Hagen CDI: Brits impress at Horses & Dreams

Great Britain’s Lottie Fry achieved high placings with Everdale and Dark Legend in strong company at the prestigious Hagen CDI4* in Germany, this year themed ‘Horses & Dreams meets Canada’ (20 – 24 April 2022). Laura Tomlinson impressed with her rising star Fallatijn, and Lara Butler and Kristjan showed their class to finish top-15.

Hagen is the first outdoor show of the season in Germany and typically attracts a who’s who of the dressage world. The 2022 edition was certainly that, with many of the sport’s leading lights present at this renowned equestrian festival hosted annually by Hof Kasselmann.

Following the cancellation of ‘Horses & Dreams’ in 2020 due to Covid, and last year’s event having Covid restrictions in place, competitors, spectators and officials were once again able to enjoy this world-famous show to the full, whilst windy conditions throughout certainly put horses’ concentration skills to the test.

Partnered by the 13-year-old stallion Everdale (Lord Leatherdale x Negro) - pictured - who she co-owns with Van Olst Horses, Lottie Fry presented a high-class performance scoring 74.00% to finish sixth in the CDI4* Grand Prix for Special on Thursday, before later achieving sixth spot in Saturday’s Special on 74.25%. Both classes were won by the home nation’s Isabell Werth and DSP Quantaz.

Lottie and Everdale were on the British bronze medal team at the Tokyo Olympic Games and the silver medal-winning team at the FEI European Championships held here in Hagen last September. This was the first international appearance for the black stallion since the championships, and what better way to return to the stage than with two convincing performances.

“It was the first outdoor show of the season in Germany, and it is always a really exciting show,” said a delighted Lottie after returning home to her Netherlands base at Van Olst Horses in Den Hout. “Everdale went really well. We had a few little mistakes, but the feeling he gave was one of the best ever – he was incredible. I was very pleased.”

With her 2019 FEI European Championships partner, Dark Legend, Lottie also achieved fourth place in the Grand Prix qualifier for Freestyle. Sitting just behind the podium of Dinja van Liere with Hermès for the Netherlands, Frederic Wandres and Duke of Britain FRH for Germany, and the Danish duo of Daniel Bachmann Andersen with Marshall-Bell, Lottie and the 14-year-old Zucchero x Tango gelding impressed with an effortless performance displaying their trademark lightness, poise and power to score 75.54%. After a tricky ride at the World Cup Final earlier this month where Dark Legend showed uncharacteristic spookiness, he will have benefited from this super, confidence-building Grand Prix.

“Dark Legend went really well,” reflected Lottie afterwards. “He was feeling better than ever, just had a few little mistakes, and was excited to be [competing] outside again.”

The Freestyle in Hagen took place on Saturday evening in the jumping stadium. The elegant Dark Legend was a little spooky in the blustery conditions, which cost them marks, but still the quality of work and musicality was evident to score 72.30%. Their contemporary programme with its high degree of difficulty is a winner when it comes off, and there were glimpses of that brilliance despite some costly moments of inattention.

“In the freestyle, we had some really good bits but also a few ‘moments’,” she smiled. “But it was late at night and under floodlights, and hopefully he’s more used to that now.”

Lottie also presented her younger ride, Inclusive, a nine-year-old Everdale son, in his second international Big Tour competition. Competing in the CDI3*, the duo achieved top-ten placings in the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special with scores of 71.06% and 71.19% respectively. “He was really good and has improved so much since Opglabbeek,” said Lottie. “He’s still green and inexperienced but he has so much quality and he loves to work. He’s an exciting one for the future.”

Fellow compatriots Laura Tomlinson and Lara Butler also achieved strong results, both competing in the CDI4*. Laura’s exciting talent Fallatijn (Vivaldi x Cabochon), who she co-owns with her mother, Ursula Bechtolsheimer, was unsettled in the biting winds and sleet at Opglabbeek CDI earlier this month. Here in Hagen however he showed himself well to score 70.97% in the Grand Prix for Special and 68.74% in the Special. With his natural enthusiasm and expression, the 12-year-old Dutch gelding is a bright prospect for London 2012 team gold and individual bronze medallist, Laura.

