Anabel Balkenhol Wins Grand Prix for Special at 2025 CDI Covalliero Dressage Days in Hagen

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2025 Covalliero Dressage Days

Action continued at the 2025 Covalliero Dressage Days in Hagen (GER) on Friday 26 September 2025 with the Grand Prix for Special and the warm-up round of the 2025 Piaff Förderpreis Finals.

Balkenhol Secures Grand Prix Win

In the early morning Grand Prix class, German 2012 Olympic individual rider Anabel Balkenhol secured the win in the Grand Prix for Special in a field of 26 competitors. Aboard the 14-year old Hanoverian High Five FRH (by Hohenstein x De Niro) she scored 71.196%. Ten years ago, High Five sold at the 2015 Klosterhof Medingen Auction for 160,000 euro. He is owned by Kathrin Gericke. Balkenhol and the bay gelding have been competing internationally since April 2022. This is their second international win after claiming the Special at the CDI Troisdorf in October 2023.

Second place went to Swedish Olympic rider Therese Nilshagen on her new rising Grand Prix hope, Navarro, a 9-year old Ganoverian by negro x San Remo, owned by Lodbergen. They received 70.739% from the judges.

Laura Strobel and Sissy Max-Theurer's 14-year old Westfalian Valparaiso (by Vitalis x Furst Piccolo) finished third with 70.283%. The top three ranked riders were the only ones cracking the 70% barrier.

Early Lead for Moritz Treffinger

Moritz Treffinger made a statement today about his ambitions to win this year's Piaff Forderpreis Final for Germany's best U25 dressage riders. Riding his U25 European Championship partner Cadeau Noir, a 15-year old Hanoverian stallion by Christ x De Niro, Treffinger won the warm-up short Grand Prix with 73.581%, staying well ahead of the competition.

German Under 25 team mate Elisabeth von Wulffen and the 13-year old Westfalian Triple A (by Totilas x De Niro) were second with 70.651%, followed by Selina Söder on 10-year old Rhinelander Vita di Lusso (by Vitalis x Weltano) with 69.326%

Earlier this season Treffinger won the Piaff Forderpreis qualifiers in Mannheim with Fiderdance and in Balve with Cadeau Noir. In mid-July, he became European Under 25 Kur Champion in Kronberg with Cadeau Noir. A victory in the Piaff Prize final would be the ‘cherry on the cake,’ as the 22-year-old admits. He does not feel any extra pressure to live up to his role as favourite, but rather even more composure.

"This year has already been so phenomenal, no matter what happens tomorrow. We got through today unscathed, which was good preparation. Tomorrow we have to step it up a notch, because everyone is starting from scratch again. I think we are a very, very strong team here, it's a great show and I'm looking forward to the final. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for everyone!"

The Piaff Forderpreis Prize final will take place on Saturday evening at 8:45 p.m. at Hof Kasselmann.