Text © Eurodressage (this article reflects Eurodressage's opinion of the events, quotes and sections of story sourced from FEI press release)
Photos © Dirk Caremans - check out his WCF image gallery on Hippofoto
Charlotte Fry and Glamourdale fulfilled their role as victory favourites in the warm-up Grand Prix class at the 2025 World Cup Finals in Basel, Switzerland on Friday afternoon 4 April 2025.
In an effort to cut costs for the organizing committee, the panel of judges for the 2025 World Cup Finals was reduced from seven to five, while the Judging Supervisory Panel of three remained in place. The JSP's input into the final scores is not communicated publicly.
The ground jury for the 2025 edition of the WCF includes Maria Colliander (FIN), Christof Umbach (LUX), Hans Voser (SUI), Michael Osinski (USA), and Ulrike Nivelle (GER).
Sweaty Moments
Seventeen out of 18 qualified combinations travelled to Basel with Brazilian Renderson Oliveira dropping out last minute as his horse Fogoso is not fit to compete.
"A thorough clinical examination as well as complete imagery (ultrasounds and X-rays) were conducted," Pottier explained on Instagram. "FEI veterinarian, FEI farrier and FFE veterinarian all came to the conclusion Gotilas had a small bruise under his hoof. This was confirmed as we found dried mud in the leather pad under his shoe, putting pressure on the sole. The FEI farrier did a wonderful job fixing the situation and Gotilas could trot up 100% comfortably in front of the FEI jury and vets this morning."
Tension in the Air
The annual World Cup Finals are the winter season highlight and usually gathers the best of the best. This year a couple of top pairs were absent from this indoor extravaganza.
The entry field of 17 in Basel was still more than interesting with no less than 9 riders making their World Cup Final debut (Scholz, Freese, Vaughn, Basquin, Losonczy, Neuhauser, Nowag, Sysojeva and Pottier)
With such a high-quality field in Basel, expectations were running high, which may also have added some tension for the athletes. Very few combinations delivered truly faultless tests, leaving the door open for changes in the standings in tomorrow’s Freestyle.
Favourite Fry
On paper the 2024 Paris Olympic individual bronze medal winning pair, Charlotte Fry (GBR) and Glamourdale, are the favourites for the victory and fulfilled the role already in the Grand Prix.
The pair began with impressive trot work, but the first passage put 5s to 7s on the board, while the first piaffe was not that convincing. The pair improved during their test with more established pi-pa work in the second line, followed by high scoring canter work and the usual 10 for the extended canter. The judges differed in opinion on the quality of the right pirouette (6.5 - 7.5), but agreed that the general impression and harmony of the ride was worth straights 8s.
“Today he was definitely more impressed in here than he was in other arenas this World Cup season," said Fry. "I really had to give him quite some confidence today, but he trusted me. We had some amazing moments today, I’m very happy with the flying changes and with a lot of the trot work.”
Werth Knows the Routine
Werth opted to ride the horse in a nice open frame with good length of neck most of the time, but Quantaz was fidgety in the bridle and the mouth often opened as the curb rein was on the entire ride. While one truly saw Werth's skill come through, it was not an effortless ride even with a shaky regularity in all three trot extensions, yet Isabell did not make any big mistakes. The judges put her second with 74.848%
“I was very pleased with Quantaz,” she said with satisfaction. “The first two days here weren’t easy for him. He was very spooky and not focused. Today, as soon as I got on, he was more relaxed, and he stayed focused throughout the test.”
Isabel Freese Norwegian Trailblazer
They entered the arena with a tense halt, but grew into the test as it progressed. The score of 74.413% held firm for a long time and ultimately secured third place — the first ever FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final podium finish for a Norwegian combination.
“Total Hope is a real macho, but he learns quickly and is fantastic to ride. Today we lost some valuable marks at the beginning, but I’m very proud of the rest of our test,” said Freese.
Extreme Opposites
Two riders tied in fourth place: Sandra Sysojeva on the flamboyant Oldenburg mare Maxima Bella (by Millennium x Christ) and Corentin Pottier on the demure KWPN gelding Gotilas (by Totilas x Ferro). Both scored 74.283%.
Lithuanian born Polish Olympian Sandra Sysojeva and her extravagantly moving 9-year old mare Maxima Bella impressed with the lightfooted passage work and fluent transitions in and out of the piaffe. While the mare has unlimited shoulder freedom in the extended trot, the overtrack is rather limited, also in the extended walk. A bobble in the two tempi changes, which the judges scored between 4 and 6.5, pushed the score down a bit, just like the right pirouette in which the mare got wide behind. They finished with an impeccable final piaffe-passage centerline and had the crowds clapping.
Early in the running
The very first combination of the day also made a strong impression: Larissa Pauluis (BEL) and the 15-year old KWPN gelding Flambeau (by Ampere x Zeoliet). They produced a nearly error-free test for 72.935% and seventh place. Flambeau was a former licensed stallion, turned show jumper before switching back to dressage. His difficult character and rideability brought him from Holland to Germany to Holland to Sweden and he finally found his forever home with Pauluis in Belgium, first as a jumper for her late husband Greg, before he handed over the gelding to Larissa as her future Grand Prix horse. Two Olympics and two World Cup finals later, here they are.
Pauline Basquin (FRA) and Sertorius de Rima Z (by Sandro Hit x Voltaire) followed just behind in 10th place with 72.348%.
One of the three American combinations also earned a top-10 placing before the break: Adrienne Lyle (USA) with the 13-year old KWPN gelding Helix (by Apache x Jazz). The long-legged chestnut grew in confidence throughout the test, scoring 72.565% and finishing ninth.
Lyle's American team mates, German born Wellingtonian Kevin Kohmann on the 16-year old Hanoverian Dunensee (by Dancier x Davignon) scored 69.130% for 14th place, while rookie Genay Vaughn ended at the end of the pack with 62.978%. Her talented but not so easy 14-year old KWPN gelding Gino (by Bretton Woods x Haarlem) threw the tongue over the bit and gave Genay a challenging ride. Genay hails from California and qualified for the Finals by competing in the three small West Coast CDI-W's between November and March.
Mares in the Minority, but not Less Impactful
Four out of 17 competing horses are mares. The Grand Prix class was split into two groups and after the break, the energy in the arena quickly ramped up with many top combinations aiming for a place in the top three.
Placing eighth were Bianca Nowag-Aulenbrock (GER) and Elisabeth von Wulffen's 13-year old Oldenburg mare Florine OLD (by Foundation x Lauries Crusador xx). They scored 72.609%.
All combinations through to the Freestyle
All combinations in today’s Grand Prix met the minimum score requirement of 60%, meaning they will all go again in tomorrow’s Freestyle Final.
Related Links
Scores: 2025 World Cup Finals
Eurodressage Coverage of the 2025 World Cup Finals