-- FEI press release, edited by Eurodressage
On Saturday 15 February 2025 Nanna Skodborg Merrald brought a sense of déjà vu to Neumünster, clinching the World Cup qualifier victory with Blue Hors Zepter, just as she did two years ago.
It was a thrilling showdown with Isabel Freese (NOR) and Total Hope OLD. Freese narrowly won the Grand Prix, but Merrald had the final word in the Freestyle. With 81.465% she secured victory by a mere 0.2%. Completing the podium, Corentin Pottier (FRA) impressed with Gotilas to take third place.
The Queen of the Kur, Isabell Werth, had entered for Neumunster but withdrew right before the show as she was struck by the flu.
Reaching the Final
With only two legs remaining in the Western European League before the World Cup Final, the competition for points is heating up.
This weekend’s results caused a shake-up in the standings, with only Gothenburg (SWE) and ’s-Hertogenbosch (NED) left on the calendar. Merrald’s triumph, earning her 20 points, propelled her to sixth place on the leaderboard. Valuable points were also gained by Larissa Pauluis (BEL), Isabel Freese, and Raphael Netz (GER), setting up for an exciting finale.
Zepter’s Experience and Power
Nanna Skodborg Merrald has campaigned three different horses this World Cup season but aims to qualify with either Blue Hors Zepter or Blue Hors Don Olymbrio. Which one will go to the Final?
“I’m not sure yet. We’ll decide in March when we see who’s in top form,” Skodborg Merrald explained. The Danish rider, runner-up at both the Finals in 2023 in Omaha (USA) and 2024 in Riyadh (KSA), is well-positioned for another shot at the title.
Seventeen-year-old Blue Hors Zepter (by Zack x Wolkentanz II) showcased his experience and power, though minor mistakes crept into both tests. “He felt fantastic in the warm-up, so I’m still wondering where those mistakes came from,” Merrald admitted. She shares a deep bond with Zepter:
“He’s had several riders before me, and I have huge respect for his career. He’s extremely powerful, very honest and loyal, but also sensitive. Now that he’s older, we don’t want to push him too hard. It’s most important for us that he enjoys his work," said Nanna.
Silva de Oliveira gets the crowd on their feet
One athlete who captured the audience’s hearts and put a smile on everyone’s face was Brazil’s Renderson Silva de Oliveira with Fogoso Campline. Riding a modern Freestyle set to rap and hip-hop, his vibrant performance had the crowd clapping along in the final centerline. The experienced 15-year old Lusitano (by Rico x Raja) could be more quiet and happy in the mouth as the busy rider's hands made the horse tense. The crowds and judged loved the performance and they celebrated a 76.845% score for a ninth-place finish earning a roaring ovation from the crowd.
As the competition progressed, scores climbed steadily. Camille Judet Chéret (FRA) and Herelja Higgins produced an active, but sometimes a bit tense and stiff horse. The piaffe and passage particularly earned them a new personal best of 77.905%.
Ingrid Klimke (GER), a crowd favourite, followed with the elegant 13-year old First Class (by Furstenball x Bergamon), scoring 77.100% with a harmonious performance, but the mare, owned by Gut Hülsen, slightly struggled with the piaffe.
Marieke van der Putten (NED) and the 13-year old Danish gelding Torveslettens Titanium (by Totilas s Stedinger) then raised the bar to 78.610%, finishing sixth overall. They showed great piaffe and passage, but overall the extensions had room for improvement.
Top 3 finish for Pottier
The final five pairs from the Grand Prix shook up the leaderboard. Corentin Pottier (FRA), aboard Hervé Pottier's 14-year old KWPN bred Gotilas (by Totilas x Ferro), delivered a polished, error-free Freestyle and scored 80.290%. The Paris 2024 Olympian found Neumünster equally thrilling: “The ambiance felt about the same. Riding this close to the audience is incredible. The crowd knows the sport, and you can feel it. A new personal best and a podium finish: I call it a good day,” he said with a broad smile.
Norway’s Isabel Freese and Paul Schockemöhle and Lone Boegh Henriksen's licensed stallion Total Hope OLD (by Totilas x Don Schufro) followed. The pair had a fumble at the start of the test, but ended second with 81.265%. With three runner-up finishes -London (GBR), Basel (SUI), and Neumünster (GER)- Freese now sits eighth in the overall standings.
Pauluis on her way to her second final
The penultimate rider, Merrald, delivered a compelling performance with Blue Hors Zepter, taking the lead. The suspense remained high until the final competitor: Belgium’s Larissa Pauluis and Caroline Lepage's KWPN bred Flambeau (by Ampere x Zeoliet). A finalist in Riyadh last season, Pauluis had scored over 80% twice this season and was eyeing a podium spot. However, a costly mistake in the one-tempi changes on her joker line dropped her to fourth place on 79.715%. Nonetheless, she now moves up to fourth in the overall standings.
With seven nationalities represented in the top 10, Neumünster showcased a wide variety of competitors. The Western European League now heads to Gothenburg (SWE) next week for the penultimate qualifier of the FEI Dressage World Cup™ season, so don’t miss a hoofbeat!
Related Links
Scores: 2025 CDI-W Neumunster
Eurodressage coverage of the 2025 World Cup Finals and Qualifiers