“I’m so happy, it’s indescribable. I never expected that,” said the local hero in tears after her coup at the 91st edition. “This audience here, this backdrop – it’s amazing. Especially as a Hamburg resident.” It was the first Amazon victory in the derby in 47 years. The Brit Caroline Bradley was the last rider to have triumphed in Klein Flottbek in 1975.
160. Zero error ride is a long time coming
In front of 20,000 spectators, Orschel was the first to start in the jump-off of the EUR 120,000 competition, which a total of four couples, each with one down, had achieved. On the ground, which had been softened by the rain of the past few days, nobody had managed to get over famous obstacles such as the Wall, Pulvermann’s Grave or the Buschoxer without making a mistake. It thus remains on the course that has remained almost unchanged since 1920 at 159 clear rounds.
Thieme and Auffarth in third and fourth place
In the decisive round, she and her mare Dacara stayed clear, while second-placed Frederic Tillmann (Grevenbroich) and Comanche made a mistake. Third and fourth place went to European Champion Andre Thieme (Plau am See) with Contadur and eventing rider Sandra Auffarth (Ganderkesee) with La Vista with eight penalties in the jump-off, both of whom had been traded highly.
Kathleen Kröncke in front in the dressage derby
Kathleen Kröncke won the German Dressage Derby for the second time. In the final with the traditional horse change, the 32-year-old scored 206.833 points in Hamburg-Klein Flottbek.
Frederik Wandres (Hagen am Teutoburger Wald) scored 205.033 points, Henrick Lochthowe (Munich) 203.866. The rider from Appen near Hamburg, who now lives in England, won the derby in her hometown for the first time in 2011. At the age of 21 she is still the youngest derby winner since it was first held in 1955.
Short vacation in the old homeland
In the pouring rain she showed the three most balanced rides on Sunday. “I didn’t expect to win. But the other two horses also made it easy for me,” said Kröncke, who combined her victory with a short vacation in her old homeland.
The 62nd dressage derby was endowed with 30,000 euros. In the final, the competitors must ride their competitors’ horses as well as their own horses. The best horse was Lochthowe’s Bricco Barone (216.400) ahead of Wandres’ Dom Perignon (202.866) and Kröncke’s Hampton Court (196.466).