August 6, 2022 
“Hermes is a clown—he likes the applause and he knows it’s for him! When he enters the arena he doesn’t like to hear [clapping] but when he finishes he thinks of course this is for me, because I’m the best!” boasted Dinja Van Liere (NED) of her 10-year-old stallion.
Today, there were no jokes about it. Hermes was the best.
The pair posted the highest score of the day at the ECCO FEI World Championships in Herning, Denmark. Their 78.835% in the Blue Hors FEI World Dressage Team Championship Grand Prix was enough to put the Dutch team into the lead going into tomorrow’s final alongside Thamar Zweistra with nine-year-old stallion Hexagon’s Ich Weiss (72.376%).
While Hermes got all the applause his heart desired after what judges scored as a near foot perfect test, to the character of any top dressage rider, Van Liere still found room to improve their performance in the rectangle today.
“Normally his piaffe and passage are brilliant but he didn’t do them to his best today and the same for the pirouettes,” said Van Liere.
Van Liere is right to have cautious optimism. While their impressive performance might have secured the early lead for the Netherlands, it is still too soon to celebrate. Tomorrow promises to send some stars down the centerline who could easily shake up the current standings.
Following just behind is Germany on a current team total of 77.003%. The Germans sent forth Olympic gold medalist Ingrid Klimke and Benjamin Werndl today, but still have yet to see Olympic gold medalist Isabel Werth with DSP Quantaz.
The home team is standing in third position after Carina Cassøe Krüth (DEN) and 11-year-old mare Heiline’s Danciera finished with 76.863% and Nanna Merrald Rasmussen (DEN) came out strong with a personal best score of 76.724% aboard 18-year-old stallion Blue Hors Zack.
“I did the Danish Championships with him and he was super. You never really know, he is 18, I wondered if he should really be on the team again. Then we took him to the Danish Championships and he was on fire,” said Merrald Rasmussen.
“So we thought ok, do the same routine before coming here, no shows just a lot of normal work at home, that was the plan and it has paid off.”
Powerhouse Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour, currently number two in the world, and 10-year-old gelding Vamos Amigos are still to be seen for Denmark, so it will be no surprise if the medals ultimately swing round their necks.
Sweden is following in fourth with 76.164% with Patrik Kittel and Therese Nilshagen still to go tomorrow.
While any rider will tell you the secret to success in the ring is in the right preparation, some things you can’t account for. Especially, a championship environment that can’t be replicated at home.
Not every horse shares Hermes’ opinion about a thunderous applause, particularly Gareth Hughes’ (GBR) mount, 16-year-old mare Classic Briolinca. Roused by the crowd, she failed to come to a proper halt and it showed in the final point tally. It was a respectable 75.978%, but it put the British team into the fifth slot.
Spain sits in sixth, Portugal seventh and the United States are currently in last place. The stars and stripes hopes for a better position will be in the expert reins of Steffen Peters and Adrienne Lyle.
Find the full results here.
