ISABELL WERTH RETAINS HER CROWN

If the Longines Equita Lyon, Concours Hippique International were a kingdom, there is no doubt that Germany's Isabell Werth would be its Queen! Since the launch of the FEI Dressage World Cup stage in Lyon in 2009, the German rider had already won this major event in the Rhône-Alpes region six times. And today, she made it seven! Riding DSP Quantaz, the star of dressage in Lyon won this World Cup stage for the seventh time (in fifteen years) in front of an adoring crowd.

You need to have experienced the FEI Dressage World Cup at Longines Equita Lyon to understand just how much the public love this discipline! There were 7,000 spectators today cheering on the fifteen riders who came to make their horses dance in the Grand Prix Freestyle presented by FFE Generali, sponsor of the FEI World Cup event. "When you love something, you stop counting. I've been taking part in the World Cup for maybe ten or fifteen years, since it was launched in fact, and I have to say that what has happened in Lyon is exceptional! When we started out, there were something like 100 spectators for the Grand Prix and maybe 500 or 1,000 maximum for the Freestyle Grand Prix. Now, we always perform our routines in front of a packed grandstand filled with several thousand people. It's like being in a football stadium, the atmosphere is just so amazing! That's what we would like to see at every dressage competition and for this thirtieth anniversary of the event in Lyon, I hope that nothing changes!" Such encouragement from the mouth of Isabell Werth – the "Dressage Queen", seven-time Olympic champion, seven-time world champion, thirteen-time European champion and seven-time winner of the FEI Dressage World Cup at Longines Equita Lyon – is enough to give you wings!

Indeed, carried by the fervour of the audience, Isabell Werth seemed to be almost flying today on DSP Quantaz, her 14-year-old gelding. "I'm very proud of what DSP Quantaz has done over the last two days. I've rarely had such a good feeling at a Freestyle Grand Prix with him. Yesterday, he already showed he was very relaxed and he confirmed that this afternoon."

In second place, another regular and loyal visitor to Lyon: the reigning FEI Dressage World Cup champion, Sweden's Patrik Kittel, riding Touchdown, who also received a particularly warm welcome from the crowd at Longines Equita Lyon: "It's very strange to hear your name mentioned in random conversations in the aisles at an event, or at the edge of the arena, in a language I really don't master at all. I still find it hard to believe I won the last Final, and that's what makes me want to keep working and not rest on my laurels! Touchdown has continued to make good progress since the Paris 2024 Olympics, particularly in the canter and changes of leg. Like Isabell, I really think that the FEI Dressage World Cup at Longines Equita Lyon is one of the best competitions in the world!"

The rider finished just six 100ths ahead of the new star of the discipline in France, the Cadre Noir de Saumur rider Pauline Basquin, who once again beat her personal best in Lyon with her faithful Sertorius de Rima Z IFCE. "Some people might think getting so close to second place in an FEI World Cup could be infuriating (laughs), but actually it's a huge source of satisfaction! After the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Sertorius had three months off and this weekend we made our return to competition: so, breaking our own personal record and finishing third in a World Cup is just incredible! And if I want to finish in second place next time, all I have to do is improve my pirouettes and the points will start to go up (laughs)".

Raphaël Saleh, the president of the jury, saw only positives in the event, saying that "seeing such a high level of performance, such a great podium finish and such an enthusiastic audience is quite exceptional for world dressage. Clearly, the discipline is constantly moving in the right direction."

"We're really lucky to be able to attract such an impressive line-up of riders and such enthusiastic and knowledgeable spectators, who cheer the riders on so loudly. It is such a delight to see this wonderful discipline receive the support and popularity it so richly deserves. After the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and the success of the dressage competition, we can see there is growing enthusiasm for dressage and it has been a great year for the discipline in France", said Sylvie Robert, President of GL events Equestrian Sport, organiser of the Longines Equita Lyon, Concours Hippique International and its four FEI World Cup stages.

Résultats  
1. Isabell Werth (GER) & DSP Quantaz – 84.740%
2. Patrik Kittel (SWE) & Touchdown – 81.975%
3. Pauline Basquin (FRA) & Sertorius de Rima Z IFCE – 81.915%