Omaha: Jessica von Bredow-Werndl Wins the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final 2023

April 7 - Omaha/USA

The Winner of the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final 2023 in Omaha

"I think I have to pinch myself. [...[ I am very proud and grateful for this wonderful mare that I get to ride. The bond we have is, just special, this horse always gives her best. If there are mistakes, they are mostly mine, because she mirrors me. [...] I just can't put this feeling I have into words!" -Jessica von Bredow-Werndl

We congratulate Jessica von Bredow-Werndl on her second FEI Dressage World Cup™ victory! The German dressage rider danced with TSF Dalera BB through her Grand Prix Freestyle to Music in Omaha and received top marks for her performance. The special thing, these two make dressage look so easy! So the long journey from Aubenhausen, Germany was worth it for the defending champion and her Dalera. As the winner announced in the interview after the competition, the victory will now be celebrated with the whole team. We are curious to see what the future holds for Jessica and  Dalera as well as Jessica von Bredow-Werndl's other horses in store. You can be sure that ClipMyHorse.TV will keep you up to date.

Nanna Skodborg Merrald Dances to Second Place with Blue Hors Zepter

She was the last rider in the arena and danced through the arena with Blue Hors Zepter at the CHI Health Center in Omaha. The Danish rider not only enchanted the audience with her freestyle, but also impressed the judges with her technical and artistic riding. A strong performance that you could see from both of them in Omaha. This pair have only known each other for four months, then took part in the qualifiers and today secured second place in the grand final of the FEI Dressage World Cup™ season 2023. To come together with a horse in such a short time and then place second at the Dressage World Cup Final with a final score of 87.146 % is a phenomenal achievement that Nanna Skodborg Merrald can be more than proud of.

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Isabell Werth Finishes Third in the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final 2023 in Omaha

Germany's Isabell Werth with DSP Quantaz enchanted the audience with her magical performance to Turn Around by Bonnie Tyler. Her freestyle was ended by cheering and a standing ovation from the audience. Pure goose bumps. The German wrapped us around her finger with this technical and artistic performance of the extra class. This freestyle is super difficult, yet the German delivered as you would expect from her. The ride of Isabell Werth you can watch here once again. Her final score is 85.761%, which is the third place for Isabell Werth in this season of the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final in Omaha.

The Fourth Place Goes to Steffen Peters with Suppenkasper

Steffen Peters and Suppenkasper are no strangers to dressage. The two danced through the Grand Prix Freestyle to Music with a wild change through the music and were justifiably rewarded with big cheers from spectators. The American achieved a new personal best score of 83.921% at the FEI World Cup™ Final 2023 at the CHI Health Center in Omaha. Suppenkasper is also no stranger to ClipMyHorse.TV, watch now 'The Story of Suppenkasper' and learn more about this special dressage horse.

Fifth Place Goes to the Dutch Thamar Zweistra with Hexagon's Ich Weiss

Thamar Zweistra and Hexagon's Ich Weiss, know how to start a Grand Prix Freestyle at the FEI Dressage World Cup™. The Dutch rider danced with the grey horse through the arena to 'Under Pressure by Queen' among others, showing beautiful pirouettes and resolving them with a strong canter. A technical, as well as a very beautiful, artistic freestyle, which Hexagon's Ich Weiss and Thamar Zweistra showed us in Omaha. The two rightly received 78.204% for their freestyle.

Anna Buffini and FRH Davinia la Douce Danced to 6th Place in Their Second FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final.

As one of the youngest, Anna Buffini rode in, the audience in Omaha cheered. She dedicated the freestyle to her grandfather, who was in the Armed Forces for 20 years and died of cancer last fall, and the freestyle was the last thing she could show him. You can tell that the American is a Top Gun Maverick fan from her freestyle. A very emotional free skate that Anna Buffini shows us in Omaha and that we could watch a hundred times over. Here to this very emotional free skate by Anna Buffini! In the step passage, the American even sings herself in her freestyle music. The 80% had Anna Buffini once before, unfortunately it wasn't quite enough today, but the American still received 77.843% for her freestyle.
In the FEI.TV format RIDE you can find out more about the American dressage rider Anna Buffini.

Simone Pearce's Grand Prix Freestyle to Music at the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final 2023

Next up is Simone Pierce with Fiderdance, the pair begin their freestyle at the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final in trot to the song "In the Air Tonight" in the arena of the CHI Health Center in Omaha. The choice of music is definitely first class, you would think the music was chosen for the freestyle and not the other way around. We saw incredibly precise riding here on Friday evening in Omaha, passage traversal to the point, then the trot traversal coordinated down to the last detail, ridden with so much feeling, so to the point, amazing! This pair danced their way to 76.811 %. Before the break, the Australian was in first place, at the end of the test she was in 7th place.

The Final Results from the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final 2023

After the exciting qualifiers and final in Omaha, the winner of the 2022-2023 FEI Dressage World Cup™ season has been decided

1. Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (GER) with TSF Dalera BB (90.482%)
2. Nanna Skodborg Merrald (DEN) with Blue Hors Zepter (87.146 %)
3. Isabell Werth (GER) with DSP Quantaz (85.761%)
4. Steffen Peters (USA) with Suppenkasper (83.921%)
5. Thamar Zweistra (NED) with Hexagon's I White (78.204%)
6. Anna Buffini (USA) with Davinia la Douce (77.843 %)
7. Simone Pearce (AUS) with Fiderdance (76.811%)
8. Johanna Due Boje (SWE) with Mazy Klovenhoj (76.118%)
9. Alice Tarjan (USA) with Serenade MF (75.207%)
10. Morgan Barbançon (FRA) with Sir Donnerhall II OLD (74.814 %)
11. Justina Vanagaite (LTU) with Nabab (73.693 %)
12. Caroline Chew (SGP) with Tribiani (72.971%)
13. Jorinde Verwimp (BEL) with Charmer (71.900%)

Highlights of the Other Placed Competitors at the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final 2023 in Omaha

The next pair danced into the arena. Johanna Due Boje and Mazy Klovenhoj rode in to Celtic music. The freestyle music changed from euphoria paired with a strong canter to slow harmonic lessons. Especially the pirouettes were highlighted and staged by strong rhythmic music. For her freestyle the Swede received 76.118% in the final score.

The first time Alice Tarjan is at FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final and then also in her home country, certainly a little lucky charm for the American. The spectators cheered when she finished her freestyle. Serenade is still very young but shows nice moments in the canter pirouette, as a conclusion Serenade MF wants to do everything right and for the first FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final this is already very good. The first time Dressage World Cup and then to finish the Grand Prix Freestyle with 75.207% is already a special experience.

"She is such an honest horse![...] She has improved a lot compared to the first day" - Alice Tarjan

Morgan Barbançon, the fourth starter, rides in with the gelding Sir Donnerhall II OLD. A very special freestyle that the Frenchwoman showed us in Omaha, she started with the canter tour, and showed difficult technical components in the freestyle. Promptly she was rewarded for her performance with 74.814% and placed 10th.

Justina Vanagaite dedicated her free skate to the classics of film history and at the end of Ukraine, when she turned onto the center line, her tribute to Ukraine rang out. For this free skate she was rewarded with 73.693%.

Jorinde Verwimp chose the song Unstoppable by Sia for her freestyle, because when she bought Charmer, it came out and she thought, if she ever rides a Grand Prix freestyle with him, this will be her song. A highlight of this freestyle today were the left pirouettes. The freestyle was rated with 71.900%.