Fendi's Come Back, Toto Jr Resurfaces, and More in Store at 2024 CDI Aachen Festival 4 Dressage

Dressage

Germany

The 2024 Aachen Festival 4 Dressage will kick-off the outdoor show season this Olympic year and the masterlist reveals a monster field of 78 Grand Prix combinations and several appearances of horses the majority of dressage fans haven't seen in a long time.

Sentower Park - Aachen Show Grounds

The Aachen Festival 4 Dressage is under Belgian show management and was originally the CDI Opglabbeek at Sentower Park in 2021 and 2022.

They found a new home in Aachen in 2023 after a conflict with Laurens Meynaerts, the general manager at Sentower Parl. The Belgian equestrian venue will now be hosting a new CDI on 8 - 11 May 2024 under its own management and riders might find that interesting as preparation for the 2024 European Pony, Children and Junior Riders Championships at Sentower in July.

The magnetic pull of the historic show grounds of Aachen is undeniable though as riders love to compete and experience these hallowed show grounds with top facilities. The Aachen Festival 4 Dressage feels more a German affair than a promotion and showcase of Belgian dressage sport.

Who Stands Out on the List?

This year the Festival 4 Dressage can boast a monster starters list with 196 entries in total from pony level to Grand Prix.

With no less than 78 entries at Grand Prix level, the big tour is split into a Special and Kur division and will bring action packed riding to the main stadium, while the youth classes will start out in the second arena (where the warm-up ring is).

Sönke Rothenberger and (Kjaerholm) Fendi (by Franklin x Diamond) are on the starters list and will make their long-awaited international come back after their last start at the CDIO Aachen in July 2023, where they were unable to clinch a spot on the German team for the 2023 European Championships after a Grand Prix test below their usual level (69.891%). The 10-year old Fendi still has a big future ahead of him and it will be interesting to see if he matured mentally and physically in the work during the autumn and winter period.

Benjamin Werndl and the 15-year old Oldenburg Famoso OLD (by Farewell III x Welt Hit II) made their return to the arena at the CDI Frankfurt in December after a break due to an injury (and missing out on Riesenbeck too after having been the best German pair at the 2022 World Championships). Aachen will be their first CDI of 2024.

The level of competition is promising to be very high because Dinja van Liere is making her long-awaited come back on number one Hermes (by Easy Game x Flemmingh). The horse got injured at the 2023 World Cup Finals and took a year to recover. The pair won double bronze at the 2022 World Championships.

German 2022 World Championship team rider Ingrid Klimke is coming out full force with Franzikus (by Fidertanz x Alabaster) and rising star Freudentanzer (by Franziskus x Rubinstein). Patrik Kittel is bringing Jovian (by Apache x Tango)

Ones to Watch

There will also be a few interesting new faces in the big tour.

Isabell Werth is bringing her own SuperB (by Suprirce x Donautanz) and her client's Deneuve (by Den Haag x Rocket Star). Spanish Olympian Severo Jurado Lopez has begun to actively campaign the Lusitano Incrivel as a second option for the Olympics, while Spanish Borja Carrascosa has launched his Olympic campaign with his Louisdor cup finalist Frizzantino.

Lyndal Oatley and Dante's Herzchen at the 2022 CDIO Compiegne

Australian Olympian Lyndal Oatley will premier her rising star Dante's Herzchen (by Dante Weltino x Hochadel) at international Grand Prix level. Cousin Kristy Oatley is returning to the CDI arena after a 2-year break. She's bringing Rosenlorbeer (by Romanov x Welt Hit II) and Huan (by Apache x Goodtimes).

Former British team rider Emma Hindle will bring her new acquisition, Zippo IM (by Zack x Don Schufro) to Aachen. This horse was competed by Daniel Bachmann Andersen.

Malin Wahlkamp-Nilsson is riding Gestut Peterhof's 11-year old Sam (by Sezuan x Licotus), Belgian Nico Nyssen will make his second attempt in a CDI aboard the KWPN stallion Expression (by Vivaldi x Vincent) after he had to pull out of the 2023 CDIO Compiegne.

Oh Oh, Toto

Edward Gal and Toto Jr at the 2021 CDI Opglabbeek

All the way at the bottom of the Masterlist are training horses listed and one had to do a double take to notice that Hans Peter Minderhoud will be bringing Toto Jr (by Totilas x Desperados).

The Hanoverian stallion has only done two's CDI in his career: the 2021 CDI Opglabbeek and 2021 CDI Exloo under his trainer and rider Edward Gal. Gal ended up taking Total U.S. to the Olympics and in 2022 announced his sabbatical from competition sport. Toto Jr has not been out to show since then.

Minderhoud will bring Toto Jr to his first big show (for training) since 2021.

See the full masterlist here.