDI's and Championships. The music is based on Kygo's Higher Love and Rihanna's Diamonds and the tunes are super catchy and fun. The trot half passes were a highlight as well as the tempi changes. The extended walk was good, but the collected hurried. In the piaffe he got a bit wide in front and once backstepped a bit. The pair scored 87.515% for fourth place. Interesting the spectator judging had them only at 82%.
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