That’s a wrap! – the CHIO 2021 is over. Although the World Equestrian Festival had to take place with less viewers than usual due to the pandemic, it was still a success! Especially from a sporting point of view, there were also some successes for Germany.
Goosebumps at the Grand Prix of Aachen
He finally did it and secured the long-awaited victory at the Grand Prix of Aachen, the Rolex Grand Slam. Daniel Deusser, number one on the world’s list, and his killer Queen VDM showed two great rounds and also decided the jump-off in their favor. They were followed by only 20-year-old Brian Moggre with Balou du Reventon from the USA and Gregory Wathelet with Nevados S from Belgium. Olympic champion Ben Maher was fourth with Explosion W and the most successful woman in the competition was Laura Kraut with Baloutine, also from the USA.
German dressage team wins Aachen’s Nations Cup for the 39th time!
Most people might not have expected the pairs which started for Germany. In addition to the dressage queens Isabell Werth and Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, it was Carina Scholz and Frederic Wandres who were responsible for the 39th victory in the Nations’ Cup. While Jessica von Bredow -Werndl saddled Ferdinand BB and Isabell Werth her DSP Quantaz, Carina Scholz rode in with Tarantino and Frederic Wandres with Duke of Britain FRH.
Both Friday’s Grand Prix Special and Sunday’s Freestyle counted towards the team score. The Grand Prix Special was won by Jessica von Bredow-Werndl. Yesterday’s Freestyle was won by Isabell Werth for the 14th time! Also the rider of Hof Kasselmann, Frederic Wandres, was able to show his skills in the freestyle and placed fifth.
German eventing team “only” in fifth place
Although there is always high hopes for the German eventing team, this year the team could not show itself as sovereign as expected. Overall, the Germans ended up in fifth place out of the six participating nations. This was due, among other things, to a failed dressage and a run past in the cross-country by the two-time European champion Ingrid Klimke. Also in the individual ranking the German Andreas Ostholt was “only” fifth.
Shock before the Mercedes-Benz Nations’ Cup
This year, the Mercedes-Benz Nations’ Cup started out with a shock for the German jumping team. An accident happened during the warm-up for the first round. Marcus Ehning fell with the stallion A la Carte NRW. After a short stay in a hospital it turned out that Ehning did not suffer any major injuries. Nevertheless, he decided against further participation in this year’s CHIO. The stallion also remained uninjured.
The German team therefore had to compete in the Nations’ Cup without a scratch result. In the end Daniel Deusser, Christian Ahlmann and David Will placed sixth. The predominantly young team from the USA came out on top. Laura Kraut, Jessica Springsteen, Lucy Deslauries and Brian Moggre were able to win the Nations’ Cup of Aachen for the USA again after 16 years.
Nations Cup of the four-in-hand drivers
In the four-in-hand competition, the German team was able to score third place. However, it was a somewhat rocky road to the podium. Especially because half the team of Georg von Stein was still very inexperienced. This was his undoing in cone driving. Michael Brauchle also suffered losses. He was missing his two top horses Carola and Hennessy, who had always provided the necessary security for him. The Holstein rider Mareike Harm, on the other hand, was able to show sovereign rounds with her team and only dropped one cone in the cone course.
The Dutch won this Nations’ Cup, followed by the Belgians.
Source: CHIO Instagram
