Germany holds the advantage over the defending team champions from The Netherlands after the first day of Dressage at the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Normandy, France today. It could have been a daunting task for competition pathfinder, Fabienne Lutkemeier, who was first into the arena at Stade D’Ornano in Caen early this morning. But the 24-year-old from Paderborn showed great strength of character when posting a score of 73.586, and when German team-mate Kristine Sprehe added the best mark of the day, 78.814, then the country that took bronze in 2010 confirmed their sense of purpose.

A lot has happened in this sport since The Netherlands broke the stranglehold of the long-dominant Germans at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Kentucky four years ago. It was a Dutch team gold for the very first time on that occasion when the silver medal winning British also showed their increasing strength by pinning Germany into bronze medal spot. However there is no denying the resurgence of German Dressage, and this week in Caen they, once more, look the ones to beat.

Still all to play for

However with only two riders from each team in action today, it is still all to play for in the Team Championship when the action resumes tomorrow morning. The Dutch lie second following a lovely performance from Hans Peter Minderhoud and Glock’s Johnson who posted 74.357 after Deiderick van Silfhout really rose to the challenge to score 73.414 with Arlando NH. Van Silfhout only got his team call-up when Danielle Heijkoop’s Kingsley Siro was withdrawn last Thursday, but the 26-year-old rider showed exactly why he was on the reserve list, and with Edward Gal and Glock’s Voice, and Adelinde Cornelissen with Jerich Parzival yet to come, the Dutch will be hoping to pull ahead of their German rivals by tomorrow evening.

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