BY CLAARTJE VAN ANDEL
PHOTOGRAPHY: FEI/BENJAMIN CLARK

How exciting the upcoming FEI World Cup™ Finals in Forth Worth, Texas, will be remains to be seen, although the last European leg in ’s-Hertogenbosch certainly provided a very tasty competition and a healthy preview.

The decisive European last dressage qualifier in ’s-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands already showed the excitement of a final, even though the non-Europeans were still missing. It certainly provided food for thought about the winner of the European Championships last summer – the 10-year-old Rheinland-bred Zonik Plus (Zonik NOP x Hohenstein, breeder Dressage Plus LDA of Amadora, Portugal) shown by Belgian Justin Verboomen, going head-to-head against the defending World Cup champion stallion Glamourdale with Charlotte Fry (GBR)?
Those two, ranked one and three in the world, have already delivered their very best and, in the end, the advantage went to Justin Verboomen in the sold out Dutch arena. However, neither will be competing in Ford Worth, which opens the door for British Olympian Becky Moody and her 13-year-old stallion Jägerbomb (Diarado x Chacco Blue, breeder Paul Schockemöhle/Gestüt Lewitz) Or for Danish Carina Cassoe Kruth and another black, her 15-year- old mare Heiline’s Danciera (Fürstenball OLD - Danceline TS x De Niro x Lancier, breeder Stald Heiline).
From the North American League, the 13-year-old stallion Indian Rock (Apache x Vivaldi) under the saddle of Christian Simonson will be a partnership to be reckoned with.
Two additional FEI starting places have been allocated to Yessin Rahmouni and his Westfalian-bred 12-year-old chestnut mare Kind of Magic (All At Once x Fürst Piccolo). This will be the second World Cup Final for the Maroccan – his previous final when he was riding the sire of his current competition horse, All At Once, in Leipzig 2022.

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