Isabell Werth wows Olympic dressage judges as Germany goes for gold

Isabell Werth, probably the most adorned Olympic dressage rider of all time, put in an attractive efficiency with Wendy within the Paris 2024 Olympic dressage grand prix particular. They scored 79.89% – a private greatest for this ever-improving 10-year-old mare – which has promoted the German group into gold medal place after the second rotation of riders.

“I’ve to say Wendy is absolutely excellent and he or she doesn’t make errors, so it was as much as me,” mentioned Isabell, who solely took over the experience on this mare initially of this 12 months. “I used to be a bit of bit too cautious and an excessive amount of backwards right now as a result of in Aachen [their most recent competition] we had been a bit of bit too ahead, so these are the little particulars we’ve got to determine. However she was so incredible with the passage and the final centre line and the pirouettes right now and every thing is absolutely enhancing.”

Isabell mentioned that she clicked instantly with Wendy when she first rode her.

“It’s actually an ideal match between us and I believe we each really feel actually assured, which makes it really easy. She’s so uncomplicated.”

Reigning particular person European silver medallists Nanna Skodborg Merrald and Zepter put in a stable take a look at to earn 78.48% from the judges, which suggests the Danish group has now climbed a place into silver at this stage of the Olympic dressage grand prix particular.

Nanna’s efficiency with the 16-year-old, who has solely not too long ago returned from damage, wasn’t utterly with out fault, with errors coming within the two-time tempi-changes and a transition between passage and piaffe.

“I believe I had a very very nice take a look at. I managed to enhance within the piaffe and passage additionally a bit of bit within the pirouettes,” mentioned Nanna after her Olympic dressage efficiency. “However then I had additionally a couple of errors, which stored me beneath 80% – that’s how it’s and I’m actually proud of him and the kind of efficiency we offered.”

Nanna mentioned that she thinks the electrical ambiance in the primary enviornment was the reason for her errors.

“I believe it was the strain, possibly he might really feel one thing on me as effectively. I didn’t really feel as nervous as I did on the primary day, however he positively feels every thing.

“He at all times tries to do his greatest, so when the errors occur it’s extra like a communication misunderstanding between him and me. Possibly I needed a bit of bit an excessive amount of within the two-tempis after which he acquired a bit of bit confused ultimately.”

The British group is in bronze medal place after Carl Hester’s take a look at with Fame.

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H&H options, racing and point-to-point editor

Gemma is an skilled journalist, having been a part of the H&H group since 2014, who’s obsessed with all equestrian sports activities, together with racing and point-to-pointing. She has loved using out for prime trainers Nicky Henderson and Charlie Appleby and took half in a charity Flat race at in August 2018. Gemma’s reporting abilities have taken her to quite a few five-star occasions round Britain and Europe, in addition to European championships.