Equestrian sports - CHIO: Three-way battle for Olympic tickets with clear dressage victory
The German Dressage National Team celebrates victory at the CHIO in Aachen, but the battle for the last Olympic tickets is even more exciting than the team competition. Isabell Werth is in first place in the Individual standings of the Grand Prix test and is very close to Ingrid Klimke before the Special on Saturday.
"The race is relatively open," Werth said after her Grand Prix ride with Wendy. "We have to ride here and then see what the Dressage Committee says." The Special, which counts for the team in Paris, follows on the penultimate day of the CHIO.
Werth is under pressure in Aachen because she missed the German Championship in Balve with Wendy due to a slight injury. Jessica von Bredow-Wendl from Tuntenhausen already has her Olympic ticket with Dalera. The double Olympic champion from Tokyo does not have to compete in Aachen anymore. Since the Olympic team consists of only three pairs, only two places are still available.
Three-way battle for the two Olympic tickets
A hot Olympic candidate is also Frederic Wandres from Hagen near Osnabrück with Bluetooth, who convinced at the national championship in Balve. The pair received only 75.630% in the Grand Prix due to errors at the end of the test and finished third in the Individual standings. A "stumbler," as he called it, cost him some percentage points.
"I'm just happy," Klimke commented on her ride. "I knew this morning that he feels great here," said the 56-year-old from Münster about her stallion. She had noticed during the mounting that "he's there." Werth and Wendy received 76.500%, Klimke followed closely behind with 76.043%.
On the battle for the Olympic ticket, Klimke said: "We'll all know more on Sunday. I'll give my best, and at the end, it's up to the Committee." The trio for the Games and the reserve pair, which will also travel to Paris, will be named on the last day of the tournament in Aachen.
Werth's catch-up ride with Wendy
For Werth, it's a catch-up ride with Wendy because she took over the mare from the currently suspended Danish rider Andreas Helgstrand and has only been riding her for a few months. "She's been in the stable since mid-January, and the development is phenomenal," said the seven-time Olympic gold medalist. "When you see how she has further developed, then it's a horse that can also score 80%." However, such a result in a short time seems unlikely at the moment.
Hopeless in the race for the Paris tickets since the Grand Prix of Aachen is Katharina Hemmer. The debutant in the CHIO team experienced a major disappointment with Denoix. The gelding refused service in the middle of the test and circled around in the arena. Since only the three best results per team count, the victory of the host team was almost guaranteed. However, the following teams in the ranking in Aachen were not at full strength.
- Despite their victory in Rheinberg, the German Dressage team is facing a fierce battle for the last Olympic tickets in Aachen.
- Equestrian sports enthusiasts from around the world are eagerly waiting for the individual standings in the Grand Prix test and the Special, crucial for the Olympic tickets in Aachen's CHIO.
- Ingrid Klimke, a renowned dressage rider from Münster, is closely following Isabell Werth in the Individual standings, adding an extra layer of excitement to the triathlon-like race for the Olympic tickets.
- Aachen, known for its CHIO Aachen, is hosting a three-way battle for only two remaining Olympic tickets in the prestigious equestrian sport.
- Frederic Wandres with Bluetooth, an Olympic hopeful from Hagen near Osnabrück, had a minor setback with errors at the end of the test during the national championship in Balve but remains a strong contender for the Paris Olympics.
- The German Championship in Balve was missed by Jessica von Bredow-Wendl from Tuntenhausen due to unforeseen circumstances, but she has already secured her Olympic ticket with Dalera, increasing the pressure on her competitors.
- Ingrid Klimke, who showcased her horse's versatility by riding with great success in both jumping and dressage competitions, expressed her desire to perform her best in Aachen, aware that the final decision lies with the Dressage Committee.
- As the Olympics in Tokyo have demonstrated the value of equestrian sports, riders such as Klimke, Werth, and Wandres are gearing up for the Paris Olympics, hoping to continue the tradition in the hallowed halls of Equestrian Sport's Olympic stage in Paris.
