In addition to their victory in the Grand Prix, Isabell Werth and Bella
Rose also won the Grand Prix Spécial, the MEGGLE-Prize, which was also part two
of the Lambertz Nations Cup, which proved to be easy prey for the German team –
for the 38th time. Not exclusively due to Isabell Werth’s top performance.
Isabell Werth and Bella Rose were faced with strong competition from
their own ranks in the form of the German Champions, Dorothee Schneider and
Showtime, in the MEGGLE-Prize. Two of the judges even placed Schneider and
“Showi” in front of the World Champions. However, in the end, Isabell Werth
asserted herself with 84.447 percent. Dorothee Schneider finished second
(83.617), and third place went to Charlotte Dujardin (GBR) with Erlentanz
(80.277), just like in the Grand Prix.
Germany has been undefeated in the Lambertz Nations Cup since 2011. The German
national coach Monica Theodorescu’s team notched up an overall score of 489.477
points, ahead of Denmark (457.515) and the USA (450.775). It was the 38th
victory of the German dressage team in Aachen. In the years 2005, 2009 and
2010, the Dutch national anthem was played instead.
Isabell Werth and her 15-year-old Belissimo M daughter, Bella Rose, excelled
once again in the piaffe and passage. She was showered with 10s – except for in
the second piaffe. Werth explained that she had noticed Bella was pretty
temperamental this morning, so she didn’t risk all. “I was absolutely
satisfied, but it wasn’t the bees’ knees.” Tomorrow is another day – and
incidentally Werth’s 50th birthday. Winning the Deutsche Bank Prize for the
13th time would be a nice birthday present, for sure!
The performance of the pair that finished second, Dorothee Schneider and
Showtime, was indeed the crème de la crème. Their score – 83.617 percent – is a
personal record, even though the 13-year-old Hanoverian-bred Sandro Hit son
made two expensive mistakes: one in the transition from the passage into the
extended trot and the other in the transition from the passage to canter.
Dorothee Schneider was nevertheless overjoyed: “It is very emotional for me to
be back with this horse. Today’s last line was like flying.” Showtime had been
out of action after a paddock injury in 2017 for a long time. Dorothee
Schneider, who has been riding the gelding since he was three and a half, said:
“I am proud of this horse and at the moment also of myself because we have
grown together so well over the years and performing so superbly meanwhile.”
Charlotte Dujardin, who came third with the Trakehner Erlentanz, whom she is
currently riding for her pupil Sonnar Murray Brown, was as in the Grand Prix
followed by Jessica von Bredow-Werndl with Dalera BB, who is also a Trakehner.
The judges awarded the pair 79.021 percent. Unfortunately, their piaffes, which
were one of the highlights in the Grand Prix, weren’t as good today. Jessica
von Bredow-Werndl was nevertheless happy with her overall performance: “Apart
from the two piaffes it was the best ride of my life!”
The fourth member of the team, Helen Langehanenberg with Damsey admitted
herself: “We are definitely not presenting ourselves from our best side here.”
In the Grand Prix, the 17-year-old stallion had striked before the piaffes.
Today was much better, but they didn’t take any risks. The result was eleventh
place on a score of 75.043 percent. “It was a consoling conclusion,” noted
Langehanenberg.
Asked as to whether the team didn’t get bored of winning, the Chef d’Equipe,
Klaus Röser, replied. “No, we love winning”.
SOURCE: Press release CHIO