Germany is in pole position after the first day of dressage at the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games in Tryon, with solid performances by its first two riders.
Jessica von Bredow-Werndl’s 76.677% test on TSF Dalera BB was the highest of the 38 riders who competed in the Grand Prix today on an oppressively humid day that alternated sunshine with torrential rain, and she was ably backed up by Dorothee Schneider and Sammy Davis Jr, with 75.062%.
This halfway result is based on the best individual score for each team in today’s Grand Prix, so there is plenty of room for dramatic change before the podium places are decided.
Team Sweden is in silver position at this early stage, with a personal best from Juliette Ramel posting 75.248% on Buriel KH, while Tinne Vilhelmson Silfven and Don Auriello scored 73.1%
The home side is currently in bronze, with Adrienne Lyle scoring 74.86% on Salvino and Steffen Peters 73.494% on Suppenkasper.
Great Britain is counting Spencer Wilton’s 74.581% on Super Nova II; the team are fourth with the big guns, Carl Hester and Charlotte Dujardin to ride tomorrow, along with the other powerhouses of the sport including Laura Graves and Verdades, Edward Gal with Glock’s Zonik N.O.P., and world number one Isabell Werth on her ‘dream horse’, Bella Rose.
Isabell had an amazing line-up of horses to choose for WEG, but rates the beautiful chestnut mare above them all.
“She just has everything: charisma, power, elegance, lightness — she combines all the best things of all my other horses.”
The second British rider today, Emile Faurie, was disappointed with his 72.79% test on Dono Di Maggio.
“It’s a massive atmosphere in there and he went a bit into himself and didn’t shine quite as much as I know he can,” Emile says. “I would have loved to have put in a better score for the team but that’s life.
The Netherlands are in fifth, followed by Spain, Denmark and Australia eighth of the 15 teams – Brett Parbery was their best rider, scoring 70.109% on DP Weltmieser.
Of course, all Kiwi eyes will be on our Julie Brougham and Vom Feinsten, who are riding early in the first session tomorrow (1.18am NZ time).
The top 30 from this team event will qualify for the Grand Prix Special, which decides one set of individual medals, and we will have everything crossed that Julie and Steiny are among that top 30.
