Photo Report: Throwback to the Nations Cup Grand Prix at the 2024 CDIO Compiègne

Text © Eurodressage (this article expresses Eurodressage's' eye-witness account and opinion about the competition) - Photos © Astrid Appels - NO REPRODUCTION ALLOWED - NO SCREEN SHOTS !

Team Denmark put on strong form in the FEI Nations Cup at the 2024 CDIO 5* Compiègne on 3 - 5 May 2024. While German Frederic Wandres won the 5* Grand Prix, it were the Danes that put on a repeat show and claimed victory in the team ranking for the second, consecutive year. 

Ripples Induced

The CDIO Grand Prix on Saturday 4 May was judged by five of the seven judges that will officiate at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games: Rapahel Saleh, Mariette Sanders, Henning Lehrmann, Isbobel Wessels, and Susanne Baarup. For riders this was a unique opportunity to perform in front of the panel that will assess them - hopefully - in the summer in Versailles. 

We are all aware of the commotion going on in the dressage world. There is a group, fairly loud on social media demanding a recalibration of the judging system (or at least folding back and adhering to actual criteria set in the FEI Judges Manual) while another, mostly silent group keeps their lips sealed and prays for the storm to blow over.  

Wave ripples certainly have been induced, rightfully so. The judging system is certainly not bad as it is, but continuously needs improvement and fine-tuning to make it more fair, transparent and sustainable in the future, as society changes and particularly the social licence towards animal welfare. The judges are well aware of the wind of change that is blowing. Looking at the individual break down of scores in the 5* Grand Prix it is obvious that these news tidings impacts judges differently. How strict do they need to be on tension, open mouths (not from chewing, but due to tension, if the difference is even distinguished?!), and regularlity in gaits.. The scoring of these concepts is in troubled water.

A Few Biased Thoughts

I just love Compiègne and I think I have mentioned this time and again in my article. I am very biased and plead guilty admitting it. For more than a decade I have attended this competition and saw it develop into an even more fabulous show.  It's a true treasure trough for photographers with the beautiful green park in the background and sponsor banners tastefully (and minimally placed) so they don't spoil the picture.

Three rings - action from pony level to elite Grand Prix - wonderful shops, catering, lounge bars, and an enthusiastic home crowd filling the stands and bleachers. It really feels like a championship in Compiegne and I just love being there. In most recent years, rain continues to spoil the party, it was no different this year. Still deeply imprinted in my brain are the good times, sitting in the sun taking pictures of horses while sharing a glass of wine with dressage lovers and owners ringside. I'm not sure if it would be smart to push the dates further back in May as this first weekend of May seems jinxed, weatherwise.

Danish Dominion

Team Denmark won the Nations Cup with Daniel Bachmann Andersen spearheading Denmark to victory. He placed second in the Grand Prix on Rudolf Spiekermann's 13-year old Westfalian Vayron (by Vitalis x Gloster). The humongous bay Westfalian was already member of the Danish team at the 2023 European Championships in Riesenbeck but despite his age still looked green at Grand Prix back then. His huge size doesn't do him any favours but Bachmann showed improvement in Compiegne with good extensions, half passes, and tempi changes. The piaffe is more on the spot, but still on the forehand and crossing behind, and alas the passage is quite swaying in the hindquarters. He received a total of 76.152% but the marks ranged between 73.478% and a whopping 78.152% from the Danish judge. 

Carina Cassoe Kruth and her lovely mare Heiline's Danciera (by Furstenball x De Niro) have been a team fixture since 2021. The black mare has so much elasticity and bounce and three outstanding basic gaits, but she continues to be too tense in the piaffe (totally on the forehand and the nervous trembling of her lip doesn't paint a pretty picture). She had to be trotted up twice in the vet inspection in Compiegne and was also ridden hard in the training session the day before. In the test she was overasked in the third trot extension, became uneven in front, and broke rhythm. The collected walk was ridden too freely and in the half pass right the hindquarters trailed a bit. The highlights all were in canter with fabulous tempi changes and pirouettes. She finished on 74.913% with individual scores between 73.804% and 76.196%. 

Nanna Skodborg Merrald had originally entered her number one, Blue Hors Zepter, for Compiegne but replaced him with Blue Hors St. Schufro, a 13-year old Hanoverian stallion by St. Moritz Junior x Don Schufro. His last CDI was six months ago in Lyon, where he finished second. In Compiegne the gorgeous black stallion lacked in overtrack in all trot extensions (still scores a 6 - 7.5, no surprise there). The right trot half pass was the best one and the left pirouette a high point. Overall in passage the horse was not tracking up evenly with the left hind. They posted 74.435% for fourth place. 

Mixed Bag

While Denmark formed a unified front, it was a mixed bag of nations that completed the top 10 in Compiegne. 

The winner of the class was Frederic Wandres on Hof Kassekmann's 17-year old British Hanoverian Duke of Britain (by Dimaggio x Rubinstein). The pair won team bronze at the 2022 World Championships but since then Bluetooth took over the baton as number one horse in the barn. With a lot of mileage in his legs, Duke now is being competed at selected shows, his last start being only in the Grand Prix at the CDI Hagen in September, in which he gave a tired look. In Compiegne he looked more fresh, although by the time the canter work started he relied on his rider to carry him through. Duke is incredibly secure in the rhythm in piaffe and showed a good collected walk as well as two tempi changes and zig zag, but the highlight of the test was the very well ridden flying change after the extended canter. The trot extensions did not have the best suspension and elasticity but were correctly executed. They scored a winning 76.435%. 

Swedish Patrik Kittel and Andreas Helgstrand's (and silent owner Cathrine Rasmussen's) 10-year old KWPN stallion Jovian (by Apacher x Tango) landed fifth place with 74.283%. The tall bay stallion no doubt wows with his trot and canter extensions and showed a ton of crossing in the trot half passes, but in this test the passage work was not always regular behind and the piaffes are on the spot, but leaning on the forehand. Also in collected walk he appeared short-long behind. Jovian is an impressive stallion, for sure, but he is ridden fully on the curb and he not always jumps the tempi changes even behind. The pirouettes were small though. 

One of the most pleasing tests of the day came from the sixth placed pair, British Becky Moody on the 10-year old KWPN bred Jagerbomb (by Dante Weltino x Jazz). Internationally they are fairly newcomers; but nationally this horse has a lot of mileage down his belt despite his age. He was quite impressed in the Grand Prix and had big eyes, which led to some tension, but Moody beautifully rode him through the test and displayed correct training and work. The best parts in the ride were the half passes, straight two tempi changes and fantastic one tempi's. The collected walk was not so clear in the rhythm and in piaffe he can still drop more in the hindquarters. They posted 73.804% with marks between 71.848% and 76.087%

French Pauline Basquin has developed into the Joan of Arc of dressage, France's beacon of hope and beautiful riding. With her elegant 14-year old Zangersheide registered Sertorius de Rima Z (by Sandro Hit x Voltaire) she showed improvement in the piaffe. They got 73.022%.  Country mate Corentin Pottier and the 13-year old KWPN bred Gotilas (by Totilas x Ferro) gave an equally strong impression with really fluent and easy going riding. While the passage work is not always as engaged and strong behind and the piaffe could show more taking of the weight behind, the overall ride was an effortless one. They were 11th with 72.065%

CDI Tolbert sensations, Swedish Maria von Essen and the 12-year old KWPN bred Invoice (by Jazz x Ferro) could not repeat the same level but still showed many things. I personally prefer to see hands with the thumbs up than piano hands but overall the contact was light and soft looking. The transitions in and out of piaffe were a bit shuffling, but the piaffes were on the spot. The passage could improve in self carriage but the straight two tempi changes were very appealing. They posted 72.326% for 9th place. 

Photos © Astrid Appels - NO REPRODUCTION ALLOWED - NO SCREEN SHOTS !

Eurodressage took photos of almost all CDI competitors in Compiegne (no children alas).  If you are interested in photos for social media use or print, send us an email and you can BUY our photos. No reproduction allowed - NO SCREENSHOtS!

Related Links
Scores: 2024 CDIO Compiègne
"Milestone" Victory for Denmark in FEI Nations Cup Leg at 2024 CDIO Compiegne
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Olympic Fever at 2024 CDIO 5* Compiègne: The Countdown is On