A huge victory for Isabel Freese! The Norwegian rider, who has been living in Germany for a long time, won the Havens Horsefeed-Prize, the Grand Prix of the CDI4* Tour with her Olympic horse, Total Hope.

It was an international podium in the prize-giving ceremony of the HAVENS Horsefeed-Prize in the Dressage Stadium: Norway ahead of Poland and Finland. Isabel Freese won the class with the Oldenburg-bred stallion, Total Hope on a score of 74.261 percent. It was the first time that the 46-year-old has won a Grand Prix at the CHIO Aachen. Second place went to Sandra Sysojeva with the also Oldenburg-bred mare, Maxima Bella (73.696). Henri Ruoste finished third with his Danish-bred mare, Tiffanys Diamond (73.087).

The best German pair were Semmieke Rothenberger and Farrington in fourth place on a score of 72.565 percent.

The winner couldn’t have been happier. “I am simply mega, mega, mega happy to win here in Aachen! That is simply above all my expectations!” Above all, she was delighted with her meanwhile 13-year-old stallion, who descends from Totilas (Edward Gal/Matthias Alexander Rath) and Weihegold (Isabell Werth), both of whom already excelled here in Aachen in the Big Tour. Total Hope did credit to both of them today. “I am super happy with my horse. He was a bit tense at the beginning when the spectators started clapping. But he coped with it really well! He was totally with me – it was simply great fun,” she raved.

Isabel Freese and her fellow competitors were able to totally live out their exuberance later in the prize-giving ceremony. The horses were namely dispensed from taking part and the riders did the lap of honour on foot, galloping around the arena spiritedly.