10 Apr Frederic Wandres uses home advantage and wins the Grand Prix

The first Grand Prix of Horses & Dreams meets France at Hof Kasselmann provided plenty of reason to smile for the hosts: The prize of Helenenhof, Family Schwiebert, the qualification for the Grand Prix Freestyle on Saturday was won by Hof Kasselmann rider Frederic Wandres and his top horse, Duke of Britain (Dimaggio x Rubinstein I). The combination has enjoyed a great season, the shooting stars of 2018 scored two wins at World Cup level. The World Cup decision is always based on the Freestyle, and Wandres will perform his winning freestyle test with the high level of difficulty of 9.9 on Saturday night. “Duke of Britain is a super reliable horse and I am very happy to have him. To win at Hagen with the support of the team is very special and I am looking forward to the Freestyle. The music is quite modern and forward,” Wandres beamed. 

Second place went to a regular at Almased Dressage Stadium, Swede Patrik Kittel, who brought his 11-year-old mare Well Done de La Roche Cmf. The Fürstentraum-daughter was last seen at the WEG in Tryon in 2018 and placed in the Top Five in the individual and team rankings. Third place went to the Dutch rider Diederik van Silfhout riding the 10-year-old Vivaldi-son Expression N.O.P.

Text: Ute Raabe / Sylvia Sánchez, EquiWords

Foto: Stefan Lafrentz