Fairly early on in the class, Charlotte Dujardin set a benchmark in the qualifier for seven-year-olds that none of the other 41 competitors could match. The British Olympic champion won the class with her Secret/De Niro son Secret Agent (breeder: Nicole and Friedrich Sievers, Gifhorn) with 80.645 per cent. Trot, canter, and submission: no mark was below 9.0. No other horse trotted with as much power as the black stallion. For this, he was awarded the day’s highest mark of 9.2. Following her first show starts in Great Britain this year, the rider said of Secret Agent, whom she acquired as a young horse: “I think he’s one of the best horses I’ve ever ridden. Everything becomes so natural for him. He’s incredible to ride – so much power, so elastic, and built to do what he does.”
Second place went to the previous year’s World Championship runner-up from the dam line of Arpunda, Brandtbjergs Divya by Hesselhoej Donkey Boy, ridden by Theresa Rosenkilde. Third place was claimed by Odi Murona by Farrell/Johnson with Tessa Kole.
Belcanto HB by Benicio/Rascalino (breeder: Heinrich Bäßmann, Meitze) presented Portugal. Produced by Dr Nicole Bäßmann, he had finished third at this very venue four years ago in the Hanoverian Championship for three-year-old riding horses under Kira Goerens-Ripphoff. With Mafalda Galizia Mendes, he had already finished 15th at the 2024 World Championships in Ermelo/NED. Since last year, he celebrated an impressive ten victories in international young dressage horse classes. In Verden, Belcanto HB’s performance was rewarded with a brilliant 78.047 per cent, which was the fifth-best result of the qualifier. Right behind in seventh place, the Don Martillo/Dancier son Dribbler (breeder: Angela Fitschen, Wohlsdorf) worked his way up. In May 2019, he had been part of the collection for the May Auction and was auctioned to Spain. Now owned by the Finnish championship rider Henri Ruoste, the chestnut gelding put in a strong performance under the saddle of Senta Kirchhoff, showing great potential to finish on 76.436 per cent.
Next among the Hanoverians was Galleria’s Fancy Fergie FRH by For Romance/Catoo (breeder: Hof Brüning, Ochtmannien), who finished tenth with Charlotte Tollhopf on 75.511 per cent. Having already competed at Ermelo/NED in 2024, the dark bay mare became the vice Bundeschampionesse of six-year-old dressage horses last year. This year, she has already won two advanced level classes for young dressage horses (Kl. S). Following in eleventh place with 74.277 per cent was the French-born Finest/De Niro daughter Finest Pearl des Paluds (breeder: Pablo Bouillot, Maussane des Alpilles/FRA), ridden by Mathilde Juglaret. A second FRH-horse was found in 14th place: the Fürst Samarant/Riverside daughter Hann.Pr.St. Felice FRH (breeder: Rene Janzen, Wischhafen), who achieved 73.752 per cent with Greta Heemsoth in the saddle. Last year, the 2024 Bundeschampionesse – who has two maternal half-siblings successful up to Prix St. Georges level in Dancing Star and Dancing Donny by Dancing World – had finished seventh in Verden.