GERMANY firmly established the lead at the halfway stage of the team competition at the Longines FEI Dressage European Championships 2019 in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, today (Monday) with the two top scores in the Grand Prix coming from Dorothee Schneider (Showtime) and Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (TSF Dalera BB).
Von Bredow-Werndl posted 76.98% when going 12th of today’s 34 starters, and only compatriot Schneider, going fifth from last, could beat that when putting 80.23% on the board.
Ireland are 10th of the 15 teams after their first two riders. Kate Dywer was first to go with her mother Maureen’s 13-year-old Snowdon Faberge (Foxcourt Fabelhaft x Maat) and scored 66.18%.
Heike Holstein was next aboard her home-bred 10-year-old mare Sambuca (Samarant x Limmerick) to score 69.47% and they lie in 16th place individually. Dwyer is 27th individually.
The hugely experienced Olympians Anna Merveldt and Judy Reynolds will line out tomorrow, when the team medals and Tokyo 2020 Olympic qualifying places will be decided. There are three places on offer for Tokyo. Germany, Britain, Sweden, The Netherlands and Spain have already qualified.
Team Britain are lying second ahead of Sweden in third. The hosts are lying fourth, Denmark in fifth, Portugal in sixth and Switzerland is lying seventh.
The best 30 combinations after tomorrow's team competition will go forward to Thursday’s Grand Prix Special, when the first of the individual medals will be decided. On Saturday, the final 15 combinations will line up for the Freestyle to Music.
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