Werth's Last-Minute Decision Makes Wendy Stand Out at 2024 CDI-W Stuttgart

-- FEI press release, edited by Eurodressage - Photos © Stefan Lafrentz - Digishots

Germany's legendary Isabell Werth added another victory to her record in Stuttgart on 16 November 2024, taking home top honours on her Olympic ride Wendy. Scoring 86,745%, Werth claimed the third leg of the FEI Dressage World Cup Western European League 2024/25, more than 6% ahead of her closest competitor.

Just two weeks earlier, Werth triumphed in Lyon with her other mount, Quantaz.

Ahead of the Competition

Isabell Werth remained well ahead of the competition in Stuttgart but stayed almost 3% from her Kur score at the Olympics in Paris (89.614%) which earned her individual silver. Wendy danced through the arena and excelled in the piaffe. The judges unanimously saw her as the winner.

Belgium’s Larissa Pauluis made an indelible mark as the final rider of the evening, securing second place with the KWPN bred Flambeau (by Ampere x Zeoliet). With 80.395%, she was the only other combination to surpass the 80% mark alongside Werth. She is also the second Belgian rider ever to crack the 80% marker in the Kur after Flore de Winne.

Werth’s compatriot Bianca Nowag-Aulenbrock also set a personal milestone, securing her first FEI Dressage World Cup™ podium finish in a Western European League qualifier, riding Elisabeth von Wulffen's Oldenburg mare Florine OLD (by Foundation x Lauries Crusador xx). The pair’s score of 79,225% earned them third place, which was also enough to secure the lead in the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Western European League standings after her earlier triumph in Mariakalnok, Hungary.

German Dominance 

Stuttgart's electrifying atmosphere tested the athletes to their limits, with several combinations struggling to remain error-free in the intense indoor environment. Ultimately, German athletes dominated the leaderboard, with five of the top six spots claimed by home competitors, showcasing the country’s impressive depth in dressage.

Ingrid Klimke, one of Germany’s top equestrian stars, set the early benchmark for the evening’s competition. Riding Gut Hülsen's elegant Hanoverian mare First Class (by Furstenball x Bergamon), Klimke earned a respectable 76.790%. Her mark stood until Carina Scholz (GER), aboard the 17-year-old Hanoverian Tarantino (by Toronto x Carbid), surpassed it with a solid 77.230%. Remarkably, Tarantino has a pedigree full of jumping-sires, but excelled in Stuttgart with effortless collected movements like piaffe and passage.

The next German athlete to challenge the leaderboard was Raphael Netz, who had competed in last year’s FEI Dressage World Cup™ final. Riding Sonja Krall and Theres Boss' KWPN bred Great Escape Camelot (by Johnson x Turbo Magic), Netz earned a remarkable 78.015% for a brilliant freestyle performance that showcased his impressive half-pass work. Despite being only 25 years old, Netz showed maturity and skill as he claimed fourth place.

Ultimately, the top three remained unchanged from the previous day’s Grand Prix, with Werth, Pauluis, and Nowag-Aulenbrock occupying the top spots.

Wendy ‘on fire’

For Isabell Werth, Stuttgart marked yet another unforgettable evening in her career. Last year, she claimed victory with Emilio, but this time she saddled Bolette Wandt's Danish Wendy (by Sezuan x Soprano). Their performance in the freestyle left no doubt that Werth and Wendy are one of the most exciting partnerships in dressage today.

“I was thrilled with Wendy’s performance. In the Grand Prix, she was very focused, especially considering it was her first competition after Paris and the subsequent break. Today in the freestyle, with this incredible atmosphere, I could already feel in the warm-up that she was ‘on fire’,” Werth shared. “Despite her excitement, I really enjoyed the ride. She is such an exceptional horse, and I’m incredibly proud of her.'

Although Stuttgart wasn’t initially on Wendy’s schedule, Werth explained the last-minute change.

“After the Olympics, she did some light work and spent two months relaxing in the paddock and fields. As I began training her for the Top 10 in Stockholm, she seemed almost bored at home and overly eager, so I last minute decided to bring her here. And I don’t regret it. We’ll take things step by step this season.”

The 80% Barrier 

Second-place finisher Larissa Pauluis was determined to break the 80% barrier—and she did it in style. With a score of 80,395%, she set a new personal best with Flambeau, becoming only the second Belgian combination ever to surpass the 80% barrier.

“I rode for my life! This score was something I really wanted, and I’m so proud of Flambeau for making it happen,” said Pauluis, whose Olympic partner Flambeau has taken her to both the Tokyo and Paris Olympics. She also hopes to compete in Los Angeles in 2028. “He can stay with me forever. He still improves a lot, so I definitely want to go for LA!”

While Werth and Pauluis were the only two to break the 80% barrier in Stuttgart, Bianca Nowag-Aulenbrock and Florine OLD were not far behind with 79.225%. The chestnut mare remains a true crowd favourite, with her striking front and happy attitude throughout the freestyle. Nowag-Aulenbrock praised her mare: “I am incredibly grateful to ride her. She does everything for me, and I’m so proud of her.”

The next qualifier for the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Western European League will be in Madrid (ESP) in two weeks' time, so don’t miss a hoofbeat…

Related Links
Scores: 2024 CDI-W Stuttgart
Eurodressage Coverage of the 2024-2025 World Cup Qualifiers and Finals