Isabell Werth and Satchmo Capture Frankfurt CDI-W

The Christmas horse show in London Olympia a few days later the World Cup™ Qualifier dressage settled down in Frankfurt, Christmas carols and the great atmosphere included. Isabell Werth and Satchmo rode their special Freestyle with music with the unique emotional voice of soprano Montserrat Caballé. Werth and Satchmo made their Freestyle as sparkling as they could without taking special risks, thus giving the preference to harmony, lightness and easiness. Their winning test did cast a spell on the audience and the judges. Difficult transitions from extended canter into a pirouette and two tempi changes into one tempi changes impressed judges and audience alike. But almost the most impressive was the modesty and harmony in the performance. Isabell herself looked very much at ease and also more modest and in herself than she normally does. She didn’t take part in evening sessions in Frankfurt out of respect of the remembrance of Dietrich Schulze, the late husband of her horse owner and friend Madeleine Winter-Schulze who died last week and whom she owns so much.

Last year Isabell Werth took the WC™ win aboard her chestnut Warum nicht FRH in the Grand Prix Freestyle scoring 79,25%, now she was rewarded with 82,0%. There is no doubt that Isabell Werth wants to go for it and give all she has, bringing her to the WC™ Final at the end of the season in April 2009 in Las Vegas.

Runner up was the German reserve for the Olympic Games in Hong Kong, Monica Theodorescu aboard her only 10 year old talented chestnut Whisper. Monica had some special music tunes in mind of Joe Cocker and Lou Reed, to show the quality of her Whisper even more. Whisper has a walk for the ultimate  score and so were her tempi-changes. The impression of the pair also was one of greatest harmony and pleasure in performing.

Chairman of the judges Mariette Withages said: “The harmony was the decisive impression of the three first placed riders. They all were an example of the way we judges very much like to see dressage.”

Danish Nathalie zu Sayn Wittgenstein took her advantage by showing a very harmonious test aboard her homebred Digby as well. The Olympian team bronze winning pair didn’t leave her future wishes for the guessing, as she chose Leonard Bernstein’s Westside Story to ride on. In America she wants to be and for now she is well on the way rewarded with a third place. Especially the last part of her Freestyle was of a great beauty coming out of a turn in piaffe and extending in trot to the final halt.

Unfortunately this harmony was lacking a bit in the performance of the third placed German pair of the Grand Prix, Nadine Capellmann aboard Elvis. Nadine sometimes lacked the control in the freestyle test. Her horse originating from a show jumping pedigree but blessed with very elevated movements became too hectic after the extended canter and ended seventh now.

An American themed Freestyle on Simon and Garfunkel-music was also showed by Swedish Johan Svensson who brought the musical theme with a familiar horse into the arena, 16 year old Hanoverian bred Barclay. Barclay has contributed to many Freestyles and WC™ editions with his former rider Sven Rothenberger and contributed among more to the Dutch fourth place at the OG Athens 2004 and to the team silver medal at the EC 2005.

This World Cup™ edition saw the first start of Italian 22 year old Valentina Truppa aboard Chablis. This winner of the WC™ Final for YR last year now has entered the highest senior class Grand Prix, thus making the goal and aim of the WC™ Final for Young Riders very visible in practice.

Prizewinners Ellen Schulten Baumer, Dieter Laugks and Jeannette Haazen not only received precious World Cup™ points but also were rewarded by the organisers with an invitation for the Meggle Champions Final in March.

The next qualifier in the league will be the Mechelen Christmas Jumping Horseshow in Belgium in less than a week’s time with the Freestyle taking place December 27th. Press officer is Edith de Reijs. Visit http://www.jumping-mechelen.com

RESULTS

1. SATCHMO Isabell Werth (GER) 82,0%
2. WHISPER Monica Theodorescu (GER) 77,750%
3. DIGBY Nathalie zu Sayn-Wittgensrein (DEN) 76,250%
4. DONATHA S Ellen Schulten Baumer (GER) 75,100%
5. MEGGLE’S WELTALL VA Dieter Laugks 74,00%
6. NARTAN Jeannette Haazen (NED) 73,550%
7. ELVIS VA Nadine Capellmann (GER) 72,80%
8. CORINTH Marcela Krinke-Susmeij (SUI) 71,70%
9. TANNENHOF’S SOLERO Anja Plönzke (GER) 71,60%
10. FALCAO OLD Victoria Max-Theurer (AUT) 71,000%
11. RELAMPAGO DO RETIRO Hayley Beresford (AUS) 69,650%
12. FLORESCO Patrik Kittel (SWE) 67,900%
13. PREMIER Aat van Essen (NED) 67,15%
14. HOFGUT LIEDERBACH’S BARCLAY Johan Svensson (SWE) 66,80%
15. CHABLIS Valentina Truppa (ITA) 66,500%