World Cup Final title contender withdraws from competition at 11th hour
The FEI Dressage World Cup Final grand prix leaderboard was missing Dinja van Liere and Hermes NOP, who officially withdrew just minutes before their test in Omaha, USA, last night (5 April).
The Dutch pair, who were double bronze medallists at last year’s World Dressage Championships in Herning, were widely expected to be among the strongest challengers for the World Cup title. The 11-year-old Easy Game x Flemmingh stallion passed the trot-up and was drawn second-last to go in the grand prix. This test acts as a qualifier for the grand prix freestyle, which solely decides the World Cup winner.
But minutes before Dinja van Liere and Hermes were due to enter the arena for their World Cup grand prix test, it was announced that they had withdrawn from the grand prix, and therefore would not be eligible to compete in Friday’s freestyle.
“Today the horse was not fit to compete,” confirmed the Dutch high performance director Iris Boelhouwer. “Horse welfare is always our number one priority, so to respect the horse he was withdrawn.”
Grand prix victory went to defending title-holders and Olympic champions Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and TSF Dalera BB, who posted 79.92% to lead the eventual field of 15. Isabell Werth, winner of three back-t0-back World Cup titles with Weihegold OLD in 2017, 2018 and 2019, finished second in the grand prix aboard her world championships ride DSP Quantaz.
The grand prix freestyle takes place on Friday evening, from which the 2022/2023 World Cup champion will emerge.
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