FEI DRESSAGE WORLD CUP: THE BATTLE OF THE BEST

The FEI Dressage World CupTM Short Grand Prix presented by Comité régional d'équitation Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes will take place tomorrow as of 8.30am. As a qualifying event for the FEI Dressage World CupTM Freestyle presented by FFE Generali, this class marks the start of the second stage of the Western European League World Cup circuit. After the stage in Herning, Lyon will be welcoming the world's top dressage riders to compete in a new Grand Prix format - the Short Grand Prix - which has been put in place for the second consecutive year on the World Cup circuit.

The head-line riders include the "stars" of the discipline, Germany's Isabell Werth, who has already won the Lyon stage five times - in 2010, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 – and Denmark's Cathrine Dufour, who will be competing in Lyon for the first time. So, the event promises to be a great show! While the German rider has decided to compete on her faithful Weihegold Old, Cathrine Dufour has decided to present Vamos Amigos to the judges and the public, even though the horse will be making his début at this level of competition. "It's a really great line-up. Although on paper the experience of Isabell Werth's mare, Weihegold, could tip the balance in her favour, nothing is ever certain in horse riding. Cathrine Dufour, who won the first stage of the circuit in Herning last week with her faithful Atterupgaards Cassidy, also promises to put on a great show with her nine-year-old horse," says Georg Fincke, the dressage consultant of the organising committee.

Indeed, the line-up is far from being just about these two outstanding competitors who are 2nd (Cathrine Dufour) and 4th (Isabell Werth) in the world rankings. it also includes the Spanish rider Beatriz Ferrer-Salat, who won the World Cup stage here in Lyon in 2015 with Delgado. This year, she will be presenting Elegance, who was on show at the Tokyo Olympics last summer.

The French team will be able to count on Morgan Barbançon and his faithful Sir Donnerhall II Old, Marie-Émilie Bretenoux with Quartz of Jazz, Anne-Sophie Serre and Actuelle de Massa (already present at the event in 2019), and Pierre Volla, who is back on the World Cup circuit with Silvermoons Mariechen.

Another couple to keep an eye on competing under the Moroccan flag is Yessin Rahmouni and All At Once, who took part in the last Olympic Games in Tokyo, and who will be competing for the first time at the Longines Equita Lyon International Equestrian Competition.