Sönke Rothenberger surprisingly won the Grand Prix at the Dressage Championships in Balve. Marcus Ehning dominated the first test of the Show Jumping Championships.
Sönke Rothenberger surprisingly won the Grand Prix at the German Dressage Championships in Balve, beating the double Olympic champion Jessica von Bredow-Werndl. The 28-year-old rider from Bad Homburg received 79.76 percent for his ride with Fendi on Friday, just ahead of the favorite from Tuntenhausen, who rode her top horse Dalera (79.40).
The team Olympic champion from Rio did not have a top horse at his disposal recently, but now he managed an unexpectedly early comeback with his only nine-year-old horse.
Third place in the Grand Prix went to Frederic Wandres from Hagen near Osnabrück with Bluetooth (77.54). The title decisions in dressage will be in the special on Saturday (10 a.m.) and in the freestyle on Sunday (12 p.m.). The WDR will broadcast live on TV and stream on Saturday from 3.45 p.m. and on Sunday from 3.15 p.m.
Show jumper Marcus Ehning on Flower Girl at the DM in Balve.
Ehning takes first two places
At the first test of the German Show Jumping Championships, Marcus Ehning took first and second place. The 49-year-old from Borken rode two clear rounds each with his horses Flower Girl and Priam du Roset in the first of two special stages in Balve on Friday.
With Flower Girl, Ehning won due to the best time. Behind the three-time World Cup winner, Carsten-Otto Nagel from Lilienthal came third with Curacao.
Many front-runners decided not to compete in the German Championships and instead compete in tournaments with higher prizes, such as in Cannes, or start as a national team in La Baule.
A total of six couples managed two clear rounds and on Sunday (2.45 p.m./live on WDR) go into the two other rounds of the second special stage with good prospects. Ehning can only get into the final DM ranking with the more successful of his two horses.
In contrast to international championships, there is also a separate ranking for women at the DM, which will be decided on Saturday (2.30 p.m.).
