Kronberg: Isabell Werth also wins in Grand Prix Special

Kronberg (fn-press). At the end of the Dressage Festival at the Schafhof in Kronberg, Isabell Werth (Rheinberg) and Bella Rose won the Grand Prix Special. The competition served as the final qualifier for the Olympic Games in Tokyo. Second place went to Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (Aubenhausen) with TSF Dalera BB ahead of Dorothee Schneider (Framersheim) with Showtime FRH. Following the competition, the Dressage Committee of the German Olympic Committee for Equestrianism (DOKR) formulated its nomination proposal to the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB).

Isabell Werth was especially pleased that her plan for the championship preparation of her top mare Bella Rose worked out so fantastically: "The way via Mannheim and Balve here to Kronberg was exactly right, Bella has developed from show to show. You have to build up the strength and permeability again and again, and that has worked out perfectly so far. She has reached the level here to travel to Tokyo. Now it's a matter of taking a breath and then moving on." The pair secured victory in the Kronberg Special with 85.596 percent.

Moving up one place compared to Friday's Grand Prix were German champions Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and TSF Dalera BB. They finished the special with 84.766 percent. "Of course there are always a few adjusting screws to turn, but this is complaining on an extremely high level. Dalera is in abnormal form and I am very, very grateful to be able to ride such a horse. I assume that we will be allowed to fly to Tokyo, I am really looking forward to it," said von Bredow-Werndl after the test.

Another top result of 82.575 percent was achieved by Dorothee Schneider and Showtime FRH, who had a rather short run-up to the Olympic Games after Schneider broke her collarbone in April. "Of course Showtime also needs a few shows to find his routine again. Even though the set screws that still need to be turned have already been reduced from Balve to Kronberg, of course you have to keep questioning yourself and readjusting. We are on this path and have improved considerably since Balve. Even though there were still a few small mistakes, I am happy, I had goose bumps and Showtime just wanted to go. He was already like that in the warm-up arena: I'm here and I want to attack here. It's a lot of fun."

Pairs from the German Olympic squad also lined up in the following places: Helen Langehanenberg (Billerbeck) and Annabelle (76.170 percent), Frederic Wandres (Hagen a.T.W.) and Duke of Britain FRH (75.830 percent), Carina Scholz (Sassenberg) and Tarantino (75.532 percent, pers. best) and Benjamin Werndl (Aubenhausen) with Daily Mirror (74.617 percent). The national trainer was also absolutely satisfied with these strong results: "It was really tremendous how one or the other pair advanced again after Balve. Even after the three that were in front, great sport was shown. It is really great that we are so broadly positioned with great horses and great, good riders," Monica Theodorescu enthused and added: "That was almost a bit scary good, because the most important goal is still ahead of us. Now we first need a week to come down, collect ourselves, and then go back to the preparation in a concentrated way." jbc