Germany Makes Winning Twice as Nice at 2024 CDIO Falsterbo

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2024 CDIO Falsterbo

-- FEI press release, edited by Eurodressage

It was a narrow race for the 2024 FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ title heading into the final leg at Falsterbo (SWE) on 13 July 2024, with Germany and Denmark separated by just two points.

But when it came time for the CDIO4* Grand Prix test at the Falsterbo Horse Show, Germany didn't let the Danish get within 10 points of them. It was a convincing victory for the Germans on the day, which secured them a second consecutive series title.

Led by Chef d'Equpe Jonny Hilberath, the trio of Evelyn Eger (Tabledance), Helen Langehanenberg (Facilone FRH), and Carina Scholz (Tarantino) finished on a total score of 215.261. Denmark finished with a total score of 204.174, followed by The Netherlands (202.478).

"The result is very impressive. As a trainer and team captain, I'm very happy with the performance of my riders and of the horses, and for sure the results," Hilberath said. "Everybody was riding in top form and with a lot of quality."

Three Over 70%

Germany was the only team to have all three of its riders score above 70%, and in fact only one rider outside of Germany reached that threshold in the home nation's Tinne Vilhelmson Silfven (SWE), whose 70.000% was not quite enough to push Sweden up the leaderboard from fifth.

"It wasn't that easy [to select this team], because we had last week at Aachen (GER), and we are in preparation also for [the Olympic Games in] Paris," Hilberath shared. "Carina has been here already, last year with the team, and I was trying to collect riders which I could feature more with younger or newer horses. For example, Helen is riding a new horse, and I thought it was a very good show for her to perform internationally."

Facilone Leads the Way

Langehanenberg and Nicola Ahorner's Hanoverian Facilone (by Furstenball x De Niro) finished the class on top with their 73.674%—a personal best for the combination. The 12-year-old was making just his second CDI start at the Grand Prix level after his debut with Helen at the CDI Exloo in May. Facilone was first produced in Austria until he was seven and then headed to Germany where he went into training with Marcus Hermes and then very briefly with Eyal Zlatin. The horse needed a break and was then put in training with Langehanenberg who is now introducing him to international Grand Prix level.

"I was super happy. I've only been riding him since the beginning of this year, and we have not so many competitions together," Langehanenberg shared."I think the horse has a lot of potential for the future. There's maybe no weak side, but we have to improve and grow together.

"The test today felt like a big step forward. I was super happy, even without seeing the results. It felt great and maybe the beginning of some nice shows together," said Helen Langehanenberg (GER).

Personal Best for Eger

The youngest rider on the team, Eger also brought forward the youngest horse in Hof Kasselmann's 11-year-old Oldenburg mare Tabledance (by Totilas x Rimini). The pair also recorded a personal best score in the Grand Prix with their 70.413%.

Scholz, meanwhile performed as strongly as ever with her 17-year-old Hanoverian partner Tarantino (by Toronto x Carbid), who has successfully returned to top-level sport after sitting out nearly two years from international competition between July 2022 and April 2024.

"Carina had a very good ride. The horse is not a spring chicken anymore, and he's very sensitive. He's rather sharp, and she managed so well," Hilberath said. "The horse was doing wonderful, and he had a break. It's so nice to see the horse coming back better into the sport, and [Carina] is such a hard-working rider."

The weather wasn't ideal, either, with significant rainfall impacting the event. The event schedule was moved forward as a result, but competition forged forward in inclement weather.

"We are very grateful that we had such good conditions for the weather. I think the performances of the riders and the horses has been very good today because of [the efforts of the staff at the show] and of the good footing," Hilberath said.

Troubled 2024 FEI Nations Cup Series

The 2024 FEI Nations Cup series has been marred by troubles as the FEI created new rules to open the invitation system to all nations.

The CDIO Aachen, which is known to handle its own set of rules for invitation "inspired by the FEI", demonstratively broke with the FEI Nations Cup series in March. Rotterdam and Falsterbo followed suit, but than back paddled on their decision and re-entered the series in May.

In Falsterbo Germany ultimately finished the Nations Cup series how they started it, having also won the opening leg at Wellington (USA) in February, with three different riders. The nation's final point tally from the four events is 42. Denmark and Sweden also replicated their finishes from last season, finishing second (38 points) and third (33), respectively.

Germany Makes Winning Twice as Nice at 2024 CDIO Falsterbo - Tops 2024 FEI Nations Cup Series

Three Over 70%

Facilone Leads the Way

Personal Best for Eger

Troubled 2024 FEI Nations Cup Series