Impressive Don Johnson wins WDM Grand Prix Special

Today all combinations in the Global Dressage Analytics WDM Grand Prix Special presented by the Fürst Fugger Privatbank showed much better performances than in yesterday’s Grand Prix. The sun was shining in Munich and the ambiance in the NÜRNBERGER Dressage Arena was perfect. Yesterday many horses seemed to get a bit spooky by the weather with rain pouring down.

So was today’s winner Don Johnson said Isabell Werth. “It was Don Johnson’s first time out this season and he was as frisky as a young horse.” In the Grand Prix Special Isabell Werth had him back on track. They performed a controlled, energetic and expressive test. The half passes were smooth and covering, the pirouettes were very good and the passage and piaffe powerful. All the judges placed Isabell and her 13-year-old Hannoverian gelding by Don Frederico in first place with 74.902%.

Italy’s Valentina Truppa also had some trouble controlling Fixdesign Eremo del Castegno’s energy in yesterday’s Grand Prix. Coming from Italy the horse was used to 30 degrees Celsius and the difference in temperature had its influence on the horse. Today Valentina was able to control the 14-year-old Italian-bred gelding by Rohdiamant although they still had some little mistakes due to the horse’s tension. They showed good pirouettes and passage and a very good extended walk which earned them 71.686% and second place.

Germany’s Carola Koppelmann, who runs her own stable at DOKR in Warendorf, performed a dynamic, forward and balanced test with Deveraux B, a 13-year-old Westphalian gelding by Dimension. The horse has a nice passage and piaff. Unfortunately they had some mistakes which dropped them to third place with 70.569%.

Australia’s Briana Burgess, who trains with Patrik Kittel in Germany, was happy with her test. The combination showed some good passage and piaffe, well performed flying changes and good pirouettes. Briana intends to stay in Germany, she does not really miss Australia. “I like to train with Patrik, he understands horses.” Briana and La Scala 3 (Rhlnd, by Lancer II) scored 69.549% and finished in fourth place.

Vian Group rider Inna Logutenkova (Ukraine) had her comeback in Munich with Don Gregorius after he recovered from a colic operation. Inna is hoping to qualify for the Rio Olympic Games. She was very happy to be in Munich again, “I really like Munich, it is beautiful and the German public knows about dressage.” Don Gregorius and Inna showed a really relaxed and expressive test and scored 69.255%.