German superstar, Isabell Werth, produced a personal-best Freestyle score of 90.09 to win today’s second leg of the FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2016/2017 Western European League at Lyon in France. The 47-year-old rider and her 11-year-old mare simply blew the competition away with an outstanding performance that seemed to take even this multi-medalled athlete by surprise.

The pair who claimed team gold and individual silver at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games were always favourites, especially after winning yesterday’s preliminary Grand Prix. But the scale of today’s victory was exceptional. “I was expecting she could do a super job, but to get more than 90 percent, now that was a amazing! She has really improved since Rio!” Werth said of her talented horse.

Big score
Britain’s Carl Hester and his Olympic ride Nip Tuck finished second with a big score of 85.02, while defending FEI World Cup™ Dressage champion, The Netherlands’ Hans Peter Minderhoud, slotted into third with Glock’s Johnson on a mark of 80.22. In an all-German battle for fourth it was Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and Zaire-E who edged out birthday girl Fabienne Lutkemeier and D’Agostino FRH by just 0.01 marks when posting 79.63, while Sweden’s Patrik Kittel and Deja filled sixth place on 77.97.

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