WEG Wrapup: Dressage All Day, Every Day (Until Tomorrow)

Great Britain laid down the smackdown in both freestyle competitions today. Eventers did fine but just may have a heart attack about XC tomorrow.

Top image: Leslie Wylie, Eventing Nation

DRESSAGE FREESTYLE

1. Charlotte Dujardin and VALEGRO (Great Britain)
2. Helen Langehanenberg and DAMON HILL (Germany)
3. Adelinde Cornelissen and JERICH PARZIVAL (Netherlands)

Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro affirm that yes, they are dressage BAMFs. 92.161%.  Valegro now holds every single possible dressage title simultaneously. That is all.

Instagram: edwinapotts

Michael Ellsberg and Half Moon Delphi dance to Shakira. I am so bummed that I missed this live. If you’re in the UK, you can watch it here.

PARA-DRESSAGE FREESTYLE

Grade Ia

1. Sara Morganti and ROYAL DELIGHT (Italy)
2. Sophie Christiansen and JANEIRO 6 (Great Britain)
3. Elke Philipp and REGALIZ (Germany)

Grade Ib

1. Lee Pearson and ZION (Great Britain)
2. Pepo Puch and FINE FEELING (Austria)
3. Nicole Den Dulk and WALLACE (Netherlands)

Grade II

1. Rixt van der Horst and UNIEK (Netherlands)
2. Lauren Barwick and OFF TO PARIS (Canada)
3. Demi Vermuelen and VANESS (Netherlands)

Grade III

1. Sanne Voets and VEDET (Netherlands)
2. Hannelore Brenner and WOMEN OF THE WORLD (Germany)
3. Annika Lykke Risum and AROS A FENRIS (Denmark)

Grade IV

1. Michele George and RAINMAN (Belgium)
2. Sophie Wells and VALERIUS (Great Britain)
3. Frank Hosmar and ALPHAVILLE (Netherlands)

Familiar names across the leaderboard…except…Rixt van der Horst, a newcomer to international para-dressage, rode her way to another gold today by 0.1%, beating fan favorite Natasha Baker and Uniek (sixth place). “This is a dream come true,” said Rixt, “I think maybe tomorrow this will sink in but I am just so happy!”

Lee Pearson defends his title. He’s been duking it out with Pepo Puch all week, but Pearson will be bringing yet another gold back to England, along with the five others won so far by his fellow British riders.

FEI

EVENTING-MORE DRESSAGE

Team

1. Germany–116.9
2. New Zealand–125.5
3. United States–138.8

Individual

1. Sandra Auffarth and OPGUN LOUVO (Germany)
2. William Fox-Pitt and CHILLI MORNING (Great Britain)
3. Jonathan Paget and CLIFTON PROMISE (New Zealand)

Homegrown hero Opgun Louvo, a Selle Francais, was actually born and bred in Calvados, not far from the WEG competition venues.

In case you hadn’t heard, it’s still ridiculously muddy. But if you do need some convincing, Horse & Hound posted proof. Says Joseph Murphy (Ireland), “When I walked it [the XC course] I realised that I wasn’t going to get too upset about what happened in the dressage!”

If you’re watching WEG vicariously from home like I am…Don’t miss Eventing Nation’s online course walk or the FEI course map (altered to eliminate a hill and two fences in light of the weather).

Tomorrow: Eventing Cross-Country, Reining Individual Final