The established British pairing of Lara Butler and Kristjan (2005 Polarion x Napoleon Quatre) impressed in the Grand Prix for Freestyle to score 68.15% despite a costly mistake in the canter zig zag. An otherwise harmonious test, showing lightness and ease, earned them a creditable 15th place to seal a place in the Freestyle where they moved up to 14th on 72.18%. Germany’s Frederic Wandres with Duke of Britain FRH (Dimaggio x Rubinstein), who was bred by Sarah Pidgley, topped the freestyle leader board on 83.63%.

“It was great to be back at a show with all those spectators again, you can never beat that buzz around the arena and Hagen didn’t disappoint,” said Lara on social media.

Success for Susan as she clinches Nürnberger Burg-Pokal qualifier

Great Britain’s Susan Pape also had reason to celebrate after posting an exciting win in the Nürnberger Burg-Pokal Qualifier, Prix St Georges Special with Harmony Sporthorses’ eight-year-old stallion, V-Plus (Vivaldi x Fürst Romancier). They scored 75.87% for a clear win ahead of Germany's Marcus Hermes and De Massimo (73.34%) and Isabell Werth with Joshua 47 (73.00%).

Results: top five and British placings

CDI4* Grand Prix (Qual. for Special)
1. Isabell Werth and DSP Quantaz, 77.956% (GER)
2. Juliette Ramel and Buriel K.H., 76.261% (SWE)
3. Benjamin Werndl and Famoso OLD, 76.065% (GER)
4. Therese Nilshagen and Dante Weltino OLD, 75.652% (SWE)
5. Patrik Kittel and Touchdown, 75.609% (SWE) 
6. Charlotte Fry and Everdale, 74.000% (GBR)
12. Laura Tomlinson and Fallatijn, 70.978% (GBR)

CDI4* Grand Prix Special
1. Isabell Werth and DSP Quantaz, 78.915% (GER)
2. Benjamin Werndl and Famoso OLD, 76.659% (GER)
3. Therese Nilshagen and Dante Weltino OLD, 76.489% (SWE)
4. Patrik Kittel and Touchdown, 75.362% (SWE)
5. Juliette Ramel and Buriel K.H., 74.872% (SWE)
6. Charlotte Fry and Everdale, 74.255% (GBR)
14. Laura Tomlinson and Fallatijn, 68.745% (GBR)

CDI4* Grand Prix (Qual. for Freestyle)
1. Dinja van Liere and Hermès, 77.913% (NED)
2. Frederic Wandres and Duke of Britain FRH, 77.239% (GER)
3. Daniel Bachmann Andersen and Marshall-Bell, 76.261% (DEN)
4. Charlotte Fry and Dark Legend, 75.544% (GBR)
5. Semmieke Rothenberger and Flanell, 73.152% (GER)
15. Lara Butler and Kristjan, 68.152% (GBR)

CDI4* Grand Prix Freestyle
1. Frederic Wandres and Duke of Britain FRH, 83.630% (GER)
2. Dinja van Liere and Hermès, 82.760% (NED)
3. Daniel Bachmann Andersen and Marshall-Bell, 80.515% (DEN)
4. Anna Buffini and FRH Davinia la Douce, 78.350% (USA)
5. José Antonio García Mena and Divina Royal, 77.695% (ESP)
13. Charlotte Fry and Dark Legend, 72.305% (GBR)
14. Lara Butler and Kristjan, 72.185% (GBR)

CDI3* Grand Prix (Qual. for Special)
1. Isabell Werth and Superb 2, 75.783% (GER)
2. Emma Kanerva and Mist of Titanium OLD, 73.456% (FIN)
3. Anne Troensegaard and Kipling TSF, 72.870% (DEN)
4. Frederic Wandres and Hot Hit OLD, 72.609% (GER)
5. Lyndal Oatley and Eros, 72.043% (AUS)
9. Charlotte Fry and Inclusive, 71.065% (GBR)

CDI3* Grand Prix Special
1. Isabell Werth and Superb 2, 75.404% (GER)
2. Emma Kanerva and Mist of Titanium OLD, 73.319% (FIN)
3. Young-Shik Hwang and Bluebarry Dream, 73.127% (KOR)
4. Malin Wahlkamp-Nilsson and Møgelbjergs Romeo, 73.064% (SWE)
5. Frederic Wandres and Hot Hit OLD, 72.340% (GER)
10. Charlotte Fry and Inclusive, 71.191% (GBR)

FULL RESULTS

Photo © LL-FOTO.DE
Words: British Dressage/Joanna Bowns