In the long-term competition of the world’s best dressage riders, Tokyo Olympic champion Jessica von Bredow-Werndl was also in the lead at the start of the World Cup finals in Leipzig.
In what was her last major championship before the birth of her second child in August, “JBW” won the Short Grand Prix on her gold horse Dalera with 84.793 percentage points ahead of Cathrine Dufour (Denmark/80.019), who came second at the European Championships, with Vamos Amigos and record Olympic champion Isabell Werth with consecration gold (79.756).
The Short Grand Prix is only used for qualification at the World Cup, the decision will be made on Saturday (from 7:10 p.m.) in the freestyle.
Werth and Weihegold, who are contesting their last championship together in Leipzig, had won the last three World Cup finals in 2017, 2018 and 2019.
The show jumpers started their three-part competition with a time jumping test, the winner of the day was Martin Fuchs (Switzerland), third in the world rankings, on the 15-year-old stallion Chaplin. Behind Munich-based Max Kühner with Elektric Blue and Irishman Conor Swail with Count Me In, David Will (Dagobertshausen) took fourth place as the best German with the Holsteiner gelding C Vier.
Five Germans at the start
Five German show jumpers are at the start of the finale of the indoor season, alongside Will, Gerrit Nieberg (6th) with Ben and Philipp Schulze Topphoff (10th) with Concordess also placed in the top ten. The three-time World Cup winner Marcus Ehning was eleventh on the mare Calanda, for Christian Kukuk (Riesenbeck) it was only enough for 17th place with Checker.
The second special stage on Friday (from 2:00 p.m.) is a jump with a jump-off. The decision will be made in two rounds and a possible jump-off on Sunday.
Defending champion Steve Guerdat (Switzerland) in 25th is already quite hopelessly behind, he made three downs with the 13-year-old gelding Victorio des Frotards on Thursday.