Germany to Defend Title in FEI Nations Cup at 2024 CDIO Wellington

The horse inspections at the FEI Nations Cup CDIO3* Wellington set the stage for an exciting week of competition at the  Global Dressage Festival  from 22 - 25 February 2024. All horses passed the vet check for the CDIO and CDI classes to be held this weekend.

Four nations will be represented with teams from the U.S., Canada, Germany, and Sweden. This year there will be no Nations' Cup CDIO-U25 as only the USA was able to field a team of three and no other nation lined up to challenge them. 

Five legs make up the 2024 FEI Nations Cup season, which will continue from the United States to France, Hungary, the Netherlands and Sweden.

Germany Defends Title in Wellington

Defending champions Germany will face Canada, Sweden and the home nation United States.

Germany has prevailed in two of the last three seasons and has won three consecutive FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ events in Wellington. They'll open the season with the same four athletes that led the nation to victory at the venue in 2023: Anna-Christina Abbelen (Sam Donnerhall), Felicitas Hendricks (Drombusch Old), Michael Klimke (Domino) and Frederic Wandres (Total Recall). Both Abbelen and Hendricks will also bring forward the same horses.

"This Nations Cup here is for sure something special," Wandres said. "The atmosphere and the team spirit between the teams is the best of the Nations Cups I have been to."

New Format for Wellington: Only at Grand Prix Level

In previous years, the FEI Nations Cup™ competition spanned multiple tests, with some events putting forward teams of both Big Tour and Small Tour combinations. In 2024, however champions will be crowned following one competition: the Grand Prix.

The home nation finished just behind Germany in 2023 and will present veteran Jan Ebeling (Jubi's Tenacity) alongside Kevin Kohmann (Duenensee), Erin Nichols (Elian Royale) and Jennifer Williams (Joppe K) this year. 

Canada sends forward three riders and will not have a drop score; their team consists of Mathilde Blais Tetreault (Fedor), Danielle Gallagher (Come Back de Massa) and Rakeya Moussa (Davidoff v.h. Trichelhof). 

Sweden, who finished third in 2023 will be led by veteran Tinne Vilhelmson Silfvén (Devanto). Her teammates are Caroline Darcourt (Lord Django), Christina Devine (Slaebaekgaard's Santino) and Karin Persson (Giuliano B).

Under 25 Lacks Teams

While initially intended to be a team event, insufficient entries turned the CDIOU25 into an individual competition.

U.S chef d'equipe George Williams will provide guidance to the up-and-coming U.S. combinations. Josh Albrecht (Oroville, Calif.) and Goldenboy Vinckenburgh, a 2011 Dutch Warmblood gelding (Apache x Tandafanory) owned by Coalcyn Equestrian LLC, moved up to the U25 level in 2024 and aim for a solid show. Siena Harris-Gissler (New York, N.Y.) and Status Royal OLD, her own 2010 Oldenburg gelding (Statesman x Facette Royal) started their partnership last fall and have earned great results. Dennesy Rogers (Santa Rosa, Calif.) and Chanel, a 2005 Danish Warmblood mare (Blue Horse Romance x Penelope Solyst) owned by Dorriah Rogers, represented the U.S. at the 2023 FEI North American Youth Championships in the U25 division. They earned individual silver and bronze medals at the NAYC and will focus on strong results again for the U.S.

- Text and Photos © Astrid Appels - NO REPRODUCTION ALLOWED / NO SCREEN SHOTS for social media

If interested in photos, please send me an email. Florida rates apply for this horse show as our colleague Sue Stickle is the official photographer

Related Links
Swedish Team Announced for 2024 CDIO Wellington
German Team Announced for the 2024 CDIO Wellington
Canadian Team Announced for 2024 CDIO Wellington
U.S. Teams Named for 2024 CDIO Wellington