Stuttgart – The start of the international 5* classes for dressage riders at the 36th STUTTGART GERMAN MASTERS is done and dusted. It ended once again in Isabell Werth, the most successful dressage rider of all-time, riding away with the win in the Prize of the Abelein Event Service. For the fifth time in succession, the German triumphed in the Grand Prix which acts as a qualifier for tomorrow’s freestyle, a part of the 2022/2023 FEI Dressage World Cup. Riding the 12-year-old DSP Quantaz in the Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle, Werth was faultless when scoring 77.217 per cent. “I’m really pleased with this Grand Prix. Quantaz was very concentrated. I’d be wonderful if everything continues in the same vein,” said the comfortable winner who was the favourite going into the class. In 2019, the seven-time Olympic champion was victorious on Weihegold OLD.
Behind her in second was Germany’s Ingrid Klimke, who celebrated her championship debut as a dressage rider at this year’s World Champs in Herning, on the 14-year-old Franziskus FRH (74.391). She finished just ahead of compatriot Frederic Wandres on his impressive Bluethooth OLD (74.109). National coach Monica Theodorescu also had every reason to be pleased with the other placings. Benjamin Werndl atop Daily Mirror and Dorothee Schneider on Faustus followed in fourth and fifth. The riders will now compete in tomorrow's freestyle (starting at 5.00 pm) for qualifying points for the World Cup final that is set to take place in Omaha, USA from 4 to 8 April 2023.
