Patrik Kittel of Sweden with 2024 World Cup. RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, April 19, 2024–Patrik Kittel on Touchdown won the World Cup Final Grand Prix Freestyle on 81.661% Friday, the second Swedish rider ever to win the annual global championship. Nanna Skodberg Merrald of Denmark on Blue Hors Don Olymbrio was runner-up on 81.429% for the second year with Isabell Werth on DSP Quantaz third on 81.404%. Charlotte “Lottie” Fry on Everdale, who had won the Grand Prix Wednesday, was eliminated with blood in the mouth of the horse. The victory for Patrik and the 12-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding on 81 ..read more

Erin Nichols on Elian Royale at Global Dressage Festival. © 2024 Ken Braddick/DRESSAGE-NEWS.com LEXINGTON, Kentucky, April 18, 2024–U.S. Under-25 and Young Rider combinations for European competitions were announced by US Equestrian Thursday. The Under-25 pairs to compete at Le Mans, France CDIOU25 May 30–June 2 are: Siena Harris-Gissler of New York on Status Royal and Erin Nichols of Wellington, Florida on Elian Royale. The Young Rider combinations are: Alicia Berger of Chicago on Aqua Marin, Kat Fuqua of Atlanta on Dreamgirl and Nash Gagnon of Gorham, Maine on Happy Texas Moonlight. The trio ..read more

Kevin Kohmann on Duenensee at the World Cup Final. RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, April 18, 2024–USA’s Anna Marek on Fayvel will be first in the arena for the World Cup Final Grand Prix Freestyle Friday. Fifteen of the 17 horses that started in the Grand Prix advanced to the Freestyle that will decide the title. As well as Anna Marek, U.S. combinations Kevin Kohmann on Duenensee and Benjamin Ebeling on Indeed are scheduled to compete in the Freestyle. The complete lineup: HNR Competitor 1. 109 Fayvel Anna Marek usa 17.15 (10:15am US ET/16:15 CET) chest / 14y. / G / KWPN / Zizi Top / Housto ..read more

April 18, 2024 The European Equestrian Federation representing 40 nations described as “an epidemic” behavior by grassroots and amateurs that compromises horse welfare at home. EEF President Theo Ploegmakers reported that following recent reports of high profile horse abuse the organization conducted a a survey for a continent-wide discussion on protecting horse welfare at home that produced “vast” response. “Behind closed doors, away from the watchful eyes of national federations and authorities, methods are being employed to push the boundaries of performance,” he said. “These concealed pra ..read more

Charlotte Fry and Everdale. File photo. © Ken Braddick/DRESSAGE-NEWS.com RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, April 17, 2024–Charlotte “Lottie” Fry and her Tokyo Olympic partner Everdale won the World Cup Final Grand Prix Wednesday on a day when many of the 17 horses and riders in the starting lineup produced sub-par performances in the first dressage world championship in the Middle East. Lottie and the 15-year-old KWPN stallion were awarded 75.388% and first place from all seven judges that will give the British team rider confidence going into the Freestyle Friday to decide the title. The Swedish combinat ..read more

Isabell Werth and DSP Quantaz, second last to go at the World Cup Final in Riyadh. Shown here at the 2023 Final in Omaha. © Ken Braddick/DRESSAGE-NEWS.com RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, April 15, 2024–Spain’s Borja Carrascosa on Sir Hubert NRW will be the first of 17 combinations in the World Cup Grand Prix Wednesday the first time the annual dressage championship centered on the Freestyle has been held in the Middle East. The lineup with starting times local, U.S. Eastern time and Central European time: Grand Prix Total prize money €50,000 HNR Competitor 1. 101 Sir Hubert NRW ..read more

Kevin Kohmann’s Dünensee with his “friends” in the World Cup stabling at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. April 15, 2024 The three American horses and all 14 others at the World Cup Final in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia passed the veterinary inspection Monday while the U.S. riders all in their first world championship had high praise for the facilities and the organization that has created the first event of its stature in the Middle East. “The venue is impressive yet inviting and very comfortable for the horses,” said Kevin Kohmann of Wellington, Florida who is in Riyadh with Dünensee, the 15-year-old Hanoveria ..read more

Anna Buffini and Fiontini. File photo courtesy of rider DEL MAR, California, Aril 14, 2024–Steffen Peters on Suppenkasper won the Del Mar CDI4* Grand Prix Special Sunday with the judges split, two of the five placing Anna Buffini on Fiontini first. Steffen and the 16-year-old “Mopsie” that he’s seeking to take to their second Olympics after earning silver at Tokyo scored 73.234% for the win–with two judges placing the pair second on 71-plus%, one on 72.447%, one at 73.234% and the USA’s Jane Weatherwax awarding the top mark of 76.915%. Anna Buffini and the 14-year-old mare Fiontini were awarde ..read more

Steffen Peters on Suppenkasper. File photo. © 2024 Terri Miller DEL MAR, California, April 13, 2024–Steffen Peters and Suppenkasper displayed a back on form performance to win the CDI4* Grand Prix Saturday on a score that likely will put him back atop the U.S. Olympic “short” list. Steffen and “Mopsie,” his Tokyo Olympics and 2018 World Equestrian Games silver medal mount, scored 72.391% for the win in the competition with the only other rider Anna Buffini on Fiontini who scored 69.152%. Great Britain’s Isobell Wessels, president of the ground jury, awarded the duo 74.130%, the highest mark of ..read more

Adrienne Lyle on Helix capturing the Ocala World Equestrian Festival CDI3* Grand Prix Special. © 2024 Ken Braddick/DRESSAGE-NEWS.com By KENNETH J. BRADDICK OCALA, Florida, April 13, 2024–Adrienne Lyle on Helix won the World Equestrian Center CDI3* Grand Prix Special Saturday while Endel Ots had his best test yet on Zen Elite’s Bohemian for runner-up in the second last qualifier for the U.S. Olympic “short” list. Adrienne and the 12-year-old KWPN gelding Helix were awarded 71.553% and the fourth victory in three back-to-back weeks of competition in a campaign to qualify for the “short” list Eur ..read